WEDNESDAY
Was spent in front of the computer doing up my entire PA report from scratch. 2000 words! Completed it in afternoon before heading off to NTU. Met a whole load of FOC-ers on 179. They were so stinky n sweaty ewwww.
3 rounds around NTU is no joke. Even while running out of the SRC my legs already felt bad. The first round felt awful. But timing was amazingly not bad. Second round I just went into "coma", just churning the legs at a steady speed. Interestingly I did a negative split, although only by 10s. Third round I was just wishing for water and that the sun don't set too soon. And so, I ran till the sun set again.
Sports camp ppl were back. Looking at them, once again, I'm so thankful I'm NOT a freshie. HAA.
Swimming was actually pretty fun since we had a lot of rest. Had a very pointless conversation with some lifeguards which left me feeling very annoyed with them. Lifeguards, urgh.
THe weather was freak. Terribly hot the entire day, but freakingly coldddddd when the sun set! The winds! Bathed and sat at the track to emo a bit, blow wind, and watch the activities of sports camp.
Reached back 10+pm and immediately settled my PA report touch up and editing and slept at midnight.
THURSDAY (today)
8am is really too cruel. So in the end we reached like 8.40am instead. Changi village! Me Leewei and Lols went Ubin! It was pretty fun, walking around chek jawa, through all the boardwalks, the visitor jetty, the tower, and then cycling past quarries. Minus the mosquito bites thank you. Boat ride was fun! Pics will be uploaded soon I hope! Weather was excellently superb! Little/light sun, and the afternoon sun was covered most of the time! Thank God :)
Really really tired out and just decided I can't take it anymore. Bathed and gave up the sunset watch today. It's nice to sit around and relax! :)
I was having reflections on cycling. Thank goodness the times when I fell were all retarded falls. Meaning like it's cuz I lost balance at slow speeds, or crashed into ppl I didn't see, and not when I was zooming at high speeds. Sometimes I wonder if I had fallen that very first time, would I be riding again? Looking back, really thank God amazingly for protecting me.
I was going down the hill at hall 7, first time out on my road bike, zooming at great speeds (I bet you can go up to 50km/hr there!), wITHOUT a helmet, and losing control such that the ENTIRE bike was zig-zagging, and gold medallist behind thought I was confirm gonna fall. I think 1hr on the trainer before that made me feel like I canNOT fall, and all I could do was HOLD TIGHT, and steadied my hands.
Subsequently I did have some fear going down slopes. Like I won't release all the way. And I've yet to go down the same slope in that direction ever since. But, I think I've come a long way and feel much steadier on my bike now! STill, if I'm gonna continue riding, I'm kinda prepared for bigger falls in the future, just hope they won't be THAT bad.
And maybe someday this year I'll attempt that slope again :)
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Todays training sucked. Reasons can be summarised as follows:
1) There wasn't Rod's training programme
2) There wasn't Rod's training programme
3) There wasn't Rod's training programme
Kidding.
1) Too much freestyle
2) Trying not to drown
3) It was the clock, the running numbers, timings, and me, all on my own
I might as well train on my own.
Quite in a no-man's land.
I will miss acjc pool.
With the awesome sunsets which turn the sky a reallyyy nice shade :)
And the nice nice clouds.
And the tall walls where I feel my turnings have improved alot :)
At least the 8x100 IM left me feeling alright since I actually managed to survive on 2mins! Altho like what in the world was xr doing. Like fly underwater kick till 15m or more den swim 3 strokes of fly den change to back...........
The kicking was my only breastroke of the day. I tried my best at least.
Followed by 20x100m -- 10 pull, 10 swim. So they went on 1.50 I went on 2 with sue jy n ym. I know I can comfortably do a pull on 1.50. But the swim would be a struggle. And so by orders of the capt I was left to do on 2 which was pretty sian cuz I dunno why the others couldnt keep up so I was like going on 2 on my own? At least the pulling timings I was happy with the consistency of within 2s.
The swim was crap.
Like totally crap.
So totally UNmotivating when you're just swimming like on your own :(
And I did an extra set for breastroke cuz I miss it.
Please don't take away my dream.
But I think life moves on.
And good things won't happen twice?
Fireworks round two wasnt as nice somehow. I missed the magic feeling which you get when it's time out and you're on your own. Will be back at the bridge the next time round.
But I enjoyed the company despite walking round and round the area just to get to Funan for my pasta! Pizza bread + banana + chocolate bits. Hmmmmm.
Sunday didn't pass too slowly this time round. I had a longer lunch break and another 45min break. My last pri 2 kid said: "oopsy, sorry I farted". And I made my cute K1 kid write her chinese name. And the most famous quote of my UWC kid: "I think we should all sleep." He's always tired and sleepy! (Worse than me!) But lessons r always crappy and he made a video for school where I contributed by playing some part of the background music heh. My last kid at JE had a bad tummyache so I ended 15mins earlier!
The most coincidental thing which happened was when I was moaning and feeling very tired and sian walking down the mrt escalator at JE (cuz my last kid's lesson dragged and only had half an hr to get to my nxt venue) and I looked up and guess who I saw walking down the stairs, coming down from the same train! KENNETH SW! Like heLLOOOooooo what are YOU doing here. Haa. It's like how so totally coincidental :)
MONDAY
Rain rain rain rain rain. And then I wanna ask the question: WHY isit raining. And leewei will say: Do I need to give you the entire explaination again? The water evaporates, the clouds gather .............
So I went to my kid's place. And she paid me the sweetest compliment saying: Ms Jocelyn teaches very well. Haha. I think I dunno how to accept compliments. Was suppose to do some Murderous Maths with her. But she's really intelligent actually. Like 90+ over for all her subjs. She's in RGPS. We ended up doing volume and symmetry drawing. First time teaching a pri2! Okay not quite, there were the Eunos Carehut times. I wonder how're they. Jiemin, Nurul..............
