Yes...I participated in the Penang Bridge Run...the full marathon...
Wonder was I plain stupid or just mad...
Why do I think I'm plain stupid?
Well if u know my mileage for this year...dun even talk abt this month...I'm sure u would think so too :P
I believe my mileage for this year (based on the Polar Precision Peformance Software) includes...
Feb...5 + 10 + 6 (very very slow) + 2.5/10 (NUS biathlon mini and full distance)
Mar...5 + 10 (Singapore biathlon)...
Apr...3 + 5 (JP Morgan...also very very slowly :P)...
May...0...
Jun...6...and finally...
Jul...10 (Shape Run) + 10 (Health relay)
...hmm...that adds up to be abt 80km since Jan...and 20km for this month ;)
Stupidity??
Then why could I just be mad?
Oh well...it's not the first time the mileage I clocked is less than optimal...and so far I have survived well ;)
So maybe I'm just mad...a bit screwed up in the head?
After all...I signed up b'cos I happened to be back in Penang...emailed them way after the closing date...and in fact...I was only included in the race 3 days ago...there were only 27 female participants including me!!! :D
So wat happened today?
Slept at abt 8 plus yesterday..and woke up at abt 2.45am this morning...good thing I stay abt 15 mins from the starting pt...
Otherwise the lose screw in my head wouldn't have got me into signing up in the first place :P
Somehow everyone at home is awake too...aunt haven't slept yet...mum and dad just got up...mum wanted to walk with me to the starting line...dad's got a golf game in Ipoh...he has to take the ferry...but not this early!!! :P
Anyway, I reached the starting pt..Sg Gelugor Primary Sch..at abt 3.30am..where we were "locked" inside...hehe...until almost 4am when we were gg to start the race...
The crowd here was definitely a lot smaller than the Stan Chart S'pore Marathon...
Even though I started from behind...I believe I crossed the starting pt in less than a minute...that's how small the crowd was!!!
Stucked to my previous marathon strategy of following my heart rate...din wanna kill my heart :P
Think I started off a bit slow though...HR was less than 140 :P
After abt 2 km...I started to speed up to HR of abt 150-160...which I maintained till abt 30km...then slowly went up above 160...
Managed to overtake quite a no. of ppl throughout the race...esp towards the end...hehe...that's wat happens when u start of slow...makes u feel good even though u r probably at the back of the pack :D
Anyway, the route started off with a loop from Sg Gelugor...towards the coastal rd...U-turn at RECSAM...then the Penang Bridge...very nice run there...U-turn at the end of the bridge...then coastal rd towards the Free Industrial Zone...U-turn near Seagate...along the coastal rd again...all the way to the Marine Police building...then finally back to the USM...phew...dun think most of u have any idea wat I'm talking abt here :P
I saw Angel so many times during the run...first time along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah near RECSAM while she was walking to the starting line (she joined the half marathon)...
Then on the bridge..we happened to meet where there was a gap in the center...most parts were blocked at the center...
Finally I saw her again after the race...while gg to get a drink...hehe
I also saw Jayce and Elaine running on the bridge...din even know they came...and when I was abt to reach the ending pt...I saw them again...I made a dash to catch them even though my leg was almost dead then...wahaha...
Chatted with a few other guys towards the last 10km of the race too...most were not from Penang...a few were from Pacesetter in KL...one told me he always told himself that it would be his last 42k...but ALAS peer pressure prevailed...hehe :P
It was good that we chatted and cheered each other on at that stage of the race...
In the end I finished the race in more than 5 hrs...abt 5:20...I knew I couldn't do sub-5 the moment I hit the 10km mark...it was already more than 1 hr...got to the 20km mark at abt 2:20...after that it was abt 18-19 mins per 2.5km...
Can't say my timing was good...but with the kinda mileage I put in prior to the marathon...wat do u expect :P
I even managed to come in 16th!!! wahaha...since there were only 27 ladies...that wasn't even top 50%...but I still got my medal (given to the top 20)...hehe :P
It was quite a wait to get that medal though...ended up chatting with IMD who came in 12th for Men's Open...woohoo...go sgrunner!!
Hui Ping...whom I met at the charity swim was there too...she came in 7th...just behind Clare...an Australian who's currently staying in Penang with her hubby, Graham...who can't run now due to a previous back injury...almost recovered...but maybe start off with swimming first? ;)
Hoping to see Clare in the coming SCSM!!
I was abt to walk home after an hour's wait...but then...I saw Jayce and Elaine...they came in 17th and 18th respectively for the half marathon!!! Ended up hanging out there another hour...b4 we finally got our medals and left...phew...
Now I'm moving at snail speed...
Supposed to meet a couple of frens tom...Miss Chew, my classmate from PCGHS...just back from US...
and Becky, my roommate in JC!!! din even know she was back!!! Long time no see man...it's gg to be Becky, M.D. in a few more years :P
Maybe meeting my primary schmate...cum swimming and tennis fren...Foong Hooi...
Hopefully I'm not in too much pain tom...hehe :P
...also hopefully I din get any darker...otherwise I would get screamed at soon :P Already kena for participating in such a massive free-radical generating event :P
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
Weddings and President's Challenge Health Relay
Haven't been posting much 'cos it's been always the same old thing...work work work...busy busy busy...
I did have 2 weddings to attend though...one of them is a ROM reception of certain IWA oyster...oops...but I had something on...wanted to go later...but all the soulezian have left to have supper at Kovan...din really know the other ppl that were still at oyster's place...so I ended up at Kovan instead :P
Sorry, Oyster...I'll make sure I'll be there for ur wedding ;)
The other wedding was that of my fellow JC classmate cum hostelmate...Vania...met up with quite a no. of Indon frens from CJC Hostel or NJ...Sari, Albert, Silvia, Liliana, Dedy (not exactly from CJCH or NJ...knew him from tennis)...Liliana stays in the same apartment as me..hehe...din know she was gg too...haven't met her in the lift for quite a while...she's moving out soon though...
Also met some Indon frens from KR??!! Ah...those are the groom's frens...Felicia, Heri...can't rem who else...
It was a really beautiful wedding...glad to have attended it...thanx for inviting me, Vania :D
Sun...I went for the President's Challenge Health Relay...the relay started on Sat morning and ends on Sun morning...it covers 185km (SGH is 185 years old this year ;P)...various healthcare institutions will form teams of 6 ppl...and each team will run abt 10 km...
Luckily the team I joined..Singhealth..is running the last leg...so we dun have to run in the middle of the hot sun...or in the middle of the night ;)
Our leg was from Heng Mui Keng Terrace to Seah Im...
We r supposed to start at 7am...but we started a bit earlier...abt 6.45am...we r also supposed to run at abt 6km/hr...but think we did something like 10km/hr...ended up hanging ard Morse Rd for close to half an hour...
After that we continued our run to Seah Im...where the baton was passed on to the Minister of Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan...and we continued our journey to the National Dental Center...where the President was waiting for us...hehe :D
Had a cool down session and some performance there...
