Misery loves company

Sigh. In addition to the poor race form, I've gotten two bad pieces of work news today.

Man, it's only Monday... How to get though this lah?

I hope the grey skies will clear. I don't like this me. Not one bit.

(But I guess I am better to appreciate Anna Nalick's Wreck of the Day right now...)

StanChart race

I did it. My second 10-km run.

I improved my timing by........................ all of bradheeeee 15 seconds. Damnit.

Had stitches, took two water breaks... Oh well. Well, that will learn me! (Ray said better than adding 15 secs...)

I didn't quite enjoy the run as the last one - even though I started at the back, got caught in the bottleneck for most of Marina South. Too crowded, and many people didn't give way even when you say "excuse me"... Hmm.

Funny thing, once I collected my finisher's medal, I saw a sign for a race in Chiangmai, Thailand on Dec 24. Guess where we will be over Christmas?!?

StanChart run countdown

Collected my StanChart race pack this morning.

I'd collected the Great Eastern pack very late last month and as a result, was given a size 36 tee that any self-respecting vainpot would cringe at. So I ensured I was at the collection counter bright and early on the first day this time.

And guess what? While the StanChart organisers were much more pro by ensuring you got the tee you indicated instead of some lame excuse about "while stocks last" as Great Eastern did, it's still too big. Diao!

I hung around the Kids' Dash counter in hope of sneaking a peak at the kids' size (vanity knows no bounds), but some Adidas rep kept pestering me to go and visit their counter so I gave up.

It was funny how the folks in the next line were snickering at us 10km-ers. Half marathon mah, they ;)

I've already booked Don for a foot massage for Dec 3 afternoon. Haha. I've got my priorities right, man.

PS: Did the canal-Holland Road circuit this morning. 58 minutes
;( Wonder if I can improve my timing in this race...

Race results

I came in #720 with a timing of 1:08:45.

Haha I was actually in the first half would you believe that. (39% to be exact).

I still can't believe it... ;)

Women 10K run

Did the Great Eastern 10km run yesterday.

Didn't tell anyone except Ray and Derrick so as not to jinx myself - I backed out of the Army run due to stitches, and totally FORGOT abt the Sentosa run. Duh...

Anyway, I made it there just in time for a quick warm-up. Thankfully, the skies were clear so Ray was okay with me taking the risk - it was so sweet of him to worry about my health.

I took Brendan's advice to not lean forward and most importantly, to slow down in the beginning (I tend to bolt out of the gates and then DIE later...). It worked - I was able to pace myself, and made it to 9km before taking out the iPod for a needed musical boost. Best thing, I didn't get stitches.

Ray was waiting for me about 4oom before the finishing line. He cheered me on and ran next to me. Haha, I am dead pleased he didn't go for coffee this time ;) He is my tower of strength!

I think I did about 68 mins. I will only know when the results are mailed to me.

Special thanks also go out to my colleague Serene, for being an inspiration and a reminder that "it's all mental"!

So Stanchart run, here I come!

small things

It's 12:41am. Still cranking away. I miss Ray. The dogs are asleep on the floor. It's cool at least; there was rain this afternoon. And we've got Elnora now so I can stop rushing home to do laundry if there's work to be done, and I don't have to worry so much abt the darn neighbour hurting my dogs.

Small things to be grateful. I hope she works out. I really do.

I wonder how Mom's doing. Must call her soon.

PS: I am tired.

Today

Morning walked dog, sent car to workshop, rushed to work, came home at lunch to let dogs out (morning rained and part-time maid no show), power walked them, did bloody laundry and dishes (coz maid no show), then rushed back to work, after work rushed home, took Fred out for a run (Oris retiree), rushed to mom's for sis-in-law's birthday do, rushed home to take Oris out so she doesn't get upset, walked both dogs. Showered and now abt to start work again! It's 9:58pm.

And how was your day?

PS: I want my mummy...

How far?

No one said it would be easy
No one said it'd be this hard
No one said it would be easy
No one thought we'd come this far
- Sheryl Crow

But have we really come this far?

Barely in SHAPE

Hey, I did it! I completed the SHAPE 5km run!

I did 37.07 mins - lousy timing. The excuse is that I'd a double dose of the stitches about 1km into the run, but die-die also cannot clutch the sides (while the cameras are around). But face it, I am slow.

