back and forwards

Ok, this blog is not dead. And yes, i'm not dead from exams too. I have blew off the dust on this blog and celebrate this joyous occassion, by looking at the dusty past posts.

The other day as i need some info, i browsed through my past posts and found this :

Dated 5th June 2006
(http://evoxiang.blogspot.com/2006/06/road-ahead_05.html)

"...but what's after the degree?.... The answer will be out in 3 years time. May it be a great road."


That was what the 20+ year old me asked myself way back then.

3 years and 5 days later, the 23+ year old me is still asking the same question.


Auto industry? Definately will still try after the break. Just that a realistic target will be set and options are all opened out....as long as it is not finance. For sure & for sure, months later i'll get a job and only then i can get an answer for the 20 year old me.

Come November, & i believe my life will be radically different. & that's good.

Anyway, shall enjoy every inch of my holiday right now. You are not getting that often anymore, unless you clear leave and lose your phone. Haa.


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training required

At Trains (no punning intended)

Having always to be a die hard bus user, i converted to taking trains to school only Jan this year, after the morning traffic conditions gotten worse. Since then, the morning commute was seamless, and rather, monotonous.

Quickly it came for the very last day to school on Thurs, and possibly the very last time i'm known as a "full-time" student, going to that school, on that time. The train company gave a surprise that morning, by breaking the norm.

Typical morning, at the typical station, with many others typically went forward to glass door as the train typically comes to a stop, however, untypically it didnt stop on time, & went very untypically overshot. Thus with this untypical situation whereby the train doors ending up aligned to station glass walls, definately the train cannot open it's doors. An untypical reverse, i guess, is not possible too, so in the end the passengers inside the train are trapped.

Picture this. We, on the platform, staring onto the glass door that wouldnt open, (which leads to nothing) and those in the train, preparing to alight, staring onto a black wall.

This ackward moment lasted for half a minute or so, then the train sped off (before the next one came, bang and cause an 007 style explosion). And a straight voice came from the PA: "the next train will be arriving in 2 minutes.".

Honestly, i'm ok with it. I wasnt late or anything; it was rather, those in the train i do pity. For this mistake they have to go an extra station, instantly converting them from on time, to be late for work.

Hey, at least they could have shown some sort of Apology on the PA rather than only saying next one is 2 minutes right?

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At F1 simulator

Came across this at airport today:



And me, being myself, detoured to the booth, and 5 minutes later, on the seat trying out the PC game (not the big simulator of 'cos, i'm not going to crash loudly in public)

Nothing beats playing a driving simulator with proper steering wheel and big LCD screen. But the enjoyment was discounted for the crashing, stalling, spinning out of the F1 car. The singapore circuit is so narrow with no run off area...and the sheer speeds require all the 1000 & 1 concentration...

Damn, it was hard. No wonder F1 drivers are paid millions.

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At Exams

Here's the luck number of the week -- 8861
Fortune available at all 4D/TOTO outlet near you.

Which, by the way, is my exam candidate number, freshly out of the hot mailer that just came in. Just days before the exams.

So as we hope that our number can lead us to some Academic fortune, wouldnt it be nice if we can extract some Financial fortune out of it?

A quick check on my sister newly-beloved iPhone, whose application revealed that this number last came on:

Feb 2007, starter
Feb 2005, starter
Oct 2000, 3rd
Dec 199o, consolation

...& that's all, in entire history.


Alrite, be realistic, study hard.

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away from red dot to the red church

Along comes a long weekend and family going melaka, so it forms a perfect match for a quick getaway holiday...away from our red dot to the place of red buildings.

And indeed, the more than 200km up north escape is worth it. Slows down your pace, get yourself immerse into that rich atmosphere, and get walk shop and eat non stop. Without any diet or financial guilt.

Once is not enough; i'll want to go back again in future and walk that jonker street again, and cover those uncovered part of 'tourist-ly' places.

(& taste again the lovely ice kacang, coffee, laksa, etc)

Hopefully then, can be achieved by driving there....since many does that, with 65.144564% of singaporean cars found in malaysia during public holiday...& be earlier to avoid that massive jam which turns the initial 4.5 hours journey into a 8 hours one.

Now, may the pictures do the talking~

**in case u wonder, some of the dark frame you saw is due to the polarizator lens i just got. Love it under bright sunlight, although unsure have i used it correctly...needs enlightment.