Overall it was a pretty good workout...my last run b4 I embark on the crazy full marathon at the Penang International Bridge Run...hehe ;)
Penang...here I come!!
I did have 2 weddings to attend though...one of them is a ROM reception of certain IWA oyster...oops...but I had something on...wanted to go later...but all the soulezian have left to have supper at Kovan...din really know the other ppl that were still at oyster's place...so I ended up at Kovan instead :P
Sorry, Oyster...I'll make sure I'll be there for ur wedding ;)
The other wedding was that of my fellow JC classmate cum hostelmate...Vania...met up with quite a no. of Indon frens from CJC Hostel or NJ...Sari, Albert, Silvia, Liliana, Dedy (not exactly from CJCH or NJ...knew him from tennis)...Liliana stays in the same apartment as me..hehe...din know she was gg too...haven't met her in the lift for quite a while...she's moving out soon though...
Also met some Indon frens from KR??!! Ah...those are the groom's frens...Felicia, Heri...can't rem who else...
It was a really beautiful wedding...glad to have attended it...thanx for inviting me, Vania :D
Sun...I went for the President's Challenge Health Relay...the relay started on Sat morning and ends on Sun morning...it covers 185km (SGH is 185 years old this year ;P)...various healthcare institutions will form teams of 6 ppl...and each team will run abt 10 km...
Luckily the team I joined..Singhealth..is running the last leg...so we dun have to run in the middle of the hot sun...or in the middle of the night ;)
Our leg was from Heng Mui Keng Terrace to Seah Im...
We r supposed to start at 7am...but we started a bit earlier...abt 6.45am...we r also supposed to run at abt 6km/hr...but think we did something like 10km/hr...ended up hanging ard Morse Rd for close to half an hour...
After that we continued our run to Seah Im...where the baton was passed on to the Minister of Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan...and we continued our journey to the National Dental Center...where the President was waiting for us...hehe :D
Had a cool down session and some performance there...
Overall it was a pretty good workout...my last run b4 I embark on the crazy full marathon at the Penang International Bridge Run...hehe ;)
Penang...here I come!!
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Shape run!!!
Yeah...I went for the Shape Run...even though my registration was unsuccessful :P
Wanted to crash the race...but Brokie's fren who signed up couldn't make it...so I decided to use her tag to run :D So she now has a cert with my timing on it...wahaha...can't rem wat's my exact timing...but it's ard 1:05...hehe...slacker....
Anyway, the day started off with kops21 giving me a lift...he hijacked me at CTE...near St Wilfred sports complex...hehe...thanx, kops :D
Kops was there to accompany his sis to run...hehe...Shape run is for ladies only in case u dunno :P
First person I met there was JerryWan from trifam...just out from the car park...haha...another guy...don't they know it's a ladies' event??!! haha :P
Then we went to say hi to the other Sgrunners who r gathered at our usual teh tarik place...left my stuff with them too :D
Found out that the mods planned to wear uniform color...yellow top and black bottom...and just nice I was wearing that...haha...xin ling xiang tong :D
After some photos...we proceeded to the starting pt...
There was actually a warm up session there!!! Everybody was crowded together...how to do stretching there?!?! Such a weird event...
Saw a few other frens there...like sxuanjing, angel and cupid...Vicky was there too...she's definitely a potential podium finisher ;)
Started the race at 8am...
This race is really small...I could actually see the end of the pack during the run...and I was quite near the front initially...
Anyway, sxuanjing and I ran together through out the race...we started off with Brokie...but obviously we r not gg to keep up with this chilli padi...hehe...anyway, both of us are using someone else's no. tag :P
I have not run for soooooo long...but I'm always a bit screwed up in the head...that's y I still went on joining the 10km run :P
We started off slow...with my heart rate below 150...getting overtaken left and right....slowly moved up after 1km...then ard 3km mark...we kinda stop 'cos we saw this gal who fell and sprained her ankle...hmm...but no medic seem to be ard...then another gal also got injured within a few meters of her...injury prone zone?? Din do much...just advice her to rest the ankle and keep it elevated until help comes....
Later a policeman came by to help out...so we left and continued with our run...
Nothing much happened after that...just post for plenty of cameras..hehe...some fren's, some organizer's....also saw a few other frens...like Merey, San San and Ching Hui from SSC...ah...Merey and San San are back...team Chelonia can meet up again soon ;)
After 1 hr 5 mins...we r back at the finishing line...so our run was abt 1:02 (we stopped ard 3 mins at the 3km mark according to my HRM :P)...someone will sure say I slack one :P
Anyway, it was a pretty comfortable pace...able to chat with sxuanjing throughout...so guess I'll do the same in next Sun's president challenge health relay...supposed to cover 10km in 1 hr :D
I'm joining the Singhealth team...just found out run3 is also in that team...yippee...someone I can chat with during the run!!! I thick-skinned...go and email organizer to ask them whether I can join any team...hehe...that's how I ended up with Singhealth ;)
After hanging ard finishing pt...eating kiwi fruits and taking photos...we walked back to our teh tarik gathering place to get our stuff...hehe...and take more photos...then headed towards Marina Square to collect goodie bags...super long queue man!!!
Ended up in the foodcourt first...after that...I decided to head home...
Was back late yesterday 'cos of some problem with the POS system...and I was up and out since 8am!!!
Time for a nap now...yawnzz...
Wanted to crash the race...but Brokie's fren who signed up couldn't make it...so I decided to use her tag to run :D So she now has a cert with my timing on it...wahaha...can't rem wat's my exact timing...but it's ard 1:05...hehe...slacker....
Anyway, the day started off with kops21 giving me a lift...he hijacked me at CTE...near St Wilfred sports complex...hehe...thanx, kops :D
Kops was there to accompany his sis to run...hehe...Shape run is for ladies only in case u dunno :P
First person I met there was JerryWan from trifam...just out from the car park...haha...another guy...don't they know it's a ladies' event??!! haha :P
Then we went to say hi to the other Sgrunners who r gathered at our usual teh tarik place...left my stuff with them too :D
Found out that the mods planned to wear uniform color...yellow top and black bottom...and just nice I was wearing that...haha...xin ling xiang tong :D
After some photos...we proceeded to the starting pt...
There was actually a warm up session there!!! Everybody was crowded together...how to do stretching there?!?! Such a weird event...
Saw a few other frens there...like sxuanjing, angel and cupid...Vicky was there too...she's definitely a potential podium finisher ;)
Started the race at 8am...
This race is really small...I could actually see the end of the pack during the run...and I was quite near the front initially...
Anyway, sxuanjing and I ran together through out the race...we started off with Brokie...but obviously we r not gg to keep up with this chilli padi...hehe...anyway, both of us are using someone else's no. tag :P
I have not run for soooooo long...but I'm always a bit screwed up in the head...that's y I still went on joining the 10km run :P
We started off slow...with my heart rate below 150...getting overtaken left and right....slowly moved up after 1km...then ard 3km mark...we kinda stop 'cos we saw this gal who fell and sprained her ankle...hmm...but no medic seem to be ard...then another gal also got injured within a few meters of her...injury prone zone?? Din do much...just advice her to rest the ankle and keep it elevated until help comes....