The run was put off cuz of the rain and I ended up doing some quite slack stretchcords instead. The breastroke ones are so much tougher! Think cuz my stretchcords are basically much harder than the pair I did on last week.
TUESDAY (today)
Thank goodness leewei's internship's over and so cuz I agreed to meet him, we did our normal run. Thank goodness he came all the way over to my place cuz I was gonna be LATE. 7.40am I was at MY starting point but our meeting place's the bridge which will take like 3mins. So we had a nice run through the entire Bishan Park. Talking. Until he said "oh no, we're going too slow" and so we shudup and ran, faster. Till he started talking again. No wonder he's tired and I'm not. Cuz he did most of the talking, and me, the listening haha. But it's really good to have his company. And he pointed out vERY nice clouds this morning. Telling me how those wisps we see are actually rain up there from far away? Pretty cool!
I think I should stick to doing that run with company only haa. Entire Bishan-parked again. Seems like I'm getting used to the distance and the mileage. Think the track work helped! Not too fearful of that distance.
Running with company is nice. We talked, about what Lols and me talked about the night before. Kinda forgotten how easy it is to talk with him. And how his viewpoints always have some truth and is really food for thought despite how sometimes I so totally DON't agree/approve. Makes me feel a little better to sort out whatever's in the head! So, I actually feel more settled now yay :)
A little out of sorts somewhat somehow
Emo-ing a little listening to Josh Groban ha-ha
Sighh
Just for time to pass
One day a little boy walked up to his teacher and asked, "what is love?"
The teacher replied, "I will tell you, but first you must go into a large field of corn and bring back the largest ear to me. There is a catch: you cannot go backwards."
So off the little boy went to pick the largest ear of corn. In the cornfield every time he thought he saw the largest ear of corn, he decided to venture onwards in the event he might see another larger one. In the end he came to the end of the field empty handed and returned back to the teacher mournfully, thinking about the large cobs that he had missed earlier.
"This is love," the teacher said, "you keep looking for a better one but you only realise it when you have already missed the person."
What a week it has been! S-L-A-C-K haa, not.
Wednesday it poured in the afternoon and despite the fear of wet roads, went for a bike ride with Rod. He rode over to my place and I brought him on Sat's joyriders' route through Thomson, Yio Chu Kang, Sengkang, Punggol, Tampines Rd, Pasir Ris, Changi Village, Coastal. About 65+km. The wind was crazy. There were headwinds, from the VERY beginning. All the way through the upper NEL LRT. Many thanks to Rod for pulling all the way haa. Too windy I must say. No sun tho! The thought of another 18km home didn't sound friendly and so took the other way instead of cycling ECP. Went through some mad Bedok area PLUS the crap flyover before Bedok PIE. I was so amazed at how Rod can just CUT through the lanes just like, that. The number of total rights we made, I'm still feeling amazed.
I was so glad, I reached back alive. And Rod being the mad one he has been over the past week, decided to run still. So we changed into shoes and headed off. A taste of transition between bike and run! I think my legs are pretty trustworthy and I like them ha-ha :) Contemplated doing only 2.4km till the bridge but decided to cross over and do 6km since I felt much better when I reached the bridge AND okay larh u know why I wanted to cross larh... It's Wednesday at that time hahaahhahaha. The possibility of that outruled giving Rod a break (since he still had to cycle all the way back! shldnt've run so much) but since he admits his middle name is madness, so be it haa.
And so going back, Rod cycled like a total of 95km+, officially changing his name to Roderick Madness Eng tsk. I dreamt of him growing bigger (into Twain size), quite monstrous. Kinda scary haa!
THURSDAY. A wasted trip up and down but I had my ban mian. Did my 8x400m swim which felt pretty good except when I went home the arms felt bad. And when I rode to the pool the legs felt BAD. Oh let's not talk about overhead bridges. I was literally CRAWLING up the bridge on Wed's run.
More make up lessons here and there.
FRiday. I was dreading the run so much at the thought of 32.5 rounds after last Friday's horror of 30 rounds that I was utterly thankful it rained in the morning! So I slacked the morning away with my laptop in Macs since I was totally bored at home. Had a visit to the police station with the sis! STill remember when I was in kindergarten I drop by the station to borrow pencil to fill in missing homework before I reached the CC for class haha.
And with the promise of no intervals next week, I headed down to TPY stadium. 5km, 5km, 3km. To survive through I counted 5,5,2.5 rest 2.5,5,5 rest 5,2.5. And that's how I survive. It wasn't that bad after all :) 13km. I'm getting better at this! Pretty good pacing too. And so I think total abt 19km in all. I survived :)
It's all a numbers game seriously. It's how your mind plays around with the numbers. And then, it's all in the mind too. How persuasive you are in talking yourself into doing this. And how easily persuaded you are by yourself. Hmmmmmmm.
SATURDAY. After declaring coastal route shouldnt be done more than once a week, thankfully the sis rode with me today and decided to go Mandai loop instead yay. Passed by longhouse and tried the entire inside of Lower Pierce for the first time. Too many hills for my liking though it was utterly slack and I was just moving my legs with the excuse that I did my crazy intervals the day before. Sis met a friend and so we had company throughout the way.
We reached back around one half hrs later. And decided to check out the back of SAS where a frisbee flew out from the sis' class the day before but she didn't went to pick it. Apparently it wasn't there. And apparently cuz of the detour, we were caught in some torrential rains. Sad sad.
And then I had to ride out in the just-got-heavier rains on the mountain bike to get the van which was like parallel parked between 2 cars and I took such a long time to get out from there. Terrible experience.
Today's swim I felt was good though. I tried my best. I felt good in the water. 5x200m breastroke almost killed the legs again. Except I was utterly amazed at the consistent timings. No one can say I'm not trying. And the biggest compliment I got today was when Yiming said my breastroke glide seems effortless! I think I like the breastroking. Although I complain abt the legs and how I'm dying, I like how with Rod 'forcing' us to do it on crap timing, I try my best, streamline, straight arms, head down, kick knees in, touch turn, streamline, PULL, kick, gasp for air, and again.
