Last 2 days to the pinnacle running event

Excitement is building up as the Stnachart Marathon approaches. Been eating more carbo food for the past couple of days and I have also purchased some power gel stuff to be comsumed along the running route. At first glance it does look quite far but the very thought of the end point and that sense of satisfaction of completing the run makes it all worth the effort.

Car repair

Bumper, boot lid plus some other internal damage not visible

The picture shows the damage to my car after that careless cab driver rammed into me when he could not brake in time. Sent the car into Toyota bodycare centre for insurance and damage survey and initial cost to repair it could amount up to almost 5k. The main bulk of the repair bill goes to the labour charge as quite a fair bit of work needs to be done. Parts wise is not that costly but due to the amount of work that needs to be done, that is where it all adds up. Moreover, the internal damage not visible to the bare eye contributes to the cost as well. The reason is that the internal beam bore the brunt of the impact and that needs to be replaced as well. The bootlid will also be changed. Thankfully no one was hurt and since it is the fault of the other party, I need not bear the costs. Just the hassle of having to send the car in plus other stuff like paying for the rented car then claiming it back from the other party as it is part of my entitlement. I dare not imagine if the situation was the other way round. Colliding with a taxi and if you are at fault spells big trouble.

Frustrated....

On our way to Aloha Loyang earlier this evening, some taxi driver (yes, it had to be a taxi driver...no offence to them though) braked a little too late and 'kissed' the back of my car. I was fuming as the bumper was dented in plus the boot lid was slightly affected. His headlight was smashed and bumper was also slightly damaged also. I could see that he was very apologetic about it as he knew that he was totally in the wrong. Got his particulars, took photographs and went on our way.

What bugs me was that there were 2 'Samaritans' who just stopped their car ahead of mine and tried to offer assistance. At once, I could tell that they were up to no good. Those of you who drive pleas ignore these 'Samaritans' as they are what i call hungry wolves waiting to fleece car owners who have just had a mishap. They try to act as if they are helpful but in fact they are just waiting to hand out their name cards offering to repair your car plus other 'benefits'. Perhaps I should call them touts. So i simply ignored them and told them to leave us alone and mind their own business.

What a frustrating day......

Adidas brand ambassador

My number tag...with my name on it
-------------------------------------------------------

I feel that I am a brand ambassador for Adidas this Sunday. Basically almost everything that i will be wearing is of the Adidas brand. The running top is part of the runner's entitlements. My running shorts and shoes is also the brand with the 3 stripes. In case some of you think that I am their spokesperson, no, I am not! But it would be nice if i was. Can get to wear lots of their apparel.

A candid shot plus a video

Check out Esther's expression

These are just a small fraction of the shots taken at the trip to Sabana Cove.

We are back

The trip was quite fun albeit slight hiccups. The weather was fantastic throughout the trip and that made our time at the swimming pool even more enjoyable. Needless to say, Esther also had a great time together with the whole CG and her compatriot, Yu Ern. The 1 thing that happened was that my camera decided to go on strike after the first day. Since it is waterproof, i decided to try using in the pool and even underwater. All went well until after a couple of shots and the screen decided to hang. I had no choice but to dry it and then open the battery compartment to 'reboot' it. The moment I opened the flap, i saw that there were some water droplets inside which really puzzles me since i kept all the flaps closed. Afterwards i went back to the room and used the hair dryer to blow dry it but it still could not power up. I knew something was seriously wrong. However, lo and behold, i just charged the battery and now it is working again. Should I try submerging it underwater again?

Will be away on a wkend retreat to Sebana Cove

In just about 10 hrs we will be meeting up with our CG members as we go on a retreat to Sebana Cove for the weekend. We have been talking about it for sometime and it is coming to reality. This is the 1st time that we are bringing Esther on a short trip. We just finished packing our stuff and even though the trip is just 3D2N, it takes a much longer time to pack things for the young ones. All the essentials plus some emergency stuff like medicine and also extra things just in case. For us, packing our things takes less than 20min. And I will be using this opportunity to dispose some old stuff. Like an old pair of shoes n some old clothes, just wear it there n then dispose them. But got to have some others to wear obviously! In this way, it is a good way of getting rid of old clothes with no need to bring them back to wash and it frees up space in your bag to do some shopping! So here's to a nice relaxed weekend and I will be back on sunday.

PSLE results day

I was back at LPS to share the joys of the many P6s as they waited anxiously for the moment of truth when they got their results. Kudos to the staff who worked so hard alongside with the students and this batch created history in being one of the best in terms of quality passes and of course producing one of the top students in Singapore. Yes, we have someone who scored above 275 with 4 stars. This goes to show that govt neighbourhood schools ARE, HAVE BEEN and WILL ALWAYS produce top students.