Later a policeman came by to help out...so we left and continued with our run...
Nothing much happened after that...just post for plenty of cameras..hehe...some fren's, some organizer's....also saw a few other frens...like Merey, San San and Ching Hui from SSC...ah...Merey and San San are back...team Chelonia can meet up again soon ;)
After 1 hr 5 mins...we r back at the finishing line...so our run was abt 1:02 (we stopped ard 3 mins at the 3km mark according to my HRM :P)...someone will sure say I slack one :P
Anyway, it was a pretty comfortable pace...able to chat with sxuanjing throughout...so guess I'll do the same in next Sun's president challenge health relay...supposed to cover 10km in 1 hr :D
I'm joining the Singhealth team...just found out run3 is also in that team...yippee...someone I can chat with during the run!!! I thick-skinned...go and email organizer to ask them whether I can join any team...hehe...that's how I ended up with Singhealth ;)
After hanging ard finishing pt...eating kiwi fruits and taking photos...we walked back to our teh tarik gathering place to get our stuff...hehe...and take more photos...then headed towards Marina Square to collect goodie bags...super long queue man!!!
Ended up in the foodcourt first...after that...I decided to head home...
Was back late yesterday 'cos of some problem with the POS system...and I was up and out since 8am!!!
Time for a nap now...yawnzz...
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Photos from Vietnam and Cambodia
Who went backpacking in Vietnam/Cambodia...
Feei was behind the camera...hehe
Me and my studious travel mates...clockwise...me climbing on the bus, Feei reading in a library at Angkor Thom, Mei2 busy at the comp, lawyers reading Vietnamese newspaper...
Housemates in traffic light color...
Kidnapped victims?
Our favorite past time...play dai di or bridge...wahaha...clockwise...Madame Cuc Hotel in Saigon, on the bus on the way to Phnom Penh, Pavilion Indochine in Siem Reap and Paragon Hotel in Phnom Penh...
more photos coming ur way...
Feei was behind the camera...hehe
Me and my studious travel mates...clockwise...me climbing on the bus, Feei reading in a library at Angkor Thom, Mei2 busy at the comp, lawyers reading Vietnamese newspaper...
Housemates in traffic light color...
Kidnapped victims?
Our favorite past time...play dai di or bridge...wahaha...clockwise...Madame Cuc Hotel in Saigon, on the bus on the way to Phnom Penh, Pavilion Indochine in Siem Reap and Paragon Hotel in Phnom Penh...
more photos coming ur way...
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Back from Vietnam
I'm back!!
Anyway, to continue from where I left off....
The second day at Siem Reap...we went around the temples on a mini-van with a tour guide, Thom...that's his nickname...which means big...although he's quite a small guy...hehe...he does martial arts though...wow!!!
The temples...esp Angkor Wat...are really impressive...
It was really tiring climbing all those super steep steps at the "Wat"s
The following day...we decided to rent electric bikes and ride round Siem Reap and the temple area...it was really fun...but we got pretty wet as it rained in the evening...and certain ppl got burnt really "funnily" with an obvious t-shirt line on the arms...wahaha...from the morning and afternoon sun...a rare sight during our trip since it's been cloudy or raining almost all the time...
Then it was back to Phnom Penh...all squeezed in the taxi again...but this time our driver, Porate, speaks English...so we had some stopover to take photos and try out weird stuff...like spiders, crickets and frogs!!!
At Phnom Penh we visited the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda....
Took a bus back to Saigon the following day...and spent the rest of the day shopping...first at Ben Thanh market where I finally found the gac fruit!!! Din really buy much other then food there...hehe...Wei Lee and I are food ppl...we just went round the market looking at food stuff although they sell almost anything there!!!
In the evening, we shopped near our hotel...Liz and I also went to pick up our suits...which was really nicely done :D
On the last day...we went for a half day tour to Cu Chi tunnel...a network of 200 plus km of tunnels!!!
It's really amazing how they managed to dig such a long network of tunnels...
The tunnels are really narrow...just nice for Asians...not Americans...hehe...maybe that's y our tour guide, Tom, is so small sized...
After the tour, we had lunch and it was time to go to the airport...
...and now I'm back in S'pore...will add photos to my post later...to lazy to sort them now :P
Anyway, to continue from where I left off....
The second day at Siem Reap...we went around the temples on a mini-van with a tour guide, Thom...that's his nickname...which means big...although he's quite a small guy...hehe...he does martial arts though...wow!!!
The temples...esp Angkor Wat...are really impressive...
It was really tiring climbing all those super steep steps at the "Wat"s
The following day...we decided to rent electric bikes and ride round Siem Reap and the temple area...it was really fun...but we got pretty wet as it rained in the evening...and certain ppl got burnt really "funnily" with an obvious t-shirt line on the arms...wahaha...from the morning and afternoon sun...a rare sight during our trip since it's been cloudy or raining almost all the time...
Then it was back to Phnom Penh...all squeezed in the taxi again...but this time our driver, Porate, speaks English...so we had some stopover to take photos and try out weird stuff...like spiders, crickets and frogs!!!
At Phnom Penh we visited the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda....
Took a bus back to Saigon the following day...and spent the rest of the day shopping...first at Ben Thanh market where I finally found the gac fruit!!! Din really buy much other then food there...hehe...Wei Lee and I are food ppl...we just went round the market looking at food stuff although they sell almost anything there!!!
In the evening, we shopped near our hotel...Liz and I also went to pick up our suits...which was really nicely done :D
On the last day...we went for a half day tour to Cu Chi tunnel...a network of 200 plus km of tunnels!!!
It's really amazing how they managed to dig such a long network of tunnels...
The tunnels are really narrow...just nice for Asians...not Americans...hehe...maybe that's y our tour guide, Tom, is so small sized...
After the tour, we had lunch and it was time to go to the airport...
...and now I'm back in S'pore...will add photos to my post later...to lazy to sort them now :P
Monday, July 03, 2006
Hello from Siem Reap
I'm in Siem Reap now!!!
Took a bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh yesterday...met a couple of guys from Norway...one of them is a Vietnamese though...but he's been away in Norway since a very young age...
They are supposed to be Siem Reap now too...not too sure where...maybe we'll see them again tom...hehe...
Today after visiting the genocide museum...a depressing place...we went for a short "retail therapy" at the Russian Market nearby...was fetched ard by this nice Engish speaking tuk-tuk guy...hehe...
Then we took a 4hr ride on a taxi...4 of us squeezed at the back...all the way here!!! phew...
Tomorrow we'll be headed towards the "Wat"s...go to Angkor Wat...then dunno go to wat other Wat lah :P
Now I shall head back to our nice comfy room to read and watch tv...
Took a bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh yesterday...met a couple of guys from Norway...one of them is a Vietnamese though...but he's been away in Norway since a very young age...