Again it was a numbers game. 5 is my number. (after yest's track running) and x4 for each 200m is like each 100m around the track. So there I survived and it wasn't that bad.
OKAY. Time for the kid's piano lesson.
Fireworks tonight! :)
Life, is made up of all the decisions you make.
How true.
On Monday, I think I made the worst decision of my life. But I did it anyway and I feel stuck, very.
And so I dragged myself all the way down to NTU for a x2 hills running. Rod went really crazy and we did a 33/29! Which is quite amazing considering I haven't been running NTU hills. AND legs didnt ache the next day yeah :) I think Rod's running's realllyyyyyy not bad already hahaa..
It was good to be back in school when there's activity around! I like being at SRC. It was good to surprisingly meet a whole bunch of ppl! Shaun from ODAC (FOC camp), my ex student as a freshie haha, Si Kuan, the bi team, the lifeguard ppl etc etc....
Swim was the ultimate slack. But it was good for videos to be taken and I learnt abit more :) tried the kicking with knees closed and focus on streamline! Tried abit of plunging toooo. Porridged for dinner again and then many thanks to Bud for the ride back! :)
Tuesday was total slack. Oh there was Beard papa tooooo! :) The eclair puff is still the utlimate heavenlyness. YuMM! Slacked the afternoon away and thanks to Rod for a ride to the pool! Did some stretchcords. It's quite fun to do breastroke ones!
Training was pretty slack with only like 3.6km. It was quite a change from the normal but I was pretty happy. We did like 8x25m sprints with plunging. I did 4 free 4 breast. Was actually a little tiring with all the sprints but I felt it did me a world of good. Cuz plunging x8 well, makes one used to plunging! :) And I think at least for my last 2 free sprints, it was more a 'sprint' haha. Having no choice but to do it, kept trying to increase frequency like how Rod showed me yest. I think I might be ALMOST THERE :) It was good to practise starts also! So I was quite a happy girl.
12x50m pulling was slack. 12x50m KICKING, wasn't.
12 is fine, if not for what was to follow.
But I was really thankful for the 10x100m breastroke Rod insisted we do. And very thankful for the slack timing of 3min too.
1) I tried my best to focus on streamline, straight arms head down!
2) I could go all out (except with a bit more gliding) cuz we have about 1min rest.
3) With nobody behind me I practised turns x10 without worrying about shooting off and banging straight into ppl behind.
But isit really wrong if u're faster but to go behind? I don't see what's so wrong :( I was quite affected. Like after that didn't know/dare/want to swim faster. I mean if it's things like free pulling, I'll gladly go first. Don't like to be behind and getting stuck. But for the 10x100 I wasn't hiding behind :( It's like the first 50 weishing's always very fast. If I were to go first, I'll block him. And then turning can't be done with peace of mind. And I can't pull and kick concentrating cuz I'll be worrying about ppl catching behind etc :( And going back 50m there was alot of space so it's ok if we swim side by side isnt it? What's wrong :(
Isit that wrong to go behind. It made me feel very wrong tho, after that :(
Sigh.
But I've never breastroked so much in my whole entire life. It felt really strange when I got out of the pool I dunno why. I think it's a good thing. I feel so much more at ease, comfortable and, pretty much better :) x20 laps of trying to do proper strokes surely must work!
But I still feel strange over that :(
Isit that wrong :(
Thanks to marcus for the ride back! But I'd rather Rod fetch cuz he's like really nice and will drop me right below my house hahha! Don't have to walk from mrt hahahha...
I think it's rather funny, that the roomie wants to wake up early but I DONT.
And so for the first time in a lonnnnnggg time I was awake till like 1.30am yesterday, all cuz I lost track of time and was just trying to figure out a little html to add the title thingy. Felt the need for some colour and a change. Looking at my template's html, actually it's pretty plain and quite abit of the whole thing was 'self-written'!
I wanted to wake up at 9.30 to clock at least my 8hrs, but nooooo I woke up at like 6.30, then at 7, then I gave up and got up at 7.30am. Can't sleep!
I think reading archives of blogs tells alot abt a person, be it my own or other frens. Somehow, words are quite a personal thing, as in something coming from the inside. At least that's how I blog. And so reading my other blog's old archives (it's my JC school life mostly) really intrigues me cuz it reflects my maturity level and way of thought THEN. At least I can say, I grew up :)
Now why does it seem that talking to ttk is like talking to mom. From the first response, I regret starting the conversation.
TUESDAY
I went Vivo again, on the way to teach Hannah. Ate lunch with ttk at Marche. First time there. Well, altogether bad experience. Concept is cute and all but I thought the food wasn't nice at all and it costs a bomb. I so regretted going for lunch. And decided to just go home instead.
Have you seen the masked lion? Haha so I decided to up and take a pic. Thank goodness it's in a quite ulu location on a not-so-crowded Tuesday afternooon at the top of Vivo. Was asking ttk to hurry up take!
So I came home and completed another unfinished business. Tadam! Cute RIGHT.
And decided to take more pics, of my very first one. 
Actually come to think of it I think it's really nice now haha. And come to think of it, I actually did aLOT but gave to alot of other ppl!
Went for a short run, and then headed down to PS to meet kenneth sw and eugene for dinner! 7.15pm! I was late, 5 minutes ONLY. Mr Eugene was late, like half an hr. All cuz he was, doing what he does best HAA.
Well, it was realllllyyy good to meet up with them. We ate Swenson's. It's like haven't met up like that since 2 years ago? (I suddenly recall our pizza hut days of skipping staff meeting!) But yet it's like nothing changed. Altho ksw seemed rather tired from work, and eugene was a littleee bit bigger haha! But still, all the crap. And their gaming. And them calling me "jojo". I really think Eugene is someone who is cut out to teach. Like I nv asked ksw why he taught during the break. But for Eugene, he was there cuz he was gonna be a teacher. For me, it was the worst reason. Cuz Lokeman called me back and I had no other job haha!
