In 1 hour's time, i shall be in a dance studio having my first pilates class ever. I never would have thought that i'd be taking this up! Hopefully, i won't find it too slow and unstimulating...

I am still into my running but well... am thinking of doing something less focused and impactful on my lower body. Next up, i shall be searching for kickboxing classes.

To run?

Shall I sign up for it? At least it gives me something to train for and look forward to... For now, i'm running/walking distances of 4 to 5 km whenever i exercise and am doing it at an easy pace. Though i can handle it physically, i'm practically dragging my feet along. Though keeping fit is part of my lifestyle, i need something to perk me up mentally!

Here's the deal:

Saucony 100plus PAssion Run 2008

Event Info

Date: 8 June 2008, Sunday
Venue: East Coast Park, E2 (Angsana Green)
Time: 0630hrs – 1200hrs
(Each category will flag-off at different time. You are required to look at the Race Category Table you have registered)

Race Categories:-

Competitive:
Men's and Women's Open - 15km,
Men's and Women’s Open - 10km (think of doing this one),
Men's and Women’s Veteran - 10km,
Men's and Women’s Junior - 10km.

Non-Competitive:
Fun Run (5km)

Each participant of the Saucony 100PLUS PAssion Run will receive:

1. Runner's Tag
2. Champion Chip for the latest and most accurate timing (ONLY for Competitive runners and need to return after the run)
3. PA PAssion Card (ONLY for Non PA PAssion Holder)
4. Two unique gifts,
5. One Lucky Draw ticket.
6. A Saucony 100PLUS Passion Run Finisher Medal
7. A Saucony 100PLUS Passion Run Personalised Finisher Magazine with their photo and timing printed (For Competitive Category Only).
8. An exclusive Event's tee worth $26.90 for all Competitive and Non-Competitive runners

If anyone wants to run with me, say so k?

"icannotstoplaughingandsquealing" videos

These are two videos that got me laughing and laughing, OR, squealing and squealing!

"Baby Beagle learning to howl"
To squeal, press play:


"Hedgehog crunching on something and makes the most hilarious of expressions!"
To laugh, press play and observe:

You know... My heavenly dad is quite cheeky.

While i was on my way to church last night for band practice, i was lamenting to Gem about how i wish i had a "chaffuer" to drive me home later after practice. *he raised his eyebrows to that*

I said that the only "chaffuers" around were the blue ones on the road that you have to share with hundreds of other people. I was just wishing that i could somehow teleport myself home after practice because i was feeling quite tired from my long day out, starting with my job interview in the morning. I then went on to forget about what i had said once i reached church.

After practice, Sharon, one of the vocalists from my band, briefly caught up with me about my plans to further my studies. Then she asked me if i wanted a ride home since it was on the way back for her. I was hesitant at first because i was wondering if i was imposing on her and hubby. But she was insistent and so welcoming that i agreed to hop into their car.

It was only when i was walking to the lift lobby of my home that i realized i was zipped home in a matter of minutes, and i realized that God had really provided me a quick ride home in a comfy car!

Ok, i'm not saying her hubby was a chaffuer, but you get what i mean lah.

Cute, huh. And then it made me reflect on how like, i didn't exactly say, "God, i would like a ride home tonight". All i did was complain and left it as that, and even forgot about it throughout practice.

Now i realize that God is interested even in the most ordinary of things in my life and he is willing to provide for me, his daughter. One point here is that I shouldn't rely on my human strength (like, "oh well, no chaffuer lor, so sian... ok lor, i will just tahan la, i can one...") and wisdom ("aiya, you think God will bother?"). I should remember that God is always for me, and that i should turn to God all the time for all my needs, big or small. And it's OKAY to be open about being weak, and let God do the providing. Just ask. The other point is: God should take up a BIGGER portion of my attention in my life! I should see him in the every day activities and in every moment.





ps: now... about that Canon SLR from the Spectacle Hut Lucky Draw........

I read an article written by a teenager on the topic of thinness (in yesterday's "Mind Your Body" newspaper) and i COMPLETELY SEETHED when i read that her boyfriend told her that "he would like her better if she were more toned." I tell you...

