memories of a silly cow

I quietly teared as I went through the old photos, surprised by the emotions i had not felt for years. Maybe i didn't realise it enough back then, but I've treated you badly. I'm sorry.

A decade of blogspot

This nondescript - so nondescript all the images are gone - blog is going ten years old. Which ought to make me the grand daddy of bloggers and I should be rolling about in a pool of ad money now. But I'm not. Because I don't have a pool of money. And funny how blogger.com still doesn't recognise the words 'blog' and 'bloggers' as a proper word.

I will now add a random picture here. i wonder how it will look like.

Third day of February

written, and to be written, on two puke bags is the most incredible story of my life

H1 2014 review

This year thus far i've played soccer 11 times, ran 11 times covering 75km, played tennis 6 times, basketball once and made 10 dives. Apart from NZ and routeburn it hasn't been particularly awesome. Diving was at the Andaman seas off phuket where i experienced my first live-on-board and encountered my first manta-ray. Also made a trip to Kuching where i didn't really do much. For the rest of the year I hope to up all the above numbers.

I don't remember much about 2013 apart from the taiwan trip.

After NZ

I get what I give, such is the irony of life.
The general outlook is on a downward spiral after the highs of NZ. It was a good trip, mostly; will it also be the last?

Time to take stock.

At the same time, what I have, is bitter sweet.

Looking back

The facebook lookback video makes me feel lucky.
I watched it over and over again.

Siem Reap. Gunung Stong. NTU. Lata Cemerong. Budapest. Paris. 雪山. Andaman. Padang. Prambanan. Desaru. Anilao. My floor. Prague. Sarajevo. Sarangkot. Andaman.

tea

a cup of tea
is warm and straddles
the body and soul

2013 post mortem

10 minutes remain till the end of another year and i thought it's appropriate to pen some recollections of 2013.

I haven't been writing, apparently.
I haven't done anything to most of my travel photos/memories.
I haven't played enough soccer.
I haven't been very fit
I haven't learnt an instrument
I haven't read many books
I haven't backup my photos
and I haven't been as happy as I could.

The one good thing about 2014 is that, it's closer to 2016.

This year, or rather in the past one over month, it's a bit strange to think that I am 32. At times I genuinely can't quite remember my age. But it's ok. I am still awesome.

Run Report: Singapore Marathon 2013

It's been a good long while since I last wrote about running, or about anything for that matter, and here's one.

I was supposed to write about the Army Half Marathon which I did in September, not because I achieved some remarkable timing but rather due to how well I felt at the end of the run; strong, relaxed finished with capacity for a much better time than the 2hr 15min, but laziness got the better of me.

Anyway, Stanchart Singapore Marathon 2013.

I achieved a surprising personal best of 5hr 17min at my 8th full marathon. Not a mind blowing timing but it's surprisingly good considering the non-existent training over the last few months. I've only ran twice in November and once in October plus a few more short runs in September after the army half. Also achieved were firsts of some sorts: I ran 31km without stopping, except to drink and to take a photo at the 30km mark because i found it quite remarkable. Also it's my first marathon without muscle cramps, though it nearly did.

Prior to the start, my goal was to try to finish the run in around 6 hours, and even that wasn't a confident estimation.

First 10km: Didn't started well as I felt the muscles tightening up shortly after the start. Was pretty tight by 8km and I thought I would have to stop soon.

Second 10km: the dreaded east coast park. Decided to push through and run as much as I could. Thought I will stop after the 21.5km turning point.

Third 10km: was crucial. probably the hardest I've ever pushed myself. Time and again I thought I would have to stop because the thigh, groin and calf muscles were absolutely stiff and I was pretty certain that the inevitable stop would occur at 23, 26, 28 and 30km but each time, through sheer will power, I forced myself to keep running,  telling myself that I'll run till the cramp kicks in.... but it strangely never did...

Even though I dragged myself through the last 10 km, I remarkably finished the first 30km in 3hr 30min! A consistent average of 1hr 10min per 10 KM.

The 31km mark was when I finally succumbed and stopped running.. From there till the end it was a long series of walks and short runs. Even so, the cramp didn't come. Each time i felt it coming i would stop and start walking it off, stopping twice to do a short stretch on my calves. Took another 1hr 47 min to complete the remaining 11.195 km.