For the vast majority of graduating LPS students, seeing so many of you moving up to secondary schools is something that is not easy to achieve. Indeed, 6 years of primary education has sailed by and now you are about to embark on a whole new chapter in your life in just about 6 - 7 weeks. No matter what your PSLE score is, 1 thing is certain: it is permanent and nothing you can do will change it. So for those of you who felt you did not do so well, what i advise you is to look ahead. With the score in hand, see where you are able to enroll by looking at the websites of varous schools which depict the minimum score. Disappointed you may be but remember one thing: this is just a small setback. The journey continues when you begin secondary school. Never give up or say you are useless or have negative thoughts. Face up to your achievement or setbacks by working towards bringing your achievements to a higher level or learning from your mistakes respectively.

To all P6s in LPS: congrats and all the best in your new journey that is to come in 2008.

Surprise surprise

When we went to collect Esther's passport at the ICA building this afternoon, I was quite dismayed that there were at least 140 persons before us. I therefore reckoned we might be stuck there for at least 2 hrs. So I decided to take a risk to just put 1.5hrs worth of parking coupons. However, we were surprised that in just 1 hr 20mins it was our turn. In fact it could have been even faster as there were at least 6 counters that were closed. What bugs me is why did they not utilise these counters during peak hours so that they can quicken the collection process. So I see that old habits die hard.

3 visitors & some automotive news

3 of my former LPS students came by to visit Esther earlier this afternoon. Needless to say, Esther was thrilled to have 3 elder 'sisters' to carry and entertain her. In fact it was quite by default as one of them called me asking if we were home because they were apparently stuck at West Mall with nowhere to go! So we brought Esther back a little earlier.

I also saw the newsflash on CNA (Channel News Asia) saying that some Asian (or should say ASEAN)carmaker whose name is nether electron nor neutron will not enter into a deal with some leading German carmaker whose well known for building and selling the bettle. No surprises as this is not the first time such a deal fell through. That Asian carmaker build horrible products coupled with poor quality and reliability. Even the locals themselves shun it. Those who buy it is because it is cheap due to the local government's subsidy and slapping hefty taxes on foreign makes. However, with the AFTA and their neighbouring counry being named as "Detroit of the East" or better known as the Land of Smiles, this Asian car maker products have taken a huge beating and their market share has dropped drastically. I myself have driven that particular make a few times and I only have 1 good thing to say about it: The aircon is very cold!. That's it. The rest of that car is what i quote from current Honda F1 driver Jenson Button's verdict of the Honda F1 car this 2007 season : It is simply a dog.

Brought Esther swimming at CSC

Ever since I gave up my swimming club membership which was to me a liability rather than an asset, we then bought the membership at the Civil Service Club opposite our place as it was so much more affordable and due to its close proximity. Since the holidays are here, we brought Esther swimming today. She really enjoyed herself using the float and playing in the pool. Being a Monday, the whole place was relatively empty except for a few other users. But I think the wave pool was the most fun part but we had to shield her from the direct waves as they were pretty strong. Thankfully, we came home before the rain came so when we head to the Sebana Cove Resort this weekend, she can have a wonderful time. We also had the chance to test out the digital camera being used in the pool. Since it was waterproof up to a depth of 3m, we gave it a shot. Other than a couple of shots being marred by a huge water droplet on the lens, the camera worked well. It'd better since the manufacturer claims so.

Fellowship in church

I was at a teachers' fellowship held in church earlier. It was started by a couple of covenanters who are fellow educators themselves. The group that attended was about 40 odd and it was a great time to see so many fellow educators from various levels and schools. Needless to say, there were some of those like myself who were about to graduate from NIE or about to enter. Hearing from seniors and juniors really gave me a reminder of what our calling is. Despite the constant existence of uphill tasks and challenges, it really feels heart warming to know that there are those who have been there and done that. Furthermore, you know that there is always someone to turn to whenever you need advice or just some spiritual support. Long live this fellowship.

Esther is 8 mths old

The Tang family

Esther is 8 mths old today. Time really flies. Before we know it, she will be approaching 1 yr old. Thereafter, she will be moving to the playgroup in the day care. Angela and I were saying that we should really treasure every moment we can with her in these formative years as there is no way of savouring it once she passes each stage. That is why I am putting off commiting myself to some other activities. But my running will always be there! In fact, i just ran 15k earlier. It felt great.....