I think guys like that really should just go and...

GROW UP, IMMATURE and SHALLOW EXISTENCE!

Well, that's just MY opinion.
Oh yeah, and dump him please. He's too toxic for any girl's self esteem.

I managed to get an interview for a job at YMCA (everybody sing, "WWAII--MM--SEE AYEEE!!!) *ahem*

Yeah, anyway, i applied to a few places and this one responded first. I personally am more interested in the job at The Salvation Army because of the more sporty element. But i suppose this one is a bit more "meaningful", since i can concentrate on the individuals.

This is the ad from the Singapore Association for Counselling website:

YMCA Project Bridge has a vacancy for the below post:
Position: Counsellor/Youth Worker

YMCA Project Bridge is an outreach center (a stone's throw away from Woodlands MRT Station) with the goal of reaching out to Out-of-School Youths (OSYs) and Youth at Risks (Y@R) aged from 13 to 19.

We are looking for an individual with the PASSION to reach out to these youths and guide them back on the right track.

If you have what it takes contact Mr Isaac Lim @ 96450433 or email to isaaclim@ymca.org.sg

Job Requirements:
• Recognized Degree / Graduate Diploma in Counseling
• Experienced with OSYs or Y@R Preferred.
• Able to work with all races of youths.
• Confident in taking up individual casework or group work.
• Able to conduct programmes and activities.

Yup. I'm of the opinion that, it's ok whether i get or don't get the job. I believe strongly that when i submit my will and life to God, He will open and close the right doors. So, yes! Trying not to be too anxious about it. Just do my best and be myself.

I need to recall all the stuff i've done in the past too in case my interviewer asks me some difficult/reflective questions!

I returned home after a chinese new year dinner at a family friend's home and promptly konked out on my bed while waiting for the shower heater to heat up the water. As i was dozing away, i suddenly began to hear music coming from my radio (i think it was some guitar music from one of my intrumental CDs) and then i saw my dad was sitting at the foot of my bed and he said to me: "Mm, this is quite a nice way to relax after a day..."

I then thought: "Hm, odd..." (because the scene was kinda fuzzy) and then i proceeded to ask my dad: "Do you exist?" (HAHA, what a question) And then i reached out for his foot to see if it was actually solid and whether it was real to the touch. As i pulled on his toe, his leg started ELONGATING! Like, stretching as i pulled!

It was then when my mind registered "I am dreaming", and for some reason, my body began to try to wake up from slumber. I felt my eyes struggling to flit open (they were opening and closing repeatedly), the lids were heavy and my mind seemed like it was zooming out from the dark realm of dreams to reality as we know it. I felt tingling in my right fingers, which were the fingers that were "pulling my dad's toe". I think they were the first body parts that were awakening.

It was such a strange experience because most of the time, we tend to wake up naturally, a smooth transition from unconsciousness to consciousness, such that we don't find ourselves struggling to wake up. But through this experience, i found that i was actually conscious of the process of waking up.

Ha. Like i've always said, somehow my body knows when i need to wake up to bath, brush my teeth, etc. I usually don't sleep right through to the morning when my body knows that I've not done my usual cleansing regime before i retire for the night. Somehow, it'll wake up on its own.

***

Last night, my dad, mom, Jed the dog and i came home from our 4+km walk-a-jog and then had a nice steamboat dinner together. Seeing that Jed had a share of exercise and that he was begging for food, my mom/dad said, "can we at least give him some vegetables to eat? He must be hungry." (he is allowed only one meal a day)

And then just as s/he finished that sentence, a few stalks of raw vegetables fell from the basket that was containing it, onto the table top and onto the floor (where Jed could get it).

Odd huh? *chuckle*

I cannot even put in eyedrops for the life of me, so today when i went to the optician, i was freaking and whining a little. Gem prayed for me outside the shop and i braved the entrance into the shop to say that i was there to collect my lenses.