& next, roll the tape..

the air in airport

Ever since i knew how to take bus on own, it seems that i always love to go airport.. Earlier days was for the chilling and food, later was for dating, and nowadays is for self studies here. Whatever is it, it just have a volume to absorb my needs..

And curiously, it does help healing when u r feeling down. Maybe it's the travelling, maybe is the spacious high ceiling and fresh sunlights thru roof of t3, or maybe is the gateway that hints opportunity or hopes exist always somewhere beyond where u r currently at...as a metaphor at least.

People should be happy when they come here. Happy that u r soon going holiday, or that u just start your vacation, that your loves one r back soon, or that he is leaving for better good despite feeling sad. What an atmosphere at the halls...contributing to environment that's great for thinking about things..

Which i was just thinking.. What the heck i was doing for the past 3 years.. 06 to 09 is so different.

A blank sheet of paper

As i paused to think the other day, i could relate human to a car company. How so?

Consider this. KIA motors, a relatively young Korean player in the world market, recently launched a very impressive new Cerato Forte. Away from the odd looking and cheap cars of the past, this new product is nothing like her grandparents. Strong,timeless, striking yet unoffensive european design, it indeed holds the "power to surprise", as with their market slogan.

Behind this piece of work is the new design director, Peter Schreyer. Spending more than 25 years with AUDI/VW group, he created the famous original Audi TT and new Beetle. Coming over to the less premium and emerging Kia, as quoted from the article that I had read, it would be like "working on a blank piece of paper", not having any history to "pick up and continue (with the design) ", considering the youth of the brand.

Although it might seem better for one to have a blank piece of paper and go unconstrained, according to Schreyer it could be harder to find your own way. But luckily the guys from Seoul HQ gave him the freedom, and the result shows.


Coming back to our world of graduates-to-be and job hunting, the big question remains as "what you want to do".. Some people may be just like the big brands; under the influence of the tradition and exposure given by the family, the direction would more or less not deviate much, towards a related industry. With this it can be easy, however it can be a limitation.

As for others, which are pretty fresh without much exposure or anything, it would be like the young brand having a blank piece of paper. Despite the tougher question to answer due to the lack of guidance, any direction would be possible, as long as it is desirable. Especially if plenty of freedom is given by the family (aka HQ) on where to venture into.

So where myself want to go? Having no history to follow in the family, and fortunately given all the freedom to choose, I'm very much "young" and "blank". What i deem desirable is to go into where my passion is, regardless of pay (at first). Then hopefully like the Forte, hitting it right and getting the payoff.

However in times as bad as this, just like other brands' products in the pipeline, plans can face the axe. By then, like GM, it would be just asking for reasonable survival above anything else.

Yes, blank sheet of paper. Also have to be realistic, in name of bread.
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desperate times call for desperate measures

We all know the credit crunch that is going on outside, but little i would expect that my dad and sist would go this far to save....a fan.




Yes, this is it. A fan held together by a thick cast of masking tape ( thick enough to reduce the remote sensor range ), with recycled shoe lays precisely supporting the weight, and completed with rewiring works to accomondate the new position of the metal stand. That's what you get as a brain-child of a Technician and Physiotherapist (father and sist, respectively)


Oh, this used to be a standing fan, twice the height of what you see in the picture, if you wonder. It only suffers from a broken neck joint.


So, if your fan is also broken, you know who to look for. (^-^)
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the "F" word.

Before you readers think any deeper south into the wrong direction, this F word i am thinking now is Fate.

As defined, this is some forces that pre-determine events in people's life. Convenient it is, freed our minds with bloggering questions about why things happens, when you can simply attribute all to this force.

Commonly used to describe relationships, it could just nice to say fate is the magical force that brought about the chain of events that lead the eventual couple to like each other. Friendship too, if not for the decision to join the group/event you wouldnt know this person that became your good friend for long. Or simply be present at the right time and right place to re-encounter into someone by chance. Nice but unexplained.

Or, perhaps even for job seekers. I was thinking that sometimes hunting for a job seem to resemble seeking for marriage: a combination of right 'qualification' and attributes will be most likely to match. However, which job you end up do depends on which listing you saw, which you apply, which got through, etc etc...or simply, whether does the boss likes you or not, based on first impression, no doubt your qualification and preparedness for interview.
..Possibly fate would result in myself ending up with some different job.

Or even buying an item; you may have planned for this shop or that specific thing, but the twist of events or the last minute temptation ends you up with something else. Perhaps explaining how people ending up buying something more expensive.