They are supposed to be Siem Reap now too...not too sure where...maybe we'll see them again tom...hehe...
Today after visiting the genocide museum...a depressing place...we went for a short "retail therapy" at the Russian Market nearby...was fetched ard by this nice Engish speaking tuk-tuk guy...hehe...
Then we took a 4hr ride on a taxi...4 of us squeezed at the back...all the way here!!! phew...
Tomorrow we'll be headed towards the "Wat"s...go to Angkor Wat...then dunno go to wat other Wat lah :P
Now I shall head back to our nice comfy room to read and watch tv...
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Hello from Saigon!
Today is my second day in Saigon...
Arrived late afternoon yesterday...so only managed to try their yummy beef noodles...and Liz and I went to get some suit tailor-made ;)
The whole of today was spent at Mekong Delta...saw the locals making coconut candy and rice popcorns...it was a pretty interesting river cruise where we met 3 other S'poreans and an American, Austin...from Texas...hehe...funny huh...
Our tour guide, Tony, was a pretty interesting guy too...he told us abt the history of Vietnam...how Saigon is now known as Ho Chi Minh City...he is also very optimistic with the current progress in Vietnam ;)
Tomorrow we'll be headed towards Phnom Penh...followed by Siam Reap the following 3 days...then back to Saigon...b4 its time to head back to S'pore...
Will post plenty of photos when I get back...
Arrived late afternoon yesterday...so only managed to try their yummy beef noodles...and Liz and I went to get some suit tailor-made ;)
The whole of today was spent at Mekong Delta...saw the locals making coconut candy and rice popcorns...it was a pretty interesting river cruise where we met 3 other S'poreans and an American, Austin...from Texas...hehe...funny huh...
Our tour guide, Tony, was a pretty interesting guy too...he told us abt the history of Vietnam...how Saigon is now known as Ho Chi Minh City...he is also very optimistic with the current progress in Vietnam ;)
Tomorrow we'll be headed towards Phnom Penh...followed by Siam Reap the following 3 days...then back to Saigon...b4 its time to head back to S'pore...
Will post plenty of photos when I get back...
Friday, June 30, 2006
Vietnam and Cambodia
It's been a really busy week...mainly writing my report...and some other impt stuff...
I have also finally completed my Lifesaving 1,2,3 test...next would be Bronze Medallion course...wonder if I shld proceed with that or not..I'm getting really really busy now...sighz...
Anyway, I have been really busy rushing my report 'cos I'm gg for a backpacking trip to Vietnam and Cambodia with my housemates...tomorrow!!!
We r so unprepared...we just started packing tonite...lawyer Lim still at work at this moment!!! Oh well...
Guess it's time for me to sleep now...gotta go sch tom morning to settle some stuff...b4 I fly off in the afternoon...
Yippee...Vietnam, Cambodia...here I come!!!
I have also finally completed my Lifesaving 1,2,3 test...next would be Bronze Medallion course...wonder if I shld proceed with that or not..I'm getting really really busy now...sighz...
Anyway, I have been really busy rushing my report 'cos I'm gg for a backpacking trip to Vietnam and Cambodia with my housemates...tomorrow!!!
We r so unprepared...we just started packing tonite...lawyer Lim still at work at this moment!!! Oh well...
Guess it's time for me to sleep now...gotta go sch tom morning to settle some stuff...b4 I fly off in the afternoon...
Yippee...Vietnam, Cambodia...here I come!!!
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Wat's up?
Haven't posted for 8 days!!!
Anyway, I have just been busy as usual...
Nothing interesting to tell...
Just posting to fulfill IWA requirements...wahaha...
I did meet up with some of my pharmacy classmates last week...haven't met some of them since the last pre-reg training...even though these were my closer friends during our undergrad years...
We r the slackers in class...since we r more actively involved in extra-curricular activities...hehe...working life is sure different...everyone is just so busy...but I'm sure glad everyone was reponsive and made time to meet up again...
Oh ya...I also attended a fren's wedding...a fellow ASEAN scholar in JC and subsequently classmate in uni!!! Somehow we were never close though...
Luckily my housemate, Feei, our ASEAN-happenings-updater...hehe...kept us in the loop abt gatherings etc...
It was sure great to meet up with old hostelmates from JC...one appeared superbly "high" that day...wahaha...super entertaining...
Also had lame lunch on Sun..supposed to be with Vorlacks, Weiyi and Faith...but Faith had to "fly-kite" us...must get her to esprain y...hehe...
Vorlacks is flying off to China for a business trip again...so happening!!!
Oyster also gg China ard that time...IWA is so happening!!!
Anyway, that's abt all of the more interesting things that happened recently...
I'll be gg off to Vietnam for a backpacking trip with my housemates in 9 days time...
Next week I have a guest in the lab to learn some computer stuff...so I better get back to writing my PhD conversion report now :P
Anyway, I have just been busy as usual...
Nothing interesting to tell...
Just posting to fulfill IWA requirements...wahaha...
I did meet up with some of my pharmacy classmates last week...haven't met some of them since the last pre-reg training...even though these were my closer friends during our undergrad years...
We r the slackers in class...since we r more actively involved in extra-curricular activities...hehe...working life is sure different...everyone is just so busy...but I'm sure glad everyone was reponsive and made time to meet up again...
Oh ya...I also attended a fren's wedding...a fellow ASEAN scholar in JC and subsequently classmate in uni!!! Somehow we were never close though...
Luckily my housemate, Feei, our ASEAN-happenings-updater...hehe...kept us in the loop abt gatherings etc...
It was sure great to meet up with old hostelmates from JC...one appeared superbly "high" that day...wahaha...super entertaining...
Also had lame lunch on Sun..supposed to be with Vorlacks, Weiyi and Faith...but Faith had to "fly-kite" us...must get her to esprain y...hehe...
Vorlacks is flying off to China for a business trip again...so happening!!!
Oyster also gg China ard that time...IWA is so happening!!!
Anyway, that's abt all of the more interesting things that happened recently...
I'll be gg off to Vietnam for a backpacking trip with my housemates in 9 days time...
Next week I have a guest in the lab to learn some computer stuff...so I better get back to writing my PhD conversion report now :P
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Vulgaris
Stedmans.com Word of the Day for Monday, June 12, 2006
vulgaris
Ordinary; of the usual type
Interesting...
Did a search on the Concise Oxford Dictionary...and this is wat I found
vulgar
adj.
1 lacking sophistication or good taste.
> making explicit reference to sex or bodily functions.
2 dated characteristic of or belonging to ordinary people.
– DERIVATIVES vulgarity n. (pl. vulgarities). vulgarly adv.
– ORIGIN ME: from L. vulgaris, from vulgus ‘common people’.
So it's just a common word...pun intended :P
vulgaris
Ordinary; of the usual type
Interesting...
Did a search on the Concise Oxford Dictionary...and this is wat I found
vulgar
adj.
1 lacking sophistication or good taste.
> making explicit reference to sex or bodily functions.