Consumed 5 gels - one 15min before the start and another four along the way, around the 8km, 17km, 26km and 32/33km mark. also grabbed a banana. This time round I conscientiously drank more water and more water than 100plus at that, after learning that each power gel needs about 400ml of water
in order for it to be properly absorbed.
Gel flavours: Gu Chocolate Outrage (ok, thick and sweet), Shotz Lemon Lime (not bad), Shotz Cola Vanilla (found it rather strange tasting), Gu Strawberry Banana (not bad), Gu Espresso Lover (good).
Much better to squeeze it into a cup of water and downing it. Used my finger to stir it.

Something else worth mentioning is the McDonalds salt packets the ZJ handed out. It will supposedly trick the mind when the tongue tastes the salt, that the body has enough electrolytes, hence avoiding the murderous cramps. I tried two sachets, salty as hell, but they seemed to work. No ill effects at least.

Ok, time to sleep. been up since 3am.
5 hr 17min. I still rocksss.

Oh Champs Elysees

Hearing Les Champs Elysees brings back a sudden flood of memories of my short time in Paris and the people I shared it with, just like how Beatles brings the city of Liverpool to my mind. How I've missed travelling, the sounds, the sights, the emotions and the people. Especially the people, who made travelling so much more interesting.

I can't push back my memoirs any longer.

Photographer

I sold my first photograph yesterday! 17th June 2013 to be exact.

Ju, Sarajevo.

the things, you know

sat here
thinking
again

about
all the things
I haven't
done

things i've done
are far and
few

time is running
out

the croods with the tham

Two men in their early thirties watching a cartoon in a sparsely filled cinema hall on a weekday afternoon. We must have presented a bemusing sight at best and most probably a highly dodgy and concerning image to the parents who brought their kids. And we weren't even sitting in our ticketed seats. I do apologise. So that's me and tham and our impromptu plan after our tennis got curtailed by the sudden thunderstorm.

Then my scheduled dinner appointment in town disintegrated at the last moment, which meant that today I effectively travelled all the way to Tampines just to watch an animation with a married and balding man. Not cool.

like a whore

Today, I swear I'll never be a cheap photographer for hire again.

All the time, effort, money, endless nights.. especially the endless nights - it all count for something, something that shouldn't be soullessly sold away for $60 per hour.

Back in Singapore

I'm home! On 29th Jan 2013, some 142 days after my departure on 9th Sept 2012.
Will write more.

Sleepless, I got out of bed at 6am. The sky rapidly changes hues as the kettle boils. I had some bread with nutella - the father has adopted a somewhat worrying liking to it since my introduction, and made coffee.

I tuned into my favourite radio station, class95, something that i haven't done for years.

From Tarifa

Four months of travelling has brought me to tarifa in Spain, the southernmost tip of continental Europe, across the straits of Gibraltar from morocco where I came from last night.

I'm writing because I miss writing here.

6th Sept Soccer

was good today. Played 7 a side at St Wilfrid and only conceded once in about 10 games - the perfect farewell present to make up for the lack of soccer for the next couple months.
Made two good assists to alex as well. good stuff!

Europe beckons on 9th Sept.

reminiscing about army days

there's something called the Standard Obstacle Course in army which is dreaded by all SAF soldiers, or at least those who experienced the old version where you have to run your lungs out after the final jump from the ramp; many seasoned infantry soldiers from my camp failed to meet the 10 minutes passing mark.

my point is, I once cleared mine in 8 min 49 sec - still proud of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91xC-JiiudM
looks fun and easy in the video till you try it
800m run up, 10 obstacles, 700m run down while carrying the phased-out SBO, SAR 21 rifle and a brick of a helmet which totals to about 11kg.

i also consistently ran sub 9min 40sec for my 2.4km with a PB of around 9min 20sec(??) - nothing ground-breaking but it possibly meant that i was one of the fastest non-smoking runner in my company.

army was painful back then.

edited:
ha! i found this from my old blog
ATEC Combat Load (1st LAW Gunner):
LAW tube - 7kg
SAR 21 Rifle - 4kg
SBO webbing - 7kg
Helmet - 2kg
Total : 20kg

1 x meteor

i saw 1 x meteor during the supposedly awesome meteor shower tonight

18 - Dirk Kuyt

I wanted to put up on fb photos of my little niece's baptism, then i read that kuyt has left Liverpool.

that made me sad.

so i put up my old photos of him instead, because he felt like family to me - the little niece can wait.