It's enough to say that i gave the optician and her other helper a hard time, but surprisingly, i took 1 1/2 hours, which was way faster than i thought i would've taken. But i had my fair share of frustration, helplessness, fear, pain and just pure annoyance. I managed to place the contacts into both eyes and went home spectacleless. It was an odd, odd feeling. Things were mostly clear but it wasn't 100% clear, and it somehow alternated between clear and blur, depending on how the lenses shifted in my eye. It wasn't a very nice feeling at all. :-( I'm thinking it's because the astigmatism in my left eye is mighty high.

When i came home, Gem stood by me while i tried to get used to removing the lenses and placing them in again. This time, i really flew into a frustrated tantrum. Which was... = Sulking, whining, slamming things, getting really edgy, impatient, declaring "I HATE IT, WHY DO I EVEN BOTHER!". Gosh. You know, only people i consider family would see this side of me. It was really ugly, i tell you. I really gave Gem "hell"! But him being the super boyfriend, he was nothing but loving, patient and kind. Amazing, seriously. I was getting flustered also because my eyes were tired from all the abuse and the eyeballs were turning red and became itchy at one point.

I managed to remove both sides after coming home, but failed to put them in again. Strangely, when Gem left for home, i managed to put in and remove the lenses twice for my right eye, and once for my left eye. Which was a mighty fine sudden improvement. What really helped was that i decided to mechanically follow the optician's instructions step by step, moving my hands robotically, and in my head i was chanting: "Putting contact lenses isn't painful, it's normal, and simple, slowly... just keep still, relax, and put it in." Somehow, putting things into the perspective that putting on contacts is a common everyday occurence seemed to do the trick of tricking my mind into thinking that putting contacts in was the most normal thing in the world for me.

Hopefully, i will be able to remember what and how to do it all over again. It was really a nightmare getting just one lens into one eye! Gotta sleep soon, to give my tired eyes some rest.
Thank you Gem, you're amazing.

I think i look... like the same old me just without my glasses. It's not like you can see that i'm wearing my contacts! Heehee.

whee!

Today, i did something i thought i'd never be doing this soon... (i thought i'd only try it when i get hitched)
(er, when i read that above line for the second time, i realized it sounded a bit WRONG. HAHAHHAHA.) Aiya, quite innocent lah, don't think too far.

I bought... CONTACT LENSES.

Ok, not a big deal in this day and age when practically everyone has tried it at least once unless you've got perfect eyesight.

But for me, i've always had an issue with fiddling with my eye and the area around the eye. So, the thought of putting something into my eye and then taking it out via a PINCHING action is pretty darn squeamishy. *shiver*

There was once when i went to an eye doctor regarding a stye in the underside of my eyelid. He wanted to take a look at it, so he sat me down and tried to flip up my eyelid with some CAVEMAN PIECE OF TOOL, aka, A PAPER CLIP?! Yeah, so i sat there with this crude piece of thing approaching my eye and i just balked. A few times. So he gave up and started to tell me what i should do to resolve the stye. And i was on the verge of crying because there i was, feeling so helpless, scared and pathetic, and yet i was this 22 year old buffalo afraid of some painless prodding.

I felt really bad about not being able to allow him to examine me, so I told him i'd let him try again. In the end, he finally flipped up my eyelid and i sat there rigid and tense and hoped for it to be over soon. It wasn't too bad really. I just had to just... well, steel myself.

Anyway, since i've invested some $204 into this, it's all or nothing... or i could exchange all of it for a spanking new pair of glasses. Hurhurhur. (the easy way out)

Right, got to work tomorrow, so it's off to bed. the last time i had a dream about contact lenses, i dreamt that it was like putting huge pieces of scotch tape into me eyes! Now... wearing contacts is going to be a reality. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I really never thought i'd be bothering to buy them!

My optician was this super chatty (but quite nice) girl. I can't reveal too much here to protect her identity, but yeah. We hit it off somewhat due to a common portal we walked through at some point in our lives. She seems to have faith that i'll be fine with the whole contact lense wearing process. HO BOY. Wait till she has to actually deal with me then we'll talk!

Two more weeks, and it'll be hello contacts, hello spectacleless joline! Woo!

(i feel so silly raving about this when people have moved onto Lasik already. Hurhur. Oh well.)