wakeboarding

It has been a fantastic weekend. Suz and the others celebrated my birthday early with me yesterday. She planned a wakeboarding session for us at punggol marina and it was great. There were suz, YA, yh, hm and weiL. I tried wakeboarding once a few years ago and found it exhilarating (when you are up on the board), although its difficult to learn. Trying it a second time brought back memories of the first wakeboarding session I had with my ytss gang:). Because it has been a long time, I couldn't quite remember all the rules but the instructor did a good job of briefing us. Guess I was a bit tired from all the late nights working so I didn't had the energy to do as well but I manage to stand on both feet on the board for a while. haha....the instructor seems a bit "beng" and a little too showy when he demostrated for us. I was thinking that he did it just to show off because demonstration from the instructor actually costs extra but we were not charged. He is quite a funny guy. We were saying probably to go again for YA's birthday and maybe we can get him to teach us again. It was tiring but everyone had fun :).

After the wakeboarding, we headed to true spa for our massage. Did the balinese sport to loosen my muscles as I was feeling quite stiff in my back and shoulder from long hours of working. But the massage hurt a bit. Now, I am feeling the ache from both the wakeboarding and the masasge. Dinner followed after that at heeren waraku. We had a huge group (teow, kev, xh, zz, jy, alan, yh, yx, ed, 3sa, qh, zy, YA, suz, hm, weiL,Ljun and Kel) getting everyone settles was a bit chaotic as we didn't all arrive at the same time but we managed to get seated together. I must really thank suz for this wonderful dinner. She did the same for me last year. :) Thanks babe! I think I owe you a lot! teow and kev will be going back overseas soon so I was glad they could come for the dinner. When they saw Ljun, kev asked him about his iceland trip two years back and I looked at him and we started laughing. We were reminded of the funny things he said last week about his iceland trip. Didn't managed to talk to everyone but I want thank all for coming:). After the cake, we went for some wine at wine connection (cuppage terrace) and suz introduced us the game, mafia. She was the story narrator and because we have a big group, it was interesting playing it as we tried to catch the "murderer". Need to analyse and think through the words that everyone said to get clues and catch the murderer. I hanged out a while longer with teow, kev, alan, jy and xh as kev is leaving on monday. Went supper with them but I was too tired to feel like eating. Take care kev! Hope to see you soon.

Hope I have rested enough for this weekend. The coming week will be extremely busy......I must survive....

22 Feb 9:48pm

Is it worth it?

My pc broke down last friday and I had no computer access until a few days ago. Now I have a spanking new system. :)

Work for the past week has not been smooth sailing.....I stayed in the office till 1 am plus on Friday with my colleagues to check through errors in a collateral that we were rushing out to print. I am always willing to help out in my team but my boss lately kept emphasizing to us to take charge of only the tasks that we are assigned and not have more than 1 person doing the same job. I was quite fed up that it suddenly seem to be my responsibility to handle the collateral when it was not my charge. But I did my part to check through and I must say I am not that detailed enough. Yup, I still have lots to learn and am trying my best to be as meticulous as possible. However, I have not finish my work for the upcoming events yet and I certainly do not want to incur anymore wrath from my boss. She has been very unhappy over the way things have turn out for the preparation of the upcoming event happening in two weeks. In the process of rushing out the amendments of the collateral, I pointed out that the area was not my charge and admitted I did not do a good job in checking through but the main master copy was not done by me. There were tears and anger (not just from me) but at the end of the night, I just hope my colleague did not take this incident too personally. This project has caused a lot of stress and frustration to a few of us and I just hope the event will happen successfully. Any misunderstanding or harsh exchange of words were not intended and definitely not intentional. Ever since I came here, my colleagues told me this is just a job. Don't ever let it affect you.

Last saturday was symphonia's concert, Crown's Imperial. It was not as good as before. I guess the intensive practices has taken a toil on everyone, including me. Been practicing almost every night in the last week leading to the concert. During the performance, I could not reach my high notes at all. sigh....I wonder what went wrong.....is it the conductor or the committee? It was a reasonable performance but could be so much better if we had more time. I hope things will pick up for the band. Sometimes I think its not because the band can't do it, but its the committee who must have the confidence and assertiveness to manage the band.

Caught The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I love the parts where Benjamin and Daisy will whisper good night to each other before they go to sleep during the times when they were not together. It warms your heart to know someone faraway (or maybe near) misses you and wishes you well. I do that sometimes....

Kev came back for a short holiday from Austria. Yesterday we met up for dinner at Clementi, just me, zz, kev and teow. Clementi Central is undergoing a major revamp. The bus interchange is gone and the buidling with McDonald's near the MRT station has been replaced by a new shopping mall. The place holds some special memories for me. The coffee shop next to the interchange where we used to have supper after sp band prac is no longer there. I miss the food and chats we had at that coffeeshop. We will always throng down in a big group. It was great to see kev again. The four of us had a fun chat and kev made me and zz laughed so hard that we were tearing. The laughter helped to relieve some stress that was building up in me. We kind of met up in the wrong place. Wanted to go ktv but the available timing was too late and I didn't want to take a cab back. So we just hanged around in Clementi chatting. Always enjoyed such gathering with them but it gets a bit quiet when they go back overseas.

There are some things that we will always yearn for. But if its meant to be yours, it will come to you. Of course there will be sadness and its part of the process of life. I just don't want to have any regrets and I might do what I might have to do.

15 Feb 2009 7:46pm

Heartbreaking Tennis Match

I don't play tennis but I enjoy watching tennis matches. Earlier I was catching the live match of the men single's final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open. First time in a long long time that I watched an entire tennis match from start till end. I like both players, both champions in their own league but I am a Nadal supporter. He is just unbelievable. Critics were saying he won't win the match as he is not adjusted to hardcourt and also, he just finished a 5 hour plus semifinal match on friday. Should be super exhausted. However Nadal was really determined and pushed on to be the one to win the title when the favourite was Federer. I was happy that he won and so amazed at his mental and physical strength. But it was the moment when Federer broke down while he was giving his speech at the award ceremony that broke my heart. I could understand how he felt, having tried numerous times to overcome Nadal and he was aiming to win this grand slam as he has won it for the past few years. Its like the frustration that was built up and got too much to bear. Just like how I felt whenever I was so frustrated at situations that I could not handle or the stress was too overwhelming. I think the unwavering support of the spectators made it extra hard for him and maybe that's why the Australian Open title was special to him. At least he lost to a deserving player. I say cheers to both Federer and Nadal. Nadal will always have my support but Federer has caught my emotions.

Yesterday we had our cny gathering at gm's place. It was fun playing blackjack with them and I have not had that kind of laughter with them for a long time. I did not get to taste my aunt's salted vegetables with duck soup this year. She prepared something else instead. Something different for a change. Finally this year, I got to offer joss sticks at the crowded temples and wished that the year of the ox will be a blessed one for me. Chinese New Year is always boring to me as I am not that close to my relatives. Well, at least I feel that I can relate more to my relatives from my dad's side instead of my mum's. Its only the gatherings with my friends that are more enjoyable and I will reflect on how our friendships have lasted through the years.

This month will be hell at work. A major event coming up and next sat is sym's concert. Crossing my fingers.....

2 Feb 12:07am