But other than that simple attribution to the unexplained cause, I guess, fate is on our side; in a way things happen for a result, be it good or bad. Just like my dad old van a decade ago; we actually went to the wrong 'stall' in the used car mart and ended up buying that van, but in return the number eventually gave my dad some 4d prize winnings 5 years back, and 7 years of trouble free miles. Or, just like me joining this school, or just like how we made some decisions.

That is why I believe, what might be odd or wrong would eventually prove to be right in the long run. "What-if" or "should-be" questions are plenty, but what matters most is what happens next.

In this tough year to come, this belief should keep it going through the odds...hopeful~

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It's all in the mind.

The good thing about socio psychology class is that you would always get to watch videos; but this one that we got on monday was so interesting, that i felt so disturbed that it was first disturbed by technical gitches, then later i only got the watch half of it..so much that i went on to youtube in attempt to hunt for the rest.

From BBC, "secret of the sexes", topic about difference about male and female...as from a survey of 500,000 around the world plus experiments.

Here's the reason about all of it:



Ah. I just like the way BBC do their shows.

decorating the decorations

The house's living room just had a fresh new cloth of yellow paint, and my dad wants some deco over them.

In the name of more 4D winnings, he got this:





So, in the spirit, my mum added this, a cute welcome. A pair, each on one side of entrance.





And this. In a lazy mood, we conveniently suspended it on rubber bands, so now you can pull it and see it bounce. Quite fun actually, can do it like long john style - if u like our home, please ring the 'bell'.





Now that wall look empty. So here you see, my novice attempt to decorate. Well....at least it was done in 3 mins...



and pulled down 15 mins later.

To have this....

Honestly, i have no idea what am I doing, until the last few mins to completion...
(i'm not creative hor)



At least... can i think of: "once wealth swims in, it swirls and stay.."


Thus, welcome to my home ^-^

Happy chinese new year~~

...for period ending 25th Jan 2009..

As somewhere in my mind lingers some memories of 2007, quickly 2008 passed by, and before you know it, tomorrow is the chinese new year of 2009.

Technically, i should not be thinking hard about what to write, cos i got to say 2008 was one of the most "packed" year ever existed. From personal to worldwide, it was filled to the brink of happenings. The year my life was changed and different, and the world look different.

But, i'm thinking. Let's first look at the world events. Yes, we are all aware that there is seriously a recession, but had we felt it yet? As a small consumer who is not yet earning a salary, he is still spending like normal and observed that streets are still packed with shoppers everywhere. Perhaps the companies are being ethical now, and retrenchments/shut downs may all take place after the chinese new year. Then when i start to search for job i will feel the pinch. Or perhaps we will be all fine thanks to US's reforms, or the new investments in Sg like the IR or etc.

Happenings in SG? Many. From mas to f1 then to flyer, never so exciting. But whatever that has to be covered is covered in newspaper, and even by mrbrown.com with the alternative perspective. Just more things to be told to friends who came back from abroad.

Personal? Without thinking, there will so much to relate to. Mostly captured in this blog; Sad times, happy times, surprising times all in a year. Several first times in life. Think marathon (or 42km walkaton). The unexpected twist of events gave the life's roller coaster ride, discomforting for some driving you almost to depression, and other great news and findings that gave great hope in the future..

Yes, and these are the hopes that drives on the new future. External factors are plenty and out of control, but internal are not. Use it as motivation and perhaps we can face the external odds.

..Hence, cue in 2009 and the year of ox, for me to believe that, having survived everything in the messy 2008 so far, i can bring more on. My hope in dreams coming true is still alive. 相信未來.

Gamble Rumble

People always say: Life is a gamble.

Based on this statement, i can conclude that, i'm indeed not a good gambler.

You see, people who wins are those who knows when is enough and pulls out of the game before he losses his winnings. Those who losses the pants out are those who kept on betting after some initial sweet winnings.

So applying this to my choice of subjects, my relative good performance from my basic principles of accounting is my big win. The one that turn all losses around and pull up my weak grades of year one.

Then come to year three i bet on and took up that advanced management accounting, and now it seems, my cards are not in my favour and the game is getting real tough.

Which means i might run a risk of doing poorly in it, or worse, having other subjects to suffer as well (thanks to the time/energy consuming nature of it) Bearing in mind that, this is not my core subject, i dont have to go through this demon training, and i might not need it in future at all.