Eugene is really pretty amazing, the things he thinks of. The way it's just like naturally to him. Yeah, his classes were always fun! And those days were really fun! Begging him to relief my classes for the fun of it when he's free and all. And I still have the pic in my hp of him sleeping ON THE STAFFROOM FLOOR. haa. Those days of hershey's chocs EVERYDAY. kitkats! Oh not forgetting you can really cut. And then it was really nice to have those 2 christian frens. Even little things like saying grace. To eugene buying those cheap speakers and having one at my side so we had constant hillsongs everyday!
I was thankful tho that my students werent like his students. Somehow God gave us students which fit our totally different ways.
But still I miss the 3 of us hanging out :) And I could just sit there and listen to both of them crap away all day. Although most of the time they were talking about what Eugene (and hmmmm maybe ksw too!) does best! :)
A great ending to a day which started off not really well.
WEDNESDAY
Nothing much, I totally slacked the day away. Oh yeah had Rod's company for a run! He came over to my place and intro-ed him to Bishan Park! Was intending to do 1hr the usual 9.2km but in the end him being his usual mad enthu self, we whacked the entire Bishan Park meaning 12.5km. 1hr 20mins if u exclude the swing part haa. NOT BAD ACTUALLY. Compared to the other day. Somehow company on the entire Bishan Park really makes it much better. I seriously thought we were CRAWLING. Like last time having leewei's company made a total difference to the run. It was like, so fast.
Since Rod was like not tired (my definition is still can talk = not tired enough), we decided to up pace at the 3km back. And since he started going at this crazy pace, I decided not to whack and be consistent and started doing 31s/100m. At least I felt like the run wasnt quite a waste when I did that.
Oh, guess who we met. Haa. Will the strangest things never fail to occur.
Anyway, was quite worried for Rod's ahm. Like he's not running mileage! But after that day's run, felt so cheated. Like okay, he can run and will survive ahm! So there haha. But actually as much as I keep insisting he runs, I think I need the company as much too and was actually thankful cuz I prob wouldn't do the 12.5 alone.
So it was quite a fun ending to a slack day.
THURSDAY
NEEMO'S 21st BIRTHDAY! Yet again at Vivo for the lesson, after which I went to indulge in a heavenly lunch all on my own! :) I think I'm abit mad to go eat all on my own. But that's me, and I people-watch. It's really interesting, to hear their conversations, to see the way ppl act and all. It's like, always standing outside, looking in sort of feel.
Home sweet home where I discovered I was THE ONLY ONE AT HOME! And then all plans of strechcords flew out the window cuz I only do one thing when I'm home alone which is seldom. That is, to play to my heart's content. And so I piano-ed away and fell in love with Chopin all over again. But as usual, it all comes to an abrupt stop when mom came home.
Reached Pandan Valley in an amazing record time of 35mins! The buses just kept connecting! Cool. Considering I was uber late. 2 students, a trip down to Bugis to meet Lols, after which Edmund picked us up in a cool red sports car to go to Mexican restaurant Margaritas along East Coast Rd for an interesting dinner. Nice to meet up with all the band peeps again!
FRIDAY
Lack of sleep and utter tiredness from the long travel. 6x2km. The legs protested towards the end. I got too used to Rod's company for intervals. (Sing bi too) As much as I always say I get Rod to run, I'm really thankful having him for intervals really. Did I mention this above haha. But I think he's NOT BAD LEH. Like 4x2km! +1km. Sure ace his ahm haha. No worries! (Thus if I'm gonna run x2 hills of NTU tmr it's no mercy alr. Plus he'll whack me at the hills anyway)
A very nua-ish swim followed. The water was nice and clear! Had not much plans so was pretty thankful for the 10x100m. At least I had something to do. Still had coach to tell me timing. Not bad haha! I like swimming in ntu pool! Was pleasantly surprised when Rod bothered to stroke correct. Hope I learnt some stuff.
Decided I don't wanna stink of can 2 so went to NIE where the person scolded me haha. And then the canteen was closed for renovation. I was so depressed. And then Rod reFUSed to run for the bus. So I ate char guo tiao. Heavenly. And was late and had to cab to NUH from buona vista. The doc was pretty interestingly interesting. The way he handles ppl. It must be pretty stressful working in there. Saw alot of young ppl ard. Must be all the medicine NUS peeps. NUH is a pretty efficient place.
Took bus down to Marina Square to meet Rod and we wandered aimlessly around the place and he was scammed and bought his golden fried rice with scallops. (haa) Met Amanda and Yiming to wander around more before eating dinner at (YAY) pizza hut! I like their company :) I spent most of dinner laughing at Yiming's reaction to whatever Rod was doing/saying. And then Rod refused to stop counting the numbers after which he declared he owes us $1.50 -.-
Yiming left early and so Amanda Rod n me headed down to Raffles City where we got the main gift. And then we headed down to Millenia walk which has the nice lighted windows and we got the balloon and hat! Pretty late by then and I was half dead and Rod had to carry the balloon back, with the fear of it flying away haa. Hold till the plastic bag was sweaty. So disgusting haa.
Another nice Friday where my legs almost died.
SATURDAY
I got dropped. Like MANY TIMES. Every time I get dropped, I start to question why am I doing all this hahhahahhaa. At least I didn't slack on Coastal altho I was alone. I just kept pumping my legs, trying not to lose the rhythm. Swimming was crap with me doing a 46 for the supposed sprint. At least I felt that 12x100 did some good in practicing strokes :) Altho I wasnt pushing. During the sprint I was seriously thinking "what in the world am I doing" like I've no idea what kind of swimming I was doing. I felt it was so crap and all wrong. Sigh. At least I had a ride home from Marcus yay!
