Thursday, January 22, 2009
It's alive, alive!
...My blog, I mean. Sorry I haven't been updating for awhile. Have been so caught up with work and stuff that everything's a lil' fuzzy. (I almost forgot my Blogger login name!) Well, what matters is that I'm here now, typing again. Weirdly enough, I miss doing this. So, without further ado - or as some might say, 'a-due' - here's my attempt to capture as much of the lost time as I can.The weddings
I love attending weddings because it reminds me that in this crazy world we live in, amidst the fighting and wars, there is still a glimmer of God present in the lovestruck couples who take that brave step into the unknown and pledge their lives to one another.
Michelle's wedding was what I'd call a spoil-market wedding - but to their credit, one of the most inspiring weddings I've ever attended. Everything was well planned and flawlessly executed. The choir was pitch-perfect; I never knew that certain bible passages existed, but they suited the occasion well; Michelle & Mark were relaxed, yet they had their eyes intently set on God and each other. I like!
Then as I made my way to church for Vin's wedding a couple of weeks ago, I remember feeling a deep sense of pride and joy. Having been good friends for the last 12 years - and seeing him thru countless good and bad times - it was as if I had to let him go now, to give him away to another girl. I'm really happy for him, despite how the previous statement might sound. Our friendship has always been a very special one and one that I thank God for.
The great outdoorsI may not be an overly active and adventurous person, but I actually enjoy being in the sun. It's something to do with nature, being so close to it, that appeals to me.
When I was on leave, I managed to steal some time to go cycling with Rachel. Initially, our plan was to cycle around East Coast Park, but once we hit the Changi area, the place just lured us further and further away. We ended up cycling past Changi airport and returned the bikes at Changi beach instead. That must have been at least 10km worth of cycling. By the time we were done, my legs were jelly.
Then, in an attempt to put back the lost calories, we headed to Changi Airport for Popeye's fried (and oily) chicken, before going to TCC at T3 to sip tea like tai-tais and read our Catholic books. Oh yes, we were holy nerds all right. There was something very nice about that day which I can't seem to put my finger on. I guess it's a mix of things: spending it with Rach, the sun, just chilling out, and doing something I like.
Photo credits: Gavin Foo
(That's me, at the front of the boat!)
If you thought the cycling was hard core, you should know that I also went sailing in the open sea off East Coast. It was for work, sponsored by Puma for the Volvo Ocean Race (can expect some Puma merchandises on philanthropicjo soon).
Armed with zero knowledge about sailing, zero theory lesson on land, and one measly life jacket, I dragged the sailboat to the edge of the shore and hopped on with three others (one's a pro from the National Sailing team while the other two were writers like myself).We struggled to get the boat out into deeper waters and once we were out there, the strong winds carried us so fast, let's just say I didn't get to rest much for the next two hours. Firstly, we had to watch our heads and dodge whenever the boom (the metal pole that holds the sail up) came around. Then we had to stick our butts out of the boat if the wind got too strong to balance the weight. And just when we thought we were getting the hang of it, we capsized...Oh bummer! By the first hour, I was bored cos we were going around in circles, trying to stay upright. Diplomatically, I must say it was a good experience, but seriously, it's so not my cup of tea.
The revamped
After using a Nokia phone for like a gazillion years, I finally made the switch. If my earlier post didn't give you enough clues, (almost gotcha there, Addi) then, I also don't know what else to say. My 2-month-old gorgeous iphone is the undisputed phone of 2008/2009/beyond! I thought I'd regret it at some point, but so far, every day has been a love affair - one which I keep growing fonder of. And for all you people out there who have something to say about the iphone, well, I have a dedicated blog entry just to address that. You wait...
The resolutionsNew Year resolutions are like confessions. We commit to doing something, even though we know there's a slight chance of failure. But the beauty of it is that, when we fail, we just need to pick ourselves up and try again. I don't think God faults us for sinning, but for not trying hard enough. So, presenting my NYRs for 2009:
2) I, [enter name], (I'm actually quite embarrassed to say that this has been on my NYR list every year for as long as I can remember but oh well), do solemnly pledge to exercise at least twice a week, starting after CNY.
"So help me God."
The akan datang
Lastly, I'm heading to Europe for two weeks in May! Can't wait!