My dear colleagues Serene and Diana did the 10km and 5km in 54 mins and 30 mins respectively. And I am full of respect of them. I must get fitter and make it to... 32 mins? ;)

The Ah Lau took a few shots of me warming up and at the start. But then the si gin nah went to look for kopi orh kosong and er, MISSED me at the finishing point. DUH. And to think I braved the Sim Lim Square crowd to get the long lens the day before... Sigh. Men. Can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em.

I should have known to take a shot of me and the two gals before the run - I thought the post-run would make us more macho *thump chest* and not make us so obviously yow gui (we were really only there for the goodie bag).

All in all, I'd fun. I can't believe I would ever say this about running in my life, but heck, life's funny like that.

Army 6-km city run, anyone?

Out of SHAPE runner

Hmm, not sure if this is the right move but I've decided to sign up for the SHAPE run. I am doing the 5km while Serene is of course doing her warm-up session of 10km. She'll do it in half the time I get to the finish line for half the distance of course.

But hey (pat pat), I actually managed to run the one full canal (the usual distance for me on a good day), plus I made it to the end of the condo on the canal on the other side..... It was, however, about four days later that I could feel my legs again. Urgh.

Maybe they should call the July event Out of SHAPE run...

The 'Thon Girl

Hey, I did it. Joined my first 'thon of any kind.... ;) Went for the Young NTUC (gulp!) Dualthon which consisted of a short run and an even shorter swim. It was nice of Ray to come along and support his wife in this masa- masad event - especially when she'd been throwing up since the day before....(well actually, still am)

I am also thankful for my hubby for marrying me and as a result forcing me to get into running (as a last-minute desperate act to fit into my gown), and Serene for being a shining example and positive influence.

Like she said, it's all mental. Of course she says it after 20km. I? 2km...

Hey, we've all got to start somewhere.

Happy Birthday to Chicklet

Happy Birthday to me!!!!

Hubby not here (a new hat trick? He's already done it with Valentine's Day...). Went for run. Walked dogs. Swam during lunch break. I am looking forward to CAKE!
Serene swam 15 laps in the time I did 10. I was about to console myself that I ran this morning when she broke the news that she also ran this morning. Damndamndamn. Young people. Can't live with them, can't catch up with 'em! Man, I feel 30 plus...

Hope to get some yummy nasi lemak for dinner. Supposed to meet up with Derrick and fellow aunty Adeline (the dog groomer).

Apparently, I share my birthday with Adolf Hitler. Gulp.

Mao: The Unknown Story

I must say, so far I am not impressed by June Chang's version of the Chinese leader (tyrant?). I've read several biographies on him, as well as stories set in the Communist era, and all were infinitely better than Ms Chang's tome. Even Red Azelea.

Mao: The Unknown Story rambles on, and does not offer much detail or depth to truly grip the reader. Alot of research, and it's as if she was determined to squeeze it all in. Sigh. And I am only a quarter through it.

I particularly enjoyed the Private Life of Chairman Mao by Li Zhi Sui. Partly because it's got juicy bits, but more because the way it was written, well you could believe the guy (Li was Mao's physician). You were transported into his world, you could see it...

Well, I shall give Ms Chang the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps I should read it alongside Mao: A Life by Philip Short. It seems to be other recommended Mao title at the moment.

Mrs Me

It's done. We're married. Feels a little weird letting go of my singlehood. But it's good. It's reeeeal good.

Good things come to those who wait long long

I can't believe it .... Ray finally decided on a compromise with the hotel... So yeah, I am getting *married*!!!

Shiokerdodo.

AND I will meet him in Hong Kong tomorrow night! Disneyland, here we come! Dim sum, here we come!

Double shiok.

Prawn Pimp

There's this cooooool place near Jurong Bird Park which is like JB (Jurong Bird, geddit?) where you - get this - pay money by the hour to sit by this blue pond filled with what looked like black water in it... to fish prawns!

Like, how cool is that?

Here's how I ended up going to Prawn Palace (I am calling it that ‘coz it was so dark when I got there I couldn't really see, plus I was too blown away): I'd spent pretty much the day with the dogs at the new house. Derrick and Jarell came to hang out, and they helped to cut the tree branches and clean up the pool (ain’t that sweet…).

We had an awesome time playing with the dogs, checking out monkeys across the yard and trying the cocoa fruit in the yard. After a hard day's work, the dashing duo invited me to join them at their favourite haunt. It was almost 9pm and I was way past my bedtime, but I decided, sod it, I am over 30…. C’est la vie!