THe roomie pangsehed like again! HAHAH. The speaker was really good tho. Service was pretty nice. Decided to go watch the fireworks on my own in the end. Really smart idea to get off at Raffles Place instead and walking by then. Amazingly the bridge had space so I parked myself there for 10mins of awesomeness cum um-chio-ing. I promised myself to be back every subsequent Saturday! :)
As I was walking back and saw VCH in the distance, I suddenly remembered last year, during our alumni concert, it was really nice, cuz during the interval, we were loitering around outside the stairs between the stalls and upstairs when we saw fireworks from ndp rehearsal! :)
SUNDAY
Crawled by like never before. I think cuz I haven't done such a long day for 2 weeks. It was, unbearablyyyyyy long.
I think perhaps I might just be able to bear with all the giving.
Yesterday I went for a 1hr20min 12+km run. Yes yes I know very slow. But it's amazing I'm already running in the morning alright? Haa.
It was to the very end of Bishan Park again. Been seeing many squirrels around these days. (And the monkeys at lower pierce the day before!) Thank goodness the sun has been pretty mild in the mornings. Rather cool to be out and running while all the kids go to school. I feel so old! Like I can almost forget what it feels like to sit in a classroom and go through maths tutorials. Okay, I don't remember doing that in tj anyway. Maths was a let's-use-this-time-to-do-tutorial session instead of going thru.
And I figured out, from home to Toa Payoh stadium, running all the way, is about 3km? So I had a 3km warm up, did a 9km interval, 3km jog back (total of 15km) after which I went for a 2hr tennis session at Kovan, had some rest and went for swim training. No wonder I crashed for the nxt few days, and only managed a slow ride and 2 slack swims! Terrribleeeeee.
So I will jiayou for subsequent 12+km runs.
Tried to complete my e-logbook (will do so by TODAY)
Played abit of clarinet.
And then sis brought me on a ride to the bike shop to clean up my sad sad bike! It was a pretty fun ride cuz the traffic wasnt that heavy despite being at peak hour and the route we took was pretty pleasant without having to chop lanes. The cars were pretty nice too like no one horn! Usually they always do :( to me at least. Except we met crazy lady drivers who only look at one side of the road and not the other when coming out from lanes. Ridiculous!
Was suppose to meet Rod at some bus stop on Nicoll Highway at 5.35 but we were 2 minutes late thanks to the many traffic light stops! And I think he reached like 5.20 or something oops! It was nice to know that the person in front u're trying to follow (ie the sis) will wait for you if u're too slow. Not like when riding with jr. Once u're dropped, u're dropped! Goodbyeeeeee.
I guess it's all relative. Like when I rode with leewei and rod, I thot rod felt like a very safe rider. But when I was riding yesterday, haha. I think riding with the sis is the safest thing on earth! I dunno why, I just feel very safe. Okay except she stops too abruptly. Like, she can unclip so fast. And hence my most retarded and unglam topple of the year, where I stopped and found myself stationary on the bike, my cleats still clipped on. SIGH.
So I have a pretty nice clean bike and had a nice yummyy magnum ice cream toooo!
Looking forward to the week with many meet ups with bestest friends! :)
Woke up really late and nicely happy! Queenstown is pretty near. Water Fiesta 09. Rather fun. There was Zj Marcus Rod me and Sue! Eileen did the bi in the morning and Poh came to support!
It was pretty boring. Like very rushed. Hardly warmed up. Felt very siann. No motivation to swim cuz everything was like only me and Sue so I clocked really bad timings and all. The only good thing out of this was that it feels good not to be teaching on a Sunday. Also, captured quite alot of swimming videos so that's a good learning point for me on how to improve.
I so wanna improve my breastroke. Saw some really good strokes and all by the kids. But it's like, so pointless. You read the books, you see the videos, but don't know how to put it into practise. And if you do, whether u're doing it right. I so wish someone can guide me/coach to teach ayeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Sucks. After one year, I'm still stuck here. And then IVP will come with everyone saying "Aiyar abit too late to change your stroke".
Totally dots.
So it was all in all, quite a pointless water fiesta. I regretted not joining the biathlon, especially since I had a Sunday off, should've made full use of it :(
At least there was good company! And I finally saw for myself how my free "sprint" is like. No wonder everyone says I'm warming down............... Can't sprint for nuts.
Great weather!
So I came home to play pointless Chopin on the piano. And then whacked all the scales for the fun of it.
And since my running company was not required, I took myself for a super ultra dont-sweat ride along the river. Really great weather! However, it being a Sunday, I was seriously crawling cuz I was so scared of kids and having to suddenly brake and therefore topple on my side once AGAIN. But then again, my aim was to not sweat. Good practise on crawling like snails and on my balancing skills.
In the first half of Bishan Park, I was crawling like probably at 30rev/min or less! And at half middle gear of small gear. There was this 2 riders behind me, and I heard the front one saying "I'm following the girl in front of me", and so I just increased my revs to maybe say 40rev/min and he said "Oh no she's choinging!" I was like -.-
So after the horrors of the track and first half, I decided not to tackle second half of the park inside cuz there're alot of hills and didnt wanna roll backwards if I'm gonna be crawling. So, I rode on the roads. And guess who I met. Will wonders never cease :) So I just um-chio-ed for the rest of the ride there and back! :)
Lower pierce. Reached pretty early like 6.30 and so decided to ride to the end, only to find out that nice nice place is a golf area. Maybe it's SICC? It's really so nice. So sad ppl only go there to like uh aimlessly hit a ball around into holes? And not to sit and enjoy the really nice scenary. So I slowly rode all the way to the end and this girl with her siblings and dad she said "that's a racing bike!" And I was thinking.... hmmmm... it is? I didn't race in it....... But felt rather pleased haha.