Surprised

From the time I stepped out of the car into ICA building, to queuing up to obtain the application form, take an instant photo, filling it up and dropping it into the box took just 20 mins. I was very surprised as it took much longer than that when i did my passport about a decade ago. Times have changed and i guess the ICA had to do something about it. Collection of Esther's new biometric passport will be in 5 days and that is slightly longer than the usual 3 days due to the peak period. That one might take longer but based on what we experienced today, my guess might be that it will not be that much longer.

Dropped by LPS after that and Esther was the centre of attraction. Well, if any other staff member brought their child along, i guess the reaction would be pretty much the same. Next thu is the results release for the P6s. Probably I will drop by to see the happy faces.

Making passport for Esther tmw

Since we will be away for just 3D2N with our CG, we decided to head to the ICA bdg tmw to make a passport for Esther. Hopefully there will not be too many pple but as the holidays have already started, a crowd might be expected. I dislike going to the ICA bdg as past experience as shown me the level of efficiency of the workers there. To say it is bad is a big understatement. Perhaps things have improved? We shall see tomorrow.

So lethargic

It was raining cats and dogs this morning. After sending Esther and Angela to their respective schools, I came home and went back to sleep! But somehow or rather I could only take cat naps and still felt lethargic. Managed to get up at about 10am and I tuned into Ch 8 to catch 2 really old drama serials that are currently being re-run. Imagine how some Mediacorp celebs look back in the 80s and early 90s when the then SBC and TCS were producing dramas. As usual, I will be looking at the vehicles in the background and I must say it is pretty nostalgic to see those old cars that have long been taken off the road again on tv. The old SBS buses and TransIsland buses with their distinctive corporate colours really brought back memories. Since this is the silver jubilee of chinese dramas, I do try to catch a couple of them now and then just to reminisce the good-old-days.

I cleared my IPPT

Went for my IPPT earlier in the evening and I cleared it. Managed to attain the silver award plus $200 incentive. I struggled through the 2.4K run and it is not surprising that marathon runners are not that good sprinters as they are better for long haul runs.

Managed to clear quite a fair bit of the laudry today. There is still somemore to go and I think by tomorrow I should be able to clear them plus mopping the floor. I really am concerned about next year when I start school. Can imagine the laundry piling up and I only have the weekends to settle that. Ah well........

Last week of sch

I think the primary school students are counting down to the end of this week as it will be the start of the year-end vacation. It pays to have a break after working hard for the past months. However, I would like to give a gentle reminder not waste the vacation simply by playing all day long. Do spend some time revising your work so that when the new term begins, you will be ready for the challenges ahead.

Christmas is around the corner. However, do not be surprised to see Lunar New Year decorations appearing soon as well. This CHristmas will be a special one for us as it will be the first Christmas that we can spend with Esther. Perhaps we might bring her for a walk down Orchard Rd to see the lights. Not that she can appreciate them anyway. Moreover, it depends very much on the weather.

Speaking of the weather, I was planning to run to school this morning but once I reached Chinese Garden MRT, it started to drizzle. Made a wise choice to turn back and head for the MRT station and took the train to Boon Lay and thereafter bus service 199 to campus. It was pouring cats and dogs coupled with lightning and thunder. Just as well I did not manage to run the full distance as I got my annual IPPT tomorrow.

Esther is getting taller....& heavier

Esther is down with a slight cough so we brought her to the clinic. When the doctor took her height and weight, we were like hmmm....she has really grown and by quite a fair bit. Tipping the scales at 8.2kg, that really explains why I felt quite tired when I carried her throughout the walk we went after dinner around the estate. As for her height, she is 70cm which is 36.8% of my height. Little wonder many of our friends and relatives said she is REALLY lengthy. Some of the clothes she is wearing now are meant for those between 9-12mths. And she is already 'walking' using the cot railings as her support. I hope this cot she is using can last. It is already at the lowest level.

Esther's candid facial expressions...

The smiling face


The blur look



The busybody look



The about to scream look



The frowning look

Durian feast

After handing in my DCE assignment, I went with Winnie and Sandra for lunch at Old Airport Rd FC but the main highlight was the durian that we had off Sims Ave at Lor 15 Geylang. The last 2 "mao1 wang2" were bought by us and it has been ages since I tasted such great durian. Both of them also said this was the best they have eaten so far. But it was not cheap though: $25 per kg but since we are done with this semester, why not pamper ourselves a bit? So we ahve a good 8 weeks of vacation till the next semester and I have quite a fair bit of things to get done this coming holidays. Training for Stanchart event, cleaning the house, doing housework....the list goes on. But I am looking forward to the weekend retreat with the CG and that will be a great fellowship time.