So off we went... and went... and went... Wah, damn far this place. Somewhere near Jurong Bird Park. Machiam must bring passport one. We sat ourselves down for some zi char, and settled down to watch the Aunties and Uncles put the Taufiks and Kellys to shame with their musical prowess. Complete with LIVE band, disco lights and a Disco Mama.

Then we spotted her. A girl, whose looks were so bland they made bran taste like foie gras. There she was. Perched on a plinth, a fishing rod dangling nonchalantly like a cigarette from her right hand. She scanned the pond, as if reading into the blackness and summoning her crustacean minions to her. Every two minutes, she simply flicked her wrist and plooooop! out came a mega prawn.

Without fail, they simply offered themselves into eternal damnation. Plooooop! Plooooop! Plooooop! She just kept fishing without the slightest effort. She was THE Prawn Fishing Machine; I don’t reckon the Prawn Palace made any money out of her that night…

What blew my mind (and write this entry) was this 50-something-year-old Uncle Uncle type, to whom Prawn Fishing Machine would with a yawn pass her rod upon hooking her latest victim. He would with the greatest of care and slightest of touch transfer the shelly one into a basket in the pond – also known as prawn purgatory – while she looked on. And immediately, he would prepare her bait. Not for her the box standard cockle the rest of us plebeians were using. No, no, no. She used only LIVE bait (which probably explained her success rate although I still think there was some kind of marine voodoo going on there…)

This chap has got it figured out, I suppose. I mean, why bother laying down 25 buckeroos if you can simply sit down and let Prawn Fishing Machine do all the work, right? The rate of return just does not make any sense.

Rather, simply be ready to tack bait and move the latest damned victim.

Rather, be the Prawn Pimp.

I suppose I wouldn’t be much good to Prawn Pimp. For one thing, the motivation is not there.

See, I am allergic to prawns.

On talking

In the scheme of things, the planet is a really big place.

The fact that you're with this Other Half suggests that there was some kind of love meteorite that caused a heart collision.

You've heard that men are from some planet. Mars, Snickers, something like that. You fork out the 9.99 pounds and bring the book home. You read it from cover to cover, devour the nuggets of so-called truth, and then you take a big breath.

You lean back. The light bulb goes off. "Wow. Men have caves. They are beeeears. You must leave them alone to hibernate when they need to work out their issues," you utter.

So women love to talktalktalk about their eee.mooooooole.shuuuuurns all the time (no.......................;) ) , and men in their finite wisdom deal best with the following thought process:

1) The problem is this
2) The solution is/are this/there

So... You adjust and you adapt. Nevermind the emotions. Whenever possible, stoop to their level. Short sentences, facts, no adjectives if possible.

Fast forward to... last night. As dinner came and went, and the planned dog walk gets delayed due to wine sorting and overseas, you asked simply to check: "So, will there be walking of dogs tonight?"

You thought: You're in your office attire. If the answer is no, then take shower, take out contact lenses, read book/blog/watch TV until he ends call and hopefully fool around a bit.

If the answer is yes, then stay in office attire since you will be filthy after the walk anyway so might as well take shower AFTER dog walk followed by abovementioned.

And what did he say in reply?

"Well, I'm about to hop on this call in 12 minutes, and I can't go now because I've not got enough time. If it's not too late when this call ends, then I will take one of the dogs for a walk, maybe two. But I can't promise because these calls take usually an hour and I can't be sure. So, when it ends, I will take Fred, or maybe Oris and Fred. But I can't guarantee. But if you like, you may certainly take one of them. Or two."

Like.... er... chicklet to Mar, Snickers, or something like that. I just asked for a yes or no answer leh. Yes - don't take shower yet. No - take shower, end of story.

He said: "But you will want to know what time the walk will be.... blahblahblah." I must admit, Ikinda lost track here (what bear? what cave?). I mean, if the answer was No, then who cares what time it might have been, right?! And if I really cared, then I'd have ask a follow-up question upon getting a Yes answer leh.

Anyway, now that I think about it, despite making his presumption-laden and longwinded response, and then justifying it, the issue of time never did come up, did it? I mean, he never did give an indication, did he?

Which brings me here, drafting this blog. I won't post it tonight. I think for coherence's sake I best come back to it the day after (at least). Plus, The Lord of The Ring beckons in the next room.