The funniest was this little boy, who looked up at me, and asked me "are you a girl?" And the maid which was with him was telling him "of course she is!" and I told him "Uh, yes I am?" HAAA... I was so tickled. The kids are really cute. Just as long as they're not hazardously on a bike spinning in and out in my path. Oh, and if they're not crying. That day there was this boy on the bus crying and crying. Okay, more like wailing. I used to think Bernard was cruel when he said he'll string the kid and hang him on the fan or something. But I think, I'm the sort who'll do that now. Really wanted to slap the kid haa! Like shutUP.
Just like how looking at all the little kiddos getting the novelty certs, somehow this little boy caught my attention. He's so totally cute! And he was wearing this blue shirt saying behind "God is love". So funnyyyy turns out Rod taught him swimming last time before! And uh huh he said he was nice to teach! Haha seeeeee I like cute guai little boys. And so, had to drag a very unwilling Rod to go with me to ask the mom if I can take pic with her boy haa! heh
Since it was really cloudy and no sign of the sun, I decided there's no sunset today. So just enjoyed the peace and quiet and excellent weather and really perfectly lovely still and peacefulness of lower pierce for 20mins or so :)
Great ride :)
Great for the soul and heart :)
And, one day, I will :)
Thursday, I went to do another make up class, bought a $1.10 breadtalk bread, and headed to PS Yamaha to get some books, and then Marks and Spencer to buy the choc digestives! I've only ever eaten MnS choc digestives once. And that was ONE biscuit way back in like 2003? When the band comm were out shopping for presents for bigshots. And I thought that was the most heavenly biscuits ever but have yet to ever eat it again! I wonder if it'll still taste as heavenly.
I came home and slacked around and only went to the pool in the evening cuz it rained in the late afternoon. Went to the pool to slack around and the lifeguard tried to talk to me again. Came out of the pool and was like running to the toilet cuz I wanted to pee. Then the lifeguard kinda shouted across the entire length "Wah today so early uh!" Like how you want me to respond? And I wanted to pee. So I just ran off and I think he must be cursing me cuz I dao-ed him haa.
DID NOT RUN!
Friday morning, left house even earlier than worktime, to get to Jurong East by 9am for the girls' lessons. After that, decided to head to NTU pool to swim. I really miss the pool! It was actually pretty clean and the water very clear also! :) It was SO PEACEFUL! I really enjoyed swimming there so much. And it brings some fond memories. Cuz it was in that pool, that I really grew up, and swam again! It was really very peaceful and still and so niceeeee to swim.
I got quite bored waiting for Rod to come and TEACH ME HOW TO PLUNGE. properly. So I did some pointless kickings. Up and down up and down kick kick kick. As I was heading into the middle of the pool, suddenly this guy started waving his hands around, bobbing up and down and was shouting for help. I got pretty scared like uhhhh what to do?! And I was a little far off, without goggles and cap (didnt wanna get tan lines) and didnt wanna watch a guy drown right in front of me haha. So I continued kicking while the lifeguard picked up that big orange buoy and ran all the way to the nearer side and threw the buoy.... I brought the buoy nearer to the guy and made sure he found it and gripped onto it. I was pretty surprised cuz he looked at me with some sort of surprise mixed with gratitude haha. And then I towed him and the buoy to the side of the pool. HAHA. I was, um-chio-ing after that. Like hahha! Lifesaving... hmmmmm...
And SO the roomie pangseh-ed....... Like Rod asked does she normally ps... and I was like 'No, I'm usually the one who ps haha!' but not stuffs w the band peeps larh. Usually other meetings with other groups I tend to consider ps-ing.
In the end, since I had nothing to do, and Rod was gonna go Sci Centre anyway (like without knowing how to get there in the first place haa!) we headed to see Da vinci. Like I kinda miss the science centre! Amazingly that albert einstein look-alike guy climbing up and down is still there! Like this other guy who went by commented "This guy has been climbing for at least 15 years!" haa. Walked around science centre. Pretty fun and amazing at first! But it got a little boring after awhile.
Da vinci was super super super long. And rather fascinating too. Like he's REALLY some sort of genius! Pretty cool... But it got really really tiring towards the end. (And Rod fell asleep during some video haa!) We continued looking around the different places till the science centre closed at 6pm!
So I decided to head to Toa Payoh only to find out tpy's pastamania CLOSED :( So depressing. So I went to buy a mango cake and sat outside the library to enjoy. Till this guy came to talk to me. I knew they were getting ppl to sign up for stuffs and I thought it's credit card so they usually not interested in students. As usual the first question was "Are you studying or working?" But anyway it turned out to be about CPF. And so we had a pretty interesting conversation.
He was pretty friendly (but irritating too like keep mentioning abt his ex and at one point of time I wanted to say "no wonder she's ur EX" haha) and he graduated from NTU last year. And I was pretty flattered when he said I look like some sports person. Like HAHA. For once uh. Not like my irritating office ppl who say "can't tell right!" ....................
And so he was like "are you from sports club?" and I went "you don't have to be in sports club to do sports............." SO we had a pretty interesting conversation, half an hr, about NTU, work, courses, CCA, hall, JCRC, CPF schemes, prudential, brothers etc etc
And I was bombarded by many more of such prudential ppl for the rest of the day at Toa Payoh. Like I was in a cant-decide day/mood. For like lunch/dinner I really couldnt decide what to eat! So I was walking up and down for like forever.
Today started off real badly. Like I got dropped very early in the ride. Like at sengkang. Then, I made this other guy keep waiting for me. But I was pleasantly surprised when he said he noticed me and that I'm usually somewhere in the front of the pack. But I didnt tell him tt's cuz it's my sis' wise strategy. Stay as front as possible so when you get dropped at least maybe can catch the end of the pack and not get like REALLY dropped. Cuz he was saying there're only a few lady riders.
I'm starting to realise all the angmoh's ride with ANZA and JR's more Singaporeans these days....
And then it poured like at coastal. Like REALLY pour. The headwinds were killing me. The entire coastal stretch it was pouring. I was cold, wet, miserable, tired, scared of the lightning and thunder and the rain got quite painful after awhile.
When the lorries and huge trucks sped by, for the first time I really felt their force like I actually flew left!