2 dated characteristic of or belonging to ordinary people.
– DERIVATIVES vulgarity n. (pl. vulgarities). vulgarly adv.
– ORIGIN ME: from L. vulgaris, from vulgus ‘common people’.
So it's just a common word...pun intended :P
Sunday, June 11, 2006
The true value of volunteers
Interesting article from The Straits Times, June 5 2006
By Willie Cheng
'FREE Labour Wanted; Conditions Apply'. Occasionally, when working in the voluntary sector, the sign above pops up in my mind. Like the time I attended a volunteer briefing for an overseas mission several months ago: A volunteer manager started off by asking: 'Who would you say are our customers?'
His point was that the volunteers were not his customers, the beneficiaries were. Hence, his main job was to worry about those faraway beneficiaries of the mission ahead. Volunteers should just fall in line.
Apparently, he was peeved at feedback some volunteers had offered his board of directors to the effect that his organisation needed CRM (customer relationship management) - a term from the commercial world for how companies should value and treat people who contribute to the organisation's revenues.
The tone of the meeting was so bad ('Sorry, don't expect too much information or help from us for you in this strange land - after all, you had volunteered to go knowing the risks and uncertainties') that, at one point, a volunteer raised his hand to ask meekly to be treated as a 'secondary customer'. I was tempted but decided not to launch into a lesson on volunteer management at that very briefing.
In all fairness, the volunteer manager felt overwhelmed and could not answer all the questions thrown at him by this batch of spoilt-by-the-good-life Singaporean volunteers who were anxious about the unknown terrain ahead.
So what do you do with high-maintenance volunteers?
When this question was posed some years ago at an annual conference of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), Mr Robert Chew, one of the panellists, responded spontaneously: 'Why, just fire them, of course!' It was a typical response that Robert, a good friend and former partner of mine at Accenture, gave. After all, in the corporate world, when the cost of maintaining an employee outweighs the value he delivers, there is no business case for his continued employment. These two stories illustrate a common perception within and without the non-profit sector: that volunteers are nothing more than free labour. Non-profits simply use volunteers because they cannot afford to have paid labour do the same thing. Such a view underestimates the true value of volunteerism.
Two years ago the NVPC conducted a study to quantify the value of volunteerism in Singapore. We thought it was important to do so in a country driven largely by economic imperatives. The result was a bit disappointing. Volunteers in Singapore contributed the equivalent of S$746 million per annum of 'unpaid labour' at fair market value, which is less than 0.5 per cent of our national GDP. In contrast, the US' volunteer contribution equivalent was 2 per cent of its GDP and Australia's was 7 per cent.
However, the study also looked at costs, as opposed to economic value, that volunteers contributed in 24 volunteer host organisations (VHOs). Now, even though a VHO does not pay a volunteer any wages, there is a cost to recruiting and managing them. We measured the VIVA (value investment & value audit) ratio which is the dollar value of the voluntary work compared to the cost of investing in the volunteers. A ratio of 1:1 means the organisation breaks even.
The majority of VHOs had VIVA ratios that showed returns ranging from 6 per cent to over 480 per cent more than their cost of recruiting and managing volunteers. But two outliers, in particular, sparked strong debate within the study team. These VHOs had negative returns: That is, the cost of recruiting and managing volunteers exceeded the equivalent labour costs they contributed.
So, had the VHO known their true cost, would paid labour not have been better? Yes, from a purely economic standpoint, but not if you consider the broader aspects of what volunteerism means to non-profits and the community. Our debate led us to conclude that it was good to devote a section in the report to the non-economic value of volunteerism as well.
When you cut to the chase, it all boils down to engagement - engagement of the individual volunteer with the VHO and the community, and engagement of the VHO with the community.
Volunteers are rewarded beyond any monetary return for their services - otherwise they would not have volunteered. Often, they broaden their horizons and receive immense personal satisfaction from giving back to society.
For the VHOs, volunteers give them access to talent they can't afford or which is not otherwise available. However, beyond that, an engaged volunteer represents an extension of the VHO's personality itself into the very community it aspires to serve.
Several charities today are involved in the building of houses for tsunami victims. Many do so by sending funds raised while a few such as Habitat for Humanity, Mercy Relief and Singapore International Foundation engage volunteers from Singapore and other countries to go onsite to help build these new homes.
Volunteers who usually pay for their own cost of travel and accommodation are also asked to contribute to the costs of construction material, typically about S$1,000 per volunteer per week, depending on the location. It's a common contention by critics that the same money would go a lot further if it was spent on local labour, for not only could more houses be built, but the displaced could also be employed.
But ask any volunteer who has been on such a mission and you will be convinced about the value of such trips to build houses. The impact on volunteer attitude is never adequately captured in slide shows and fanciful brochures. Many volunteers I know leave a lot more than their work or money at the site: In a sense, they empty themselves of the earthly things that weigh us all down and they come back with a renewed sense of mission so they get involved in future projects more readily.
Moreover, the money a volunteer spends may not have been forthcoming in the first place without prior volunteering experience. But having gone before and been deeply engaged, they now give more of their time and money. This is borne out by the NVPC's recent philanthropic survey which found that volunteers tend to donate 63 per cent more than the average individual donor.
Volunteerism also develops the community spirit and encourages people from diverse backgrounds to bond with one another. Picture flag days without volunteers. Imagine the National Day Parade if the contingents and helpers were all paid. Think about a Standard Chartered Marathon if the 'runspirators' (people who cheer you along the way) were paid to do it.
In 2000, I went to my first Olympics in Sydney. To my surprise, I was met at the airport and driven to my lodging by a volunteer. I learnt that she was one of some 47,000 volunteers, mostly Australians, who had raised their hands for the simple joy of being part of a historic moment in her country's hosting of the Games.
She and the other volunteers we came into contact with during the trip were genuine and excellent ambassadors for Australia and the Olympic movement.
Such is the power of volunteerism for any community. Properly harnessed, volunteers are not solely free labour but the very soul of a free society.
The writer is chairman of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre. This article appears in the May/June issue of SALT, an NVPC publication. The opinions expressed here are the author's alone
By Willie Cheng
'FREE Labour Wanted; Conditions Apply'. Occasionally, when working in the voluntary sector, the sign above pops up in my mind. Like the time I attended a volunteer briefing for an overseas mission several months ago: A volunteer manager started off by asking: 'Who would you say are our customers?'
His point was that the volunteers were not his customers, the beneficiaries were. Hence, his main job was to worry about those faraway beneficiaries of the mission ahead. Volunteers should just fall in line.
Apparently, he was peeved at feedback some volunteers had offered his board of directors to the effect that his organisation needed CRM (customer relationship management) - a term from the commercial world for how companies should value and treat people who contribute to the organisation's revenues.
The tone of the meeting was so bad ('Sorry, don't expect too much information or help from us for you in this strange land - after all, you had volunteered to go knowing the risks and uncertainties') that, at one point, a volunteer raised his hand to ask meekly to be treated as a 'secondary customer'. I was tempted but decided not to launch into a lesson on volunteer management at that very briefing.