So instead of stopping there and walking off as a winner, i bet on and risk losing what i had earned.


The game is still on now, whatever that comes next is uncertain. Since i had continued, i can only press on this game, pray for better cards, and hope for a chance to 'show hand'.

"Alrighhhttt, Let's push.."


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Another thing about gamble, or more about taking chances.

For the new year eve outing we had, the opportunity came and i executed something that i had concepted some time back: Getting a Mini Bus to ferry people all around.

Finance is ok, people nodded their heads, calls were made to check and book the proper mini bus for the big day... And thanks to the twist in events, the initial arrangement was gone.

So I end up taking the gamble... to call up this very shop we contacted before (see story of October 31, 2006) at the last minute, last resort, for mini bus, and 1 hour later, me and gh were in a 12 year old mitsu L300 van.

For the benefit of the rest of the world, the summary of the van is that it is old, sorta dirty, has a puny petrol engine, insect infested, 2 seats lesser than our headcount, and have a "heater" instead of aircon.

Thus you can imagine people's faces when i first turn up in that vehicle. All their initial flowery image of a "mini-bus" was thrown out of window all at once.

But at least, it was simply priceless discovering their expression when i first arrived. And, i believe, it was also a great experience for the clique to first try out travelling about in a mini bus. Quite cool actually, just like old time school expeditions. Just apologises to the last 2 person who sat on floor and the low head room.

And driving this really old school thing, was quite entertaining all over again.. When the last time you got to rev the engine to get it ignite (old sch caburettor), where all controls are simple and basic and direct....Well, entertaining at least for the first few miles... which then i was tired out.


Nevertheless, the result of the gamble was memoriable, in my opinion.

But not to worry, i will stick to a 7-seater MPV from now on.

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wonder waves

After 9,562 shots, my camera is dead. Which means a trade-in and replacement is on its way; the new camera uses battery pack, which means my AA-size rechargables are now made redundant. Which means the 6 of them will be collecting dust somewhere in the room now.

So as i doing readings last night, i got bored and started to look around in room to see if there's any new use for the batteries. And after clearing a layer of 5 cm thick dust, i came across my old aiwa Discman; and to my surprise it is still alive. I'm not making this up, but it's 9 years old and not been switched on even once for the past >5 years. What an amazing sight, in the era when i thought all small electronics dont survive pass 3 years...

Some time later, wanting to save myself from the same old Cd, i switch over to 933 FM, and hey, another nice suprise. It's since such a long time that i've listened to late night air-time (which is continuous stream of songs without DJs) and 85% of the songs are my favourites, with 75% in my mp3 playlist. Some are new ones, some are from recent years, and some are those classics from the early 90s. What a great coincidence, and just nice to save me through the dried up readings, and enjoy the night.

Thanks to whoever that arranged last night song list or set the system etc, never thought i would felt refreshed from listening to a simple FM radio..

pay cheque

In a very coincident manner, i had just ran into two really long-time-no see secondary school (AV-photography club) mates, on way to home minutes ago.

Great delight to find them still in the same old nice pattern, despite the both commenting how others had disappeared and etc (regrettedly, me was also not in touch)

There's more. One of the guy had just bought a dSLR, a Canon 450D to be precise. It does cost a bomb, but was his desire for long. The photographic passion is still there with the rest, for that they havent lost touch with these toys and heavily invested in it.

From the very guys whom I got this life-skill and passion from, their passion reminded me that dreams shouldnt be forgotten despite odds.. Hence, with my first few pay cheques, i'm gonna get a dSLR.

What's yours? In this joyous occassion, it's time for a new poll, on the right please.

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lets talk about huge numbers.

to be exact, 42195 metres (which appears more, rather than in kilometres)


That is how, myself and group, made a milestone in life, joining the famous standarded chartered run full marathon, on sunday... and more importantly, finished the entire distance, completed with the medal. We did it.


THE ROUTE

Starting at esplanade, it stretches down the shenton way, u-turning back to marina square, nicoll highway, entire east coast park, and back to town, before ending at padang again.



BEFORE THE START

To reach before flag off at 5.15am, with no buses or train at that time, it is to bunk in at someone else's home. Stayed at GH's, crapping abit here and there, then slept for 3 hours, waking up at usual bedtime, and loading up a cereal rich breakfast.. And out at the night, bit of exploration, board a dont-know-where-is-our-destination taxi, and reached. Unique.