On a happier note, at least I memorised the route now (I hope! the real test will be next week and the funniest thing was I actually made quite alot of CORRECT turns that day!) and guess who I saw today haha.
BUT I banged again. Like this is getting to be a habit! And i'll NEVER ride the one way street part at ecp again. I really thought I was going to die and crash into the cars altho they were nice n going real slow. I really felt so unsteady I really really thought it's any moment soon that I'm just gonna crash and fall off like AGAIN :( So miserable. And then setting the alarm at 8.30 cant even get my bro down earlier. And then he cant even drive backwards. Like I had to cycle all the way to carpark B1. Cold, wet, miserable and VERY tired :( Okay I'm thankful he fetches me every sat morn. But still sighhhhh. Cooperation with the sis is the best. At least she understands. Like okay depending on who reaches first etc.
Today's bang against the car door into that ~!@@#$%@ person left my handlebar like totally disfigured and out of shape and I had to like pull it back. Cleaned my bike like again in the van. Reached acjc, very miserable but at least I wasn't late cuz the captain reached then too so just as long as u're before the captain means u're early! haha.
TOday's turnout was not bad, with Rod Songloo Bud Zj Marcus Martti DesmondS (it's pretty funny how he said they're not objects where there's plural form haa!) and THREE OF US GIRLS. wow amazing haha. Sue me and amanda! It was actually a good training, as tired as I was from the ride. So I was feeling really happy after that.
It was defined as good because 1) I tried to do my best 2) the numbers didnt mock me 3) I wasn't swimming beside any monsters whose waves make me drown like the other day 4) we did 50s! I hate 100s cuz the looping makes me drown in the waves. I feel like I'm getting tossed everywhere. 5) Songloo's suggestions on plunging worked wonders! I'm so amazed by him hahhaa!
Thanks to Rod for the ride to Leng Kee CC to collect our "race packs" which consisted of 3 very useless vouchers and a shirt. And suechee's grandma's hse is like in Blk 141! Which is like just THERE. So funnyyyy.
This week has been such a time-alone week! How very very lovely. Haven't had so much slack time to myself since like forever! I cant even recall since how many years ago. After resting for like 30mins, it was lesson time, then church, then lesson again, then to PS I went, to get the cookies! Eat pastamania! And then home sweet home.
It keeps raining. So irritating. Like KEEP ON RAINING.
Hopefully I can sprint well tmr goodnight!
There! Super cute piano kid :)
Monday was spent slacking the day away! Never had such a coolbananas day of slacking before. Felt so good! ahha.
ABC biscuits! There's not a single Y in the whole bag how sad.
This was what I spent the whole of Monday doing.
Finishing up unfinished business. That was left behind since like a long time ago. No, I didn't finish it in one day. Quite impossible haha. I did the legs and head.
This is what outlining does to it. Somehow feels like it brings pooh to life!
My favourite one thus far! It's such a happy wallpaper!
Tuesday, due to inactivity the day before and the dislike to run on wet ground, I decided to run in the morning instead. For the second time, (first being the intervals in NTU track sometime ago with Rod for company except I refused to run when the sun came up) I could actually run properly like a training thingy in the MORNING! Somehow mornings and me running dont quite match.
So I ran all the way to TPY stadium and did 1, 2, 3, 2, 1km on 31s/100m, my newest pace. It was a little over comfortable pace for me. So it got a little tiring towards the end. 22half rounds! Haa.
Ran home and changed before going to Kovan Melody to meet Lols Hs and Qtz play some tennis! Or more like try to play. I think balls and me simply don't match either haa! But it was pretty fun!
Home to rest for 3hrs, before heading to ACJC pool for a very slack swim training. The funniest thing was I met Chi Tung there!
It was the 7th Night of July with a very big full round moon! Did you see it! :)
Today, I ached. I think it was a combination of hard core running and then tennis and then swimming.
Tried to ride in the afternoon to find my way through Joyrider's route but I was so pathetic I missed the first turn and ended up in Sengkang (passed Lols' house) and then to Punggol and I know we pass by the mrt station but I couldn't figure out which way. Tried both ways and still didn't know where next. Since Rod's east-weather-forecast said showers in Coastal, I gave up and went home via the NEL line instead.
It started raining at Kovan area. And poured all the way through Serangoon. So the ride turned out effectively to be a tour-de-NEL cum bike wash cum shower for me.
I was still so achey (altho I didnt feel it on the ride eXCEPT the hills part) I decided not to swim n run. Tomorrow tomorrow. Ahhhh always procrastinating! haa.
Lilo and Stitch (2002) is the best movie on earth. Really like all the dialogue and how everything just fits together in a really funny and cute way. Not forgetting how absolutely CUTE lilo is! I've watched the show more than 10 times.... And I used to know what came next. "Do you know what tuna is? it's......... FISH!"
Catch the movie on youtube if u've never watched it before! Listen to the dialogue! It's really interesting.
Made my first piano kid of the day cry :( But I'm going down for extra lesson tmr.
Taught from 930am straight through to 5.15pm. NO BREAK. Suppose to be 6pm but my last student thought it's concert so didn't come!
I wanted to upload a pic of my cute student! She's only k1 but VERY VERY intelligent. She's absolutely adorable haha. But blogger doesnt allow somehow.
Had piano therapy till 5.45pm before heading to JE for a very yummy ban mian dinner which left me feeling so full and very satisfied. Nice yummy hot soup in the cold cold rainy weather which feels like december!
Hannah and Adel were pretty fun today.
Discovered many bruises all around me. Like 6 so far. 5 from the bike fall, 1 from dropping the bike pump onto my poor foot early in the morning pumping yesterday!
The weather's so cold, quite lazy to swim tmr.
Shall sleep goodnight!
I AM FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
So Friday was a busy day at work. Don't quite care to elaborate cuz I don't wish to remember.