Hse warming parties/full mth celebrations

From now till early Dec, I have 2 house warming parties and 2 baby full mth celebrations. I recall posting about people getting married and then there are church weddings and dinner banquets to attend. Well, the next progression will be house warming and baby full mth gatherings. After that it is the first birthday......

I got a baby full mth celebration later. Coincidentally, my cousin decided to have a joint one as her other son's 5th bday is around the same time. This sunday is another cousin's son's full mth. Sat is a housewarming party. Then I just rcved another sms abt my newly wed cousin's hse warming on dec 2. Just as well as I can have a nice feast after running the Stanchart half Marathon! Hopefully I still have the energy to attend!

Finished DCE. That means my hols begin....

so near yet so far.....

DSM quiz today was managable by and large. Other than the last question which slipped my mind the others were nothing out of the ordinary. However, there are times when one makes a careless error and only come to realise it after the event. Even if it is a small error, it is still an error. Others have commented that they missed a digit to hit the top prize in lucky draws or buying 4D or Toto. Therefore, the old saying a miss is as good as a mile really holds.

Full throttle to get DCE done by tmw.

Left with DCE and DSM quiz

DSM quiz tmw. DCE due on friday which i hope to try to complete so that i can submit it by tmw but it might not be possible. Thankfully thu is a PH so I can get through with DCE. It comes to some pt when u get really 'sian' with the things u do knowing fully well that it will be put into cold storage for a long time and u will hardly ever take it out to use it except for 'special' occasions. Not surprising that those teaching it are so idealistic bcos they r sitting high on their ivory towers with absolutely no knowledge what is going on down on the ground. Sounds familiar? ;-)

Decisions, decisions....

Our DSE gp is contemplating whether to have a camping thing or a chalet or a BBQ. As for me, I go for the most conveinent. If there is a chalet that is available, we can have a 3-in-1. 1 of our classmates checked the availability of possible venues but it seems that they have been booked way in advanced. Even if there are some available, cost is a push factor. So I think the easiest option would be to book a BBQ bit or two at some park and then we could have a great time. It has been ages since I last went to a BBQ. A vote has been created on the yahoo gps. So what is the final outcome? We shall see....

Last wk of the semester

This is the final week of the semester. With just DCE to go, the 3rd semester has come and gone. Currently, I have no plans for the year end holidays except for a 3 day 2 night CG trip to some destination which I have forgotten the name. Just read an email from a DSE coursemate and a chalet outing seems to be on the cards. This is a great opportunity to have a get together with the cool class of 30 of us. Will have to rush up my DCE before friday. Really dread this DRTA assignment. But for the sake of having to fulfill the course requirements, no choice.

Of running events and shoes

New Balance Real Run 07

I 'downloaded' one of the photos taken during the New Balance Run a week ago. The organisers are smart in that by doing so, only a low quality image can be downloaded. If a participant wished to have a full-sized one, it will cost quite fair bit. Included are the timings and a range of sizes. Being the cheapo me, I obviously will not incur those costs. On reviewing my 'running album', counting the number of pairs of shoes I have used (or rather worn out), certificates and bibs, from aug '06 to oct'07, I have taken part in 6 runs except the Terry Fox Cancer Charity one which I did not due to bad weather. As for number of shoes I have 'destroyed', the number is 4 pairs. My first pair brought me through the 1st AHM and Stanchart. The 2nd one was the one that lasted the longest so far, 6 mths and that only brought me through the Saucony Passion run. That pair went through the MacRitchie terrain as training as well. The 3rd pair lasted just 4 mths and that brought me through my 2nd AHM and the recently concluded New Balanced Real Run.

As for my new Adidas, I had the opening ceremony this morning by going for a 10km run. Vis-a-vis the 3 pairs of Suaconys, this Adidas really does its job. I hope to 'break in' this pair of shoes within 10days so that I can run the Stanchart in 4 wks with ease. Hopefully, my timing will be slightly better than last year?

DSE 200 Projects Galore Day

Our DSE gp

The event was a resounding success. To say that everyone did their best is an understatement. Everything went like clock-work and the feeling was great now that the major component is over. It sure feels like newly passed out rectuits from BMT. Though there were ups and downs throughout the process, it was nonetheless a good learning journey for one and all. Here's to DCE 202 next semester.

DSE preview

Just like the NDP preview, we had our projects galore preview today. We can finally see the whole thing in its glorious finished state. Seeing everyone's masterpiece reflects the hard work, long hours and all the blood, sweat and tears invested. Was talking to Winnie and she agreed with me that a number of us doing certain projects is a very true reflection of our passion. Jon is doing something on tourism while I am doing on F1. Winnie is doing something related to pets. We are all looking forward to the event tomorrow when we can finally say adios to DSE 200.