In the scheme of things, if Mars fails and Venus lets you down, try Middle Earth.

Whining about Winos - An MSN conversation

Diana says:
here I am, what's up?;)
Diana says:
just bk from a jog;)
chicklet says:
Yeah, need to bitch about someone I met last night!
chicklet says:
You shd have been there!
Diana says:
who who who?????
chicklet says:
Was at a wine tasting event - which as you know is often full of snooty people. I think I met the ultimate last night!
chicklet says:
He was some editor of a food mag, and CHINESE.
chicklet says:
Now, get this: He kept going on about how he's an ANGLOphile
Diana says:
what is an anglophile?
chicklet says:
and his parents were wine lovers so he started to taste wine at the age of 5
chicklet says:
Anglophile means someone who's Chinese but dying to be angmoh hahaha
chicklet says:
no lah, someone who loves everything British
Diana says:
then wat happened?
chicklet says:
so anyway, he went on and on abt how he studied in UK blahblahblah
chicklet says:
How TEN years ago he hung out in Sloane Street (v hip)
chicklet says:
and women were drinking vodka and mixed drinks
chicklet says:
but in Singapore women are behind trend.
chicklet says:
but at least are finally appreciating champagne (we were at champagne tasting)
chicklet says:
then the ultimate was he said that only women in the upper class knew how to appreciate champagne
chicklet says:
because they were able to afford it
Diana says:
that is fei hua!
chicklet says:
and to top it off, he was bragging about hunting game in AFRICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chicklet says:
like how they wd drink champagne at 7am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chicklet says:
sorry ah, but KNNB! (I have been reading too much rockson)
chicklet says:
to put it in context, think of the Japanese store at our canteen - you know the tall fella?
chicklet says:
you picturing him?
Diana says:
yea yea, i rem him;)
chicklet says:
ok, now picture him shorter.... with an even severe BMT haircut and black glasses
chicklet says:
You got the "ADD_DEE_TERR" (editor)
chicklet says:
sheesh................ i was dying to say something. wish you were there to Sino-phile him a bit ;)
chicklet says:
Maybe because the event started late and there was no food, but man did this guy get my goat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chicklet says:
I am open to Caucasian ideas and culture as you can guess but man do I hate those who pretend they ARE angmoh. tak boleh tahan
chicklet says:
So I was stuck at this wonderful tasting having to listen to this jerk deny his Chinese blood
chicklet says:
I wished you were there to wa-lab him
chicklet says:
Then the guy talking abt the champagne was rambling, and half the time I didn't know what the hell he was saying (and I thought myself quite used to it hahaha)
chicklet says:
so instead of sipping a bit from the five glasses, I drank the whole bloody lot! Even the one that I didn't like!
chicklet says:
lucky they were not full glasses
chicklet says:
funny thing is, someboy from another wine event had wanted to introduce me to this magazine so I could write for them! thank god. I'd slit my throat if I'd to take more of his wannabe angmoh crap
Diana says:
is he drunk or what?
chicklet says:
no! that would have helped!
chicklet says:
so instead, I got drunk
Diana says:
why dun he migrate n live in GREAT Britain then?
Diana says:
hahaha
chicklet says:
between having to listen to him and the French winemaker - who could blame me?!
Diana says:
maybe because he is on a mission to come back to singapore and teach us lower class types to how 'really live' like cultured humans and not animals
chicklet says:
what a pompous twat
chicklet says:
then there was this girl who worked for the wine shop - pretty and nice boobs. I was quite jealous until I heard the words "the music of the champagne bubbles" spill out of her mouth!
chicklet says:
wah lan eh
chicklet says:
bimbo alert
chicklet says:
I felt way better abt myself then
Diana says:
told u already, some pretty gers can't speak properly one...only nice to see...
chicklet says:
don't know where she copied that over-the-top line from. Probably the angmoh wannabe editor's magazine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Diana says:
but bcos men are stupid, so good for bimbos lah
chicklet says:
Hmm, now that I think of it, this is great blog fodder. I shd know learn how to type in entries for now.
chicklet says:
I got a blog, but don't know to put up text hahaha
Diana says:
u not enuff writing n editing to do ah?

Hello, world

Okay, so here I am. Online, on record, on fire. And now...
It's back to work. I just wanted to test out if this works. Later ;)