THE FUN BIT

Fast forward to the running itself, and i really love this bit. Under the cooling night/morning breeze, amids the sleeping financial buildings in Shenton, you are already sweating and running with the beat. You dont get such chances often, running in the middle of road which been sealed up, together with thousand others. And indeed, these buildings look best and magificant, when you are in the middle of the road and looking up at them.

Nicoll highway also, where it was still 5 or 6km. Still surrounded by hundreds, some slowed down and some sped on. Now it became a massive road experience, with humans overtaking and changing lane all over. Just like driving, some change lane without checking blindspot, causing sudden stops and etc..Out of no where, you got some guy cutting infront of you or rubbing against you on side... The response to these was so like driving; to head over when changing directions, to give way to faster runners behind, not to hold up the faster path after over taking... what a advance theory revision..

And as commonly heard, just before you enter the east coast park, the professional kenya runners will be exiting it. That guy is amazing quick, and after (his) 30km, doesnt look shaken or whatever at all. And that's only 1hr 36mins, as shown on the pacer car. Feel the crowd (or rather, us running in opposite direction) cheering for him as he sped past. What a spirit.



THE KEEP WALKING

Soon after at around 15 kays, catch up with 2 others, had max out our running energy, so the walk begins. Relaxing it seems at first, especially at the food station, 'cos you will be right-hand-banana, left-hand-100plus, walking down as if it is sunday orchard road. Brisk walking or strolling, commenting about other runners, talking about some topics, answering and making phone calls to others, or simply laming about some ramdom stuff.. That makes up the entire east coast park.


THE TORTURING BIT

Then I realise, the point about marathon is not the running bit, but is rather, how you survive after you stopped running and starts to walk. "How hard can it be, to walk?" , very hard, after you ran, and when you are talking about 6 hours of it.

Eventually tiriness creeps in, muscles starts to complain. You heard the bells and whistles in your body calling out loud, you start to lose contact with legs (they are on auto-pilot, walking without control) and the worse is the journey gets long and dry. East coast park is full of distractions and jokes, but beyond it, it wasnt.

Especially at the most dreadful portion, that was at Kallang stadium and Nicoll highway (again). Nevermind is it long and straight, but it was made up of u-turns...So it really look plain silly when you went back to the same place where you had turned in much earlier.

Sun is doing her work at this point of time, and with the several other strangers dragging alone around, it feels like some lost-in-desert movie. Without the oasis.



THE MOTIVATORS

At 12 km, it was banana. Scared that, as i was told, it runs out of stock for the slower runners, it was such a delighted moment when we can lay our hands on one.

At 32 km, it was banana again. This time round, we are really really hungry, and wornt from the above boring walk. And much slower, so higher risk of stock out. Therefore, the beyound-any-words-that-can-describe type of happiness overwhelmed me when i saw those yellow things are still available from far, and we hurried over to grab two each this time. The girl at counter says "Come come take more, it's free!". I wanted to tell her, "No, it's Priceless."

At 39 km, i landed foot on the portion of the F1 circuit, feeling the difference in the world class tarmac (although raymond couldnt feel anymore things now). Then, at the F1 Pitstop, which was strangely littered with plastic cups, it holds a large collections of all classic Ferraris of all times...thanks to the dealer using the F1 compound to hold it's anniversary showcase. Looking at the cars (Daytona to Enzo) which i had never seen one in real life before, i forgot about all pain and blisters etc, as i stroll alongside. But guess it made me slower, 'coz i was handphone-camera shooting all way. oops.



AND ACROSS THE FINISH LINE

After such extended hours of walking, the real cheer came as you feels the ending point drawing near...as if there was a energy sucking you towards it. When the signs are counting down by metres, and the big sign appears right ahead, the world freezes and the lost legs suddenly had a new found energy, to Run towards it, heart beating fast with the excitment.

And across the finish line, with the final beep from the champion chips,

...at 8hrs 15min 53sec. You can deduce a minute off the time, coz i was still taking photos at the finish sign as i ran.







Once in a life time experience, accomplished. Really delighted.


But next year? 21km will do. Running without the walk is just sweet. ^-^

(more photos HERE)

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mid-life facelift

As you would have obviously noticed it by now, this blog, with age of 3 years and 5 months (since June 2005) have received her well deserved re-skin...before cobwebs really starts to grow all over.

And with the obiviously-new-to-me-easier-to-edit-format, I added more stuff all over, including that small little useless poll on the right. Let's see what interesting ideas i can have for it in future...