In all fairness, the volunteer manager felt overwhelmed and could not answer all the questions thrown at him by this batch of spoilt-by-the-good-life Singaporean volunteers who were anxious about the unknown terrain ahead.
So what do you do with high-maintenance volunteers?
When this question was posed some years ago at an annual conference of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), Mr Robert Chew, one of the panellists, responded spontaneously: 'Why, just fire them, of course!' It was a typical response that Robert, a good friend and former partner of mine at Accenture, gave. After all, in the corporate world, when the cost of maintaining an employee outweighs the value he delivers, there is no business case for his continued employment. These two stories illustrate a common perception within and without the non-profit sector: that volunteers are nothing more than free labour. Non-profits simply use volunteers because they cannot afford to have paid labour do the same thing. Such a view underestimates the true value of volunteerism.
Two years ago the NVPC conducted a study to quantify the value of volunteerism in Singapore. We thought it was important to do so in a country driven largely by economic imperatives. The result was a bit disappointing. Volunteers in Singapore contributed the equivalent of S$746 million per annum of 'unpaid labour' at fair market value, which is less than 0.5 per cent of our national GDP. In contrast, the US' volunteer contribution equivalent was 2 per cent of its GDP and Australia's was 7 per cent.
However, the study also looked at costs, as opposed to economic value, that volunteers contributed in 24 volunteer host organisations (VHOs). Now, even though a VHO does not pay a volunteer any wages, there is a cost to recruiting and managing them. We measured the VIVA (value investment & value audit) ratio which is the dollar value of the voluntary work compared to the cost of investing in the volunteers. A ratio of 1:1 means the organisation breaks even.
The majority of VHOs had VIVA ratios that showed returns ranging from 6 per cent to over 480 per cent more than their cost of recruiting and managing volunteers. But two outliers, in particular, sparked strong debate within the study team. These VHOs had negative returns: That is, the cost of recruiting and managing volunteers exceeded the equivalent labour costs they contributed.
So, had the VHO known their true cost, would paid labour not have been better? Yes, from a purely economic standpoint, but not if you consider the broader aspects of what volunteerism means to non-profits and the community. Our debate led us to conclude that it was good to devote a section in the report to the non-economic value of volunteerism as well.
When you cut to the chase, it all boils down to engagement - engagement of the individual volunteer with the VHO and the community, and engagement of the VHO with the community.
Volunteers are rewarded beyond any monetary return for their services - otherwise they would not have volunteered. Often, they broaden their horizons and receive immense personal satisfaction from giving back to society.
For the VHOs, volunteers give them access to talent they can't afford or which is not otherwise available. However, beyond that, an engaged volunteer represents an extension of the VHO's personality itself into the very community it aspires to serve.
Several charities today are involved in the building of houses for tsunami victims. Many do so by sending funds raised while a few such as Habitat for Humanity, Mercy Relief and Singapore International Foundation engage volunteers from Singapore and other countries to go onsite to help build these new homes.
Volunteers who usually pay for their own cost of travel and accommodation are also asked to contribute to the costs of construction material, typically about S$1,000 per volunteer per week, depending on the location. It's a common contention by critics that the same money would go a lot further if it was spent on local labour, for not only could more houses be built, but the displaced could also be employed.
But ask any volunteer who has been on such a mission and you will be convinced about the value of such trips to build houses. The impact on volunteer attitude is never adequately captured in slide shows and fanciful brochures. Many volunteers I know leave a lot more than their work or money at the site: In a sense, they empty themselves of the earthly things that weigh us all down and they come back with a renewed sense of mission so they get involved in future projects more readily.
Moreover, the money a volunteer spends may not have been forthcoming in the first place without prior volunteering experience. But having gone before and been deeply engaged, they now give more of their time and money. This is borne out by the NVPC's recent philanthropic survey which found that volunteers tend to donate 63 per cent more than the average individual donor.
Volunteerism also develops the community spirit and encourages people from diverse backgrounds to bond with one another. Picture flag days without volunteers. Imagine the National Day Parade if the contingents and helpers were all paid. Think about a Standard Chartered Marathon if the 'runspirators' (people who cheer you along the way) were paid to do it.
In 2000, I went to my first Olympics in Sydney. To my surprise, I was met at the airport and driven to my lodging by a volunteer. I learnt that she was one of some 47,000 volunteers, mostly Australians, who had raised their hands for the simple joy of being part of a historic moment in her country's hosting of the Games.
She and the other volunteers we came into contact with during the trip were genuine and excellent ambassadors for Australia and the Olympic movement.
Such is the power of volunteerism for any community. Properly harnessed, volunteers are not solely free labour but the very soul of a free society.
The writer is chairman of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre. This article appears in the May/June issue of SALT, an NVPC publication. The opinions expressed here are the author's alone
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Charity Swim Thank You Dinner
We had a thank you dinner after the charity swim...today...
Food was great!! Yummy!!
Hmm...but tom eating another 8 course meal again...feeling like a pig now :P
Anyway, some photos taken today...
My table... most of us din know each other b4 the dinner...but it turned out we have a lot of winners at this table!!!
From left...Tristan (the only guy that swam 15km!! and also raised the most fund..$19,000!!!), Sarah (1st above 40 yo female swimmer...she doesn't look like she's anywhere near 40 huh?), Hui Ping (3rd female swimmer), Reese, Logan, Shawn, Lily (think she's the first 5km female swimmer..but that's not a competitive event), me and Boon Long (2nd above 40 yo male swimmer...he's a sr consultant in SNEC!!!)
There was also Efren who was first for the male under 40 category at our table...
Hui Ping and I...we both still have our no. tattooed on our arms....she's M28, I'm M29 :D
Receiving the trophy from Trevor...founder of the Student Advisory Center!!
Goodies I've gotten from the charity swim ;)
Unfortunately we found out that this is the last charity swim...so glad I participated in it this year...
Not too sure wat's gg to happen next year...but according to Trevor...it's something interesting :D
Food was great!! Yummy!!
Hmm...but tom eating another 8 course meal again...feeling like a pig now :P
Anyway, some photos taken today...
My table... most of us din know each other b4 the dinner...but it turned out we have a lot of winners at this table!!!
From left...Tristan (the only guy that swam 15km!! and also raised the most fund..$19,000!!!), Sarah (1st above 40 yo female swimmer...she doesn't look like she's anywhere near 40 huh?), Hui Ping (3rd female swimmer), Reese, Logan, Shawn, Lily (think she's the first 5km female swimmer..but that's not a competitive event), me and Boon Long (2nd above 40 yo male swimmer...he's a sr consultant in SNEC!!!)
There was also Efren who was first for the male under 40 category at our table...
Hui Ping and I...we both still have our no. tattooed on our arms....she's M28, I'm M29 :D
Receiving the trophy from Trevor...founder of the Student Advisory Center!!