MRT-ed up to Woodlands where I met Rod n hM to watch AYG Swimming at Sports School! That place is pretty cool :) The school I mean. But it was over too soon :( We tried to milo away our entrance fee. Heaven! We dinner-ed at Grapevine. Haven't been there at all since THIS YEAR! Oh myyyy. Oreo frappe-d.
I was so tired and with such a headache (it started during course registration in the afternoon!) I was amazed I made it back home alive. Lack of sleep and such a long day cuz I was too excited to sleep the night before, thanks to HANJIE for saying that!
Woke up at 6am groaning at why 6am came so soon. Sadly, whoever I wanted to see I didn't get to see! (haha I'm wondering why) But I met Junyang!
Today's ride (/Today) left me feeling very siann.
Firstly, I was uber tired and lifeless.
Secondly the ride was very slow, I was braking half the time. Like no one was there (the normal fast ppl) and the ppl pulling could see they couldnt quite take it but no one else volunteered to pull. Quite a frustrating ride. And also there were TONS of traffic lights, like we got stopped at ALMOST everyone! First time like that. So amazingly suay haha. It was a very dangerous ride with so many cars coming.
Thirdly, I thought the NUS hills training improved me some cuz I managed to keep up for some hills, till we came to the hill which I always die at, the consecutive one. And then I died. So it left me very sad. I think I can do better tho. But so thankful for the stop at the turn to the second consecutive hill, cuz of the many cars.
Fourth, at coastal the whole pack was sian alr I think so they whacked coastal. I managed to keep up till the very end. But was quite siann with myself for allowing to be dropped by the fastest pack. Like where's the determination?
Fifth, I crashed into this roller-bladist. What happened was at the entry from coastal to ECP, have to go onto this grass thing at the side to get onto the track. I guess partly is my fault for not paying attention and looking hard. But all of a sudden, I looked up and this roller bladist was like standing right in front of me. A little too late, I swerved but still crashed into him, tumbled to the floor, and the lady behind me hit my fallen bike.
When I got up, the roller bladist was gone, I was super super apologetic cuz I caused the person behind me to crash onto me. But she was really nice and helped me and all. And she was really really nice. And alot of ppl stopped to make sure I was ok cuz it was at quite a strategic point. But I felt so, well taken care off. The roller bladist disappeared. (And so xianrong glares at me like it's all my fault!)
Well, I think 75% was my fault, 25% was his fault. I mean like I was following one whole bunch of cyclists. Why no one else in front banged but ME! Like what is he doing there in the MIDDLE of the track standing stark STILL :(
It wasn't when I was slowly riding along to fort road tt I started to feel the effects, like my right eye very pain. (oh, I fell on my left, like again) It was a little bloody, and then I discovered all the minor little cuts n bruises. But it's v v minor only thank goodness.
On closer inspection in acjc pool toilet mirror, it seemed like a bruise was forming :( After the swim, I think the goggles, made it worse, and now like everything looks quite gross actually.
Oh the swim was bad.
Like I was so siannn already.
The first set was 10x100 pulling. Actally I think I could've gone on 1.45. Like I've comfortably done 1.50, that's my usual. But I did 2mins instead and got so frustrated w my tired arms. Not forgetting tt irritating mom at the end of the pool who wants to kill her son. After that set, I was really so frustrated with myself, I was really close to giving up and stop swimming then and there. If Songloo made us do the nxt 10x100 free I'd have just given up then.
So I was pretty happy when it was a 8x100m IM instead! :) Like yes, I can survive. Initally he gave 2.15. But I asked for a 2.30 instead. Yes I know I can do a 2.30 comfortably but perhaps I shld've tried a 2.15 cuz I came back consistently abt 1.50.
The last set was a 8x100m, free alternate with breast. He gave 2min. Like 2min breastroke? Madness. So he gave 2.30, but after the first set coming back at 1.40, I decided to go on 2.15 instead. Actually, if I pushed hard, I could've gone on 2mins also.
But I just dunno what's wrong with me. So frustrating.
SO FRUSTRATING!
:(
I realise, I don't like it alot, when my two worlds meet. It's so wrong. I hate it. Can't it be back to last time? Like I feel really bad. Sigh :(
And the feeling has been like that for the past week. Urgh :( :( :(
On a happier note, I think I like walks to the MRT! (with martti!) hhaha, the brackets were added just cuz I think it rhymes. But xr n martti r like filled with crap heh
How different things are from a year ago. I think, the change is me. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing tho.
Was drenched in the horrible downpour early in the morning cuz I met a colleague and rescued her. (She changed bag and didn't bring umbrella) As a result, my whole left sleeve was soaked. Of all days, I wore formal, just for the fun of it since my 8 weeks here, I've yet to wear formal even once. Thank goodness I wore skirt!
Spent the first half hr of today in the toilet, underneathe the hand dryer. Thank goodness for hand dryers. Fellow intern came in 1hr plus LATE (unfair) cuz he had no umbrella and he stays like walking distance from office but in open air.
Went for lunch earlier cuz had to leave office earlier for external audit. The cai fan aunty recognises me and asked how come I'm down so early today haha. It's my last day today cuz tmr I'm eating the yummy wantan meeee!
Went to some place in Aljunied for audit. Ended rather late. Met a monster there. She makes everyone else feel stupid by calling their names often (like speaking patiently to a small child, and saying 'you know'.... interesting) Somehow I feel thankful cuz everyone seems to treat me nicely :)
Walking back I was so irritated I went to buy $2.60 worth of mango heaven! :) Makes my 3 bucks of best-drink-on-earth seems not quite so worth it after all.
Ate my heavenly mango cake in the middle of the main road at the mrt while waiting for the cars to pass so I can jay.
Went for a nice long run but was disappointed cuz it seemed like the events were alr over at Bishan stadium :( Just some ppl around.
Think I saw you but I'm not too sure but something inside says so haha. Now I gotta look out for cyclists too. This is getting, tiring!
Played more. I just love the chords of "We are the reason"!