Meanwhile, it's a new lease of life for this blog. As long as my mind is functioning and my fingers are still intact, this blog will carry on, for many more 3 years to come.

For now, sincerely hope you would like this new simple white skin!

Save the daylight.

Recently, in order to beat the morning traffic madness, I picked up a new habit: To reach school earlier than normal, and then munch into my breakfast slowly before class, instead of the other way round. So food would be at some benches, next to the ray of freshly awaken sunshine.

Sunshine; so consistent in this country. Flip thru the weather report on papers, any year, any month, and it would always be plus-minus 7.15am everyday. Without fail. Weather also, as Ch 5’s “The Noose” puts it across, will forever be either Rain, or No Rain.

As quoted from my fortunate sister, who just came back from her week-long holiday in Fukuoka, Japan, the weather in Japan is a world apart. Beginning of week is Air-con like, then suddenly at mid-week it turns into Freezer compartment. And being winter, the night was longer; hence sun sets early at 4 or 5pm, reducing the time they could have for sight-seeing.

This reminds me the times when I was at Hong Kong for tour. Summer back then, and the first morning I jumped off bed when sun shone in, only to find that it was still only 6am. So if that’s how our bio-clock works, then aren’t during winter we are all going to oversleep like no one else’s business?

Not forgetting in some countries, you got that daylight saving thing. So more people will be late for work/class/appointment again, possibly quoting the reason that they forgot daylight saving and got the time wrong by one hour.

And perhaps, it wouldn’t be too bad to be late for an hour there. Considering the fact that in some of such countries, it’s alright to miss and wait for the train that have frequency of one hour each, while it is seriously not alright here to miss the train with 6 minutes frequency.

Ah. How I wish I’m born in those countries.

Random Track

1) Bored? Try Google your name.

That’s what me and guan hui tried at school yesterday. And surprise, we found more about him:

- He owns a mechanical & electric equipment company
www.guanhui.com.cn

- He is involved in a court case.

- And, he is a German dog…
www.guan-hui.de



2) Boring job? Bus Driver

Have you ever wondered, the most boring job could be a Public Bus Driver?

Everyday simply report for work, drive, park, & sign off for work.

& despite having to see hundreds of faces, they rarely need to talk at all. Other than when someone ask for how the fare charge (which is rare, thanks to Ez-link card)

Oh yes, also not forgetting "Move back please!" during peak hours.

And that's all. Rest of the journey in utter silence.


No wonder when they see other colleagues driving pass from the opposite direction, they waved so happily.



3) Bus is an adventure

…because, every trip is a surprise.

On a same day, I can get a ride that is:

So hot that you can toast a bread,
Or Cold that you can freeze a fish.

Or having the journey in silence,
Having journey with TV-mobile,
Or with teens singing loudly with mp3 songs blasted from their “Nokia N82, bought at discounted price”.



4) The use of mp3 players.

I finally realise the proper use of mp3 players... and even more, why are they made so slim and small.

Reason: You need one during running/jogging...

As discovered as we run long distance nowadays. When it gets long and dry, it's the songs that keep you going and forget the miles clocked...or the sun…or the aches.

Ah. Now I see.



5) Running for 15km

In which at the same run, last Sunday.

Finally clocked that magical 15 km, and surprisingly, it wasn’t that dramatic as when i crossed 9 km....

Either is that my body had attuned to running, or was I too tired to think anymore, or even having any expression?


More to come, for sure. Yeah.



6) Facebook 86!

Talking about magical numbers, this is what I got when logged into facebook that day.
(on the bottom right hand corner of screen)

The most number of notifications at one single go -- 86. Wow.

Nice to find, as it was due to the large amount of tagging on the birthday series of photos... Credits to that ultra funny strangers group photo. A classic, made.



7) Environmental suggestions: To chop trees

Heard from my sis, there was this dialog session between the MP and residence of a certain GRC, with regards to environmental protection.

And someone gave a classic suggestion:
In order to save electricity, we should cut down on Air-con usage by allowing more wind flow. Hence, trees should be chopped off as they are blocking the wind.


8) KFC

Finally, on the note of suggestions, some one finally heard some voices from Punggol. (or rather, consumers’ demand)

The town that doesn’t have a fast food restaurant for 6 years is now officially declared freed of this title.

KFC had just opened in Punggol Plaza. Replacing Cash-Converter.


Actually, I thought Mcd would be better?