Goodies I've gotten from the charity swim ;)
Unfortunately we found out that this is the last charity swim...so glad I participated in it this year...
Not too sure wat's gg to happen next year...but according to Trevor...it's something interesting :D
Marathon Charity Swim Certificate
Hehe...check out the cert I got for the charity swim...cool huh?
The photo was really nicely taken :D
Monday, June 05, 2006
In the news...
Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 04 June 2006 1824 hrs
Long distance charity swim raises funds for youth outreach programmes
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
Some 50 swimmers battled the waves off East Coast beach on Sunday morning - all in the name of charity.
They had signed up for the Marathon Charity Swim 2006 to raise funds for the Student Advisory Centre, which runs programmes to help runaway youths.
Among the participants was Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development Youth and Sports, Teo Ser Luck, who later flagged-off the event.
Now into its fourth year, the charity swim featured the longest distance sea swim in Singapore with participants attempting a 15-kilometre effort.
Others opted for the less daunting 5 and 10 kilometre swims.
Some $50,000 were raised through the event.
The money will go towards subsidising youth outreach and development programmes. - CNA/ch
Posted: 04 June 2006 1824 hrs
Long distance charity swim raises funds for youth outreach programmes
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
Some 50 swimmers battled the waves off East Coast beach on Sunday morning - all in the name of charity.
They had signed up for the Marathon Charity Swim 2006 to raise funds for the Student Advisory Centre, which runs programmes to help runaway youths.
Among the participants was Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development Youth and Sports, Teo Ser Luck, who later flagged-off the event.
Now into its fourth year, the charity swim featured the longest distance sea swim in Singapore with participants attempting a 15-kilometre effort.
Others opted for the less daunting 5 and 10 kilometre swims.
Some $50,000 were raised through the event.
The money will go towards subsidising youth outreach and development programmes. - CNA/ch
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Marathon Charity Swim
This charity swim was GREAT!!!
Woke up at abt 7 plus...had bfast, cleared the bowels...then packed up and took a cab to ECP...was lazy :P
Could have taken 31 there...but still need to cross the road blah blah blah...I'm just too lazy for that :D
Anyway, I got to Pasta Fresca...the registration pt...pretty early...so hanged ard and ate a banana...as I waited for more and more ppl arrived...
Din know most of them (except Gary whom I've met at one of the trainings b4) but have seen many b4 in various other biathlon/triathlon/marathon events...it's always the same faces...hehe...
Made some new frens there...like Angie, Sarah, Shawn, Lily and Grace...I believe all from Trifam :D
Finally at almost 10am...I saw a familiar face...Jerry Wan...hehe...also from Trifam...who introduced me to Smallcircle...and we wondered who's Jellyfish...
Still no idea who's Jellyfish after the race :P
After that we took a group photo...
Can u find me?
Then we proceeded towards the place where the kayaks are...we were assigned to our personal kayakers there :D
My kayaker was Yeehan...a 3-star kayaker!!! Good good :D
A photo of me and Yeehan taken after the swim...
Then we swam out the sea where we waited for the GOH...Mr Teo Ser Luck..again...hehe to start us off...
He was swimming too...so he jumped off the boat after he started us off...
Mr Teo...so wat if u started later than us...u dun have to swim out and tread water b4 the start leh :P
Anyway, the first 2km was ok...even though it was against the current...still had quite a no. of ppl ard me so I know where I'm headed...and I was still fresh...
Took a break at the 2km mark...had some ORS and hammergel...
The next 2km was full of zig-zagging...partly 'cos most ppl have dispersed and I'm a bit tired liao...and we were still swimming against the current!!!
At times I wondered if I was moving as I look at the apartment blocks at Marine Parade...I can't seem to swim past them!!!
At the 4km mark...my kayaker suggested he kayak in front of me to keep me on course...that was a great help indeed...
I'm sure I'm still zig-zagging a bit at times...but much less...
My feet started to get a bit cold after the 4km mark (same thing happened after abt 3-4km swim during last year's NUS mass swim)...so I started kicking a bit more...
Got to the 5km U-turn mark after abt 2hrs...I overtook Angie as she took a break...then she overtook me again at the 6km mark where I took my break (break at every 2km :D)...
From there we took turns to overtake each other...
Finally when we reached the 9km mark...I started swimming a bit faster...I'm almost finishing!!!
After abt 3 hrs 20 mins...I finished my race!!! yippee!!
...greeted by Merey, Eng Wan and Reef...at the finishing pt...thanx for coming and bringing some energy gel along :D
I also found out I was the first 10km female competitor!!! double yippee!!!
Me, Yeehan, Merey and little Reef
Overall, I think the event was pretty well organized...esp considering it's handled mainly by a small group of ppl from SAC...
Swimming condition was great too...current was not too strong and it was only the first half of the race...the second half, we were gg along the current...
Also there were no jellyfish (except the one from Trifam :D)...and very very few sea bugs...got stung by more sea bugs during the recent S'pore Biathlon even though it was only a 1.5km swim :P
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed generously to allow me to swim in this charity swim....
Also gotta thank Merey, Eng Wan and little Reef for coming down to support me :D
..and my kayaker, Yeehan...for guiding me, watching out for fishing lines and debris in the sea, and letting me hang on to the kayak and getting my gel and drinks for me during my breaks...thanx, dude :D
..and last but not least...SAC...for such a well organized charity event!!!
Oh ya..shall thank my twin for dinner at Kovan too...haha...took another twin photo :D
Woke up at abt 7 plus...had bfast, cleared the bowels...then packed up and took a cab to ECP...was lazy :P
Could have taken 31 there...but still need to cross the road blah blah blah...I'm just too lazy for that :D
Anyway, I got to Pasta Fresca...the registration pt...pretty early...so hanged ard and ate a banana...as I waited for more and more ppl arrived...
Din know most of them (except Gary whom I've met at one of the trainings b4) but have seen many b4 in various other biathlon/triathlon/marathon events...it's always the same faces...hehe...
Made some new frens there...like Angie, Sarah, Shawn, Lily and Grace...I believe all from Trifam :D
Finally at almost 10am...I saw a familiar face...Jerry Wan...hehe...also from Trifam...who introduced me to Smallcircle...and we wondered who's Jellyfish...
Still no idea who's Jellyfish after the race :P
After that we took a group photo...
Can u find me?
Then we proceeded towards the place where the kayaks are...we were assigned to our personal kayakers there :D
My kayaker was Yeehan...a 3-star kayaker!!! Good good :D
A photo of me and Yeehan taken after the swim...
Then we swam out the sea where we waited for the GOH...Mr Teo Ser Luck..again...hehe to start us off...
He was swimming too...so he jumped off the boat after he started us off...
Mr Teo...so wat if u started later than us...u dun have to swim out and tread water b4 the start leh :P
Anyway, the first 2km was ok...even though it was against the current...still had quite a no. of ppl ard me so I know where I'm headed...and I was still fresh...
Took a break at the 2km mark...had some ORS and hammergel...
The next 2km was full of zig-zagging...partly 'cos most ppl have dispersed and I'm a bit tired liao...and we were still swimming against the current!!!
At times I wondered if I was moving as I look at the apartment blocks at Marine Parade...I can't seem to swim past them!!!
At the 4km mark...my kayaker suggested he kayak in front of me to keep me on course...that was a great help indeed...
I'm sure I'm still zig-zagging a bit at times...but much less...
My feet started to get a bit cold after the 4km mark (same thing happened after abt 3-4km swim during last year's NUS mass swim)...so I started kicking a bit more...
Got to the 5km U-turn mark after abt 2hrs...I overtook Angie as she took a break...then she overtook me again at the 6km mark where I took my break (break at every 2km :D)...
From there we took turns to overtake each other...
Finally when we reached the 9km mark...I started swimming a bit faster...I'm almost finishing!!!
After abt 3 hrs 20 mins...I finished my race!!! yippee!!
...greeted by Merey, Eng Wan and Reef...at the finishing pt...thanx for coming and bringing some energy gel along :D
I also found out I was the first 10km female competitor!!! double yippee!!!
Me, Yeehan, Merey and little Reef
Overall, I think the event was pretty well organized...esp considering it's handled mainly by a small group of ppl from SAC...
Swimming condition was great too...current was not too strong and it was only the first half of the race...the second half, we were gg along the current...
Also there were no jellyfish (except the one from Trifam :D)...and very very few sea bugs...got stung by more sea bugs during the recent S'pore Biathlon even though it was only a 1.5km swim :P
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed generously to allow me to swim in this charity swim....
Also gotta thank Merey, Eng Wan and little Reef for coming down to support me :D
..and my kayaker, Yeehan...for guiding me, watching out for fishing lines and debris in the sea, and letting me hang on to the kayak and getting my gel and drinks for me during my breaks...thanx, dude :D
..and last but not least...SAC...for such a well organized charity event!!!
Oh ya..shall thank my twin for dinner at Kovan too...haha...took another twin photo :D
Criminal M29
I'm branded criminal M29...wonder how long this one will last...
There are more tan lines...
If u see the photo of me taken with Yihan, my kayaker...there's an obvious tan line on the forehead...and a less obvious one ard the eyes :P
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Minutes of IWA (formerly WA) meetings
Somehow I was arrowed to post last nite's IWA first meeting minutes here...
A browse through our MSN history....I noticed this is the 3rd meeting we had...previous 2 was WA...so last nite's one is still IWA's first meeting...wahaha...
First WA meeting on 7 Apr 2006
Agenda: taboo words
Content: confidential*
Second WA meeting on 18 May 2006
Agenda: proposal to change to IWA, and, some secret
Content: confidential*
First IWA meeting on 31 May 2006
Agenda: overseas posting
Content: confidential*
Next meeting: 1 Jun 2006
Agenda: how to use BCC
*Content of each meeting is for the eyes of IWA (formerly WA) members only...
So IWA members are to check ur own MSN history :P
Wahahaha...I'm damn boliao!!!
A browse through our MSN history....I noticed this is the 3rd meeting we had...previous 2 was WA...so last nite's one is still IWA's first meeting...wahaha...
First WA meeting on 7 Apr 2006
Agenda: taboo words
Content: confidential*
Second WA meeting on 18 May 2006
Agenda: proposal to change to IWA, and, some secret
Content: confidential*
First IWA meeting on 31 May 2006
Agenda: overseas posting
Content: confidential*
Next meeting: 1 Jun 2006
Agenda: how to use BCC
*Content of each meeting is for the eyes of IWA (formerly WA) members only...
So IWA members are to check ur own MSN history :P
Wahahaha...I'm damn boliao!!!
Obnubilation
Stedmans.com Word of the Day for Thursday, June 1, 2006
obnubilation
A clouded mental state
Hmm...I would have a clouded mental state if someone were to say that word to me...
But then again...this word reminds me of a word from Friends..."nubbin"...related to Chandler Bing...hehe...
Friends freak out there...rem wat it means?
obnubilation
A clouded mental state
Hmm...I would have a clouded mental state if someone were to say that word to me...
But then again...this word reminds me of a word from Friends..."nubbin"...related to Chandler Bing...hehe...
Friends freak out there...rem wat it means?
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Farrer Park Sports Challenge
Went for the Farrer Park Sports Challenge today...
My event was delayed for 2 hrs...all 'cos of a heavy rain...so sianz...
Anyway, we saw MP elect Mr Teo Ser Luck...who's also the president of the Triathlon Family...came by as Guest-of-honour...to present the prizes for the kids category and start off the family relay event...
Ang Peng Siong participated in that event...swimming with his son on his back for one lap...hehe...so cute...
The inter-racial relay events started after the family relay....
I swam 400m in abt 7 mins while my partner, Sukaimi aka The Lonely Runner, ran 4.3km in abt 19 mins...while it continued to drizzle...
Team Beyond Boundaries came in 2nd for the Inter-racial mixed relay...yippee...hehe...good har...hehehehe....
After that...we had lunch at KKWCH...and headed home...
Was supposed to come back by 2pm for a meeting with my housemates regarding our up-coming Vietnam backpack trip...haha...yup..we had to set a meeting time since we hardly see each other...besides we r also supposed to meet our ex-housemate too...but...in the end...she was too lazy to travel...so meeting was cancelled...haiz...
My event was delayed for 2 hrs...all 'cos of a heavy rain...so sianz...
Anyway, we saw MP elect Mr Teo Ser Luck...who's also the president of the Triathlon Family...came by as Guest-of-honour...to present the prizes for the kids category and start off the family relay event...
Ang Peng Siong participated in that event...swimming with his son on his back for one lap...hehe...so cute...
The inter-racial relay events started after the family relay....
I swam 400m in abt 7 mins while my partner, Sukaimi aka The Lonely Runner, ran 4.3km in abt 19 mins...while it continued to drizzle...
Team Beyond Boundaries came in 2nd for the Inter-racial mixed relay...yippee...hehe...good har...hehehehe....
After that...we had lunch at KKWCH...and headed home...
Was supposed to come back by 2pm for a meeting with my housemates regarding our up-coming Vietnam backpack trip...haha...yup..we had to set a meeting time since we hardly see each other...besides we r also supposed to meet our ex-housemate too...but...in the end...she was too lazy to travel...so meeting was cancelled...haiz...
Happy Birthday, Blog!!
My blog just turned one year old today!!! Hehe...
Can't believe I have managed to maintain my blog for one year now :D
HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY!!
Hmmm...this also means I have worked at Unity for one year...one year and a couple days to be exact ;) Wow...
...and I've been back in NUS for almost one year now...2-3 more years to go...hehe
YIPPEE!!
Can't believe I have managed to maintain my blog for one year now :D
HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY!!
Hmmm...this also means I have worked at Unity for one year...one year and a couple days to be exact ;) Wow...
...and I've been back in NUS for almost one year now...2-3 more years to go...hehe
YIPPEE!!
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