(^-^")

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Exceeding Expectations.

SAT 25th oct

To make the beautiful story short, what expected to be a makan session @ chalet became a mafia style blind-fold walk and the cake smash session.

Which, well, ended off un-expectedly quick but yet in "style". Well, how many people in this world, will trip over a stupid drain before he manage to lay his cake on others, and falling straight next to the "happy birthday" deco, in a photo perfect pose??

Perfectly memoriable.


But to a great effect, this entire chunk did woken out something asleep inside me for long. It recalled what i felt missing, whenever i flip thru back the old JC days photos...

It's the sense of fun. The crazy old Jx was asleep. Remember the jc times, endless water bombs, never ending running and chasing, frequently mud spattered Ts? The times whereby you went all out to do whatever you deem right, regardless of what others thought....Even up to the recent camps in uni the Jx who went all out just to win the game challenge. For a long period, it was all asleep. Crazy had been replaced with sensibility, who only look at gathering and gathering.

....No wonder 'bear' becomes 'uncle'.


No, it's not time to settle down and fall asleep. There's more in life.




So now, who's next?


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SUN 26th Oct


Steamboat. Good old pals, but in an all different settings as last year. Un-expectedly, this year out of the 7 pax, we got 3 couples, and u got it, the last Odd number is me. haha.

But, true to the chinese idiom "Send a charcoal during snowing", the flew-from-UK card from derrick surprisingly came on the right time. And true to derrick's style, despite stuff'd with words, you know that every words represents his thoughts from afar.

It's always the simplest things that means lots. At the right time.


Alrite, so i shall be optimistic, if there ever a right one and a steamboat again next year, may there be 4 couples persons this time. Or even 5 pairs ?



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SAT-TUES 28th oct


Still on the same occassion. Sometimes you really dont have to take in other's opinions seriously.

Like the Mitsubishi Lancer EX i rented for the occassion. Online discussions had gun it down as Disappointing, Noisy, Underpowered, Thirsty, etc... The gloomy picture that had painted on me are gone the minute i set my eyes on the car, and forgotten the minute i Finally got my hands on to drive it.

Just look at it. The exact way i want a car to look like. Having a road presence despite not imitating. A clean proud Japanese design, not aiming to be like some conti or what. And their own take of Alfa-style brake lights which finish off the package just nice.

Underpowered? The 1.5l may be puny in this application, but by not driving it too hard it will still reward you. No one asks you to stomp the pedal to metal at every green light isnt it?

And spacious all around. The barrel style dashboard works and looks neat with integrated stereo, the red dials shouts 'sporty', and i do prefer the brigher beige interior trims (minus the fake wood) sadly they dont bring this colour in anymore. And oh, i love that headrest with the soft cushion in centre.

PLus the key-less entry...Never need to take the key out of pocket, just brush your fingers on door handle and it unlocks by itself. Great to use, especially when your hands are full; but that prompt my first ever time to flip thru the car manual to learn how to use a function of a car. grr.


So that why they say, buying a car doesnt need to be too rational at times. It's still a matter of heart; what ever you like will be the best choice.

Like person-relationships, all it's takes is just an affirmation from a single person and that's enough.


Isnt they always say, beauty lies in eyes of beholder?




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SAT 1st Nov


Exceeding all factors and records, i finally finally clocked my (ashamely) ever longest running distance.... 9 kays. Achieved at East Coast Park with the bestie-running kaki.

But that involves running-jogging-brisk walking-walking-jogging-limping-jogging-running... etc etc.. you get the picture. Hey, but that's still 9 km ya?


But i guess, so far it seems like East coast is one of the more suitable places for long distance? It's safer as compared to street-pavements, it's the biggest park around, and sufficient 'ever-changing' landscapes to distract you..

Starting from bedok jetty u got the big 360 ski to glance, then the seafood restaurant to think about, then the loud music from ECP chalets to listen, then Waraku & Mcd to signal turning point is approaching, then u-turn and all repeats itselves.

But really, by the time i approaches the stretch of Waruka/burger king, my entire body is already so on roll that anything else after it passes in flash. That's the magic of long distance i guess, makes you run til you really felt what is mind over body...without your choice.

At the end, i could finally use the word "exhausted" with confidence. 'cos i'm really exhausted.


Right, so here's my 9km. Not to be too happy yet, 'cos there are still >4 times more to be covered eventually in Dec's Run.

Grrr.

.