Need to go for pedicure and color 10, not 8 toenails. It's 25th November 2007 today, and in 7 days time, I am gonna be attempting my next challenge, the SCM Half Marathon! Hee hee. The wonderful thing is, my gym membership ended since 1.5 months ago, so that's also about the period I stopped training. -_-Just clipped my toenails because I could feel them edging out of my toes already, which brings to mind what happened last year...I cannot recall exactly what time we were supposed to report for the 10km flagoff; think it was 7:30am, and due to the adrenaline the night before, I couldn't get to sleep. Wonderful isn't it, flag off at 7:30am - and when I sprung up from the bed, it was 7:30 EXACTLY. A sense of horror came over me, as I didn't know what to do; I had told the whole world, especially my Zouk kakis that I wasn't gonna join them then night before, because 'I am participating in SCM 10km leh, need to do something special to end off the year you know!' And then, this little voice inside me said, 'Aiya, SCM so many people participate, surely got old aunties and uncles join for the sake of the goodie bag and then walk all the way one la, no worries' Voila! That line worked! So I took my stuff, got out of the house and TOOK THE MRT DOWN TO CITY HALL.When I reached the MRT station, siao liao. There were people holding the SCM bag, looking like they have finished already!! So I told myself. no la, these people confirmed fast runners... Then I got to Esplanade area, and saw for myself 'that there were a lot of fast runners' - because it seemed like at least half the people who did the 10km have finished, I mean, it was like 9:15am already you know? :P Arghhh. Sometimes I don't know how the hell I developed such thick skin that day, because I went to deposit my bag, asked at least 3 people including the usher where the starting line was, because 'I am here for the 10km race', to which most of them responded in a shocked manner, 'I thought it is almost finishing already?' I'd give a sheepish grin and tell them I just got here really late but still want to run the race. Everyone of them were very positive upon hearing that and wished me luck for the run! So I happily started from the side of the ahem, finishing line (as there was no more starting line) all alone down to Shenton Way. I brought along my Ipod shuffle, but didn't use it - I told myself I wanted to experience the entire run in the most REAL manner. heehee.Slowly as I got to the 2km point, some road marshalls came up to me on their bikes to ask if I was 1. Running in the race 2. Feeling ok? Able to finish it? To which I had to repeat the lines which I repeated many more times later throughout the run 'Yes! I'm here for the run, just got here really late, thanks :)'Road marshalls still never mind, when I got a little tired and lazy and felt like walking, I saw a group of people at the first water point ahead of me. Most of them looked really bored and were entertaining themselves, because all the people, be it those running in the 10km, half or full marathon, have already gone past their water points...And then suddenly comes along a fat chick semi running and walking towards their water point. Wah lan eh. They figured I was running and started cheering for me! All 15 of them!!!!! I felt very paiseh to be caught walking when they cheered for me, so I quickly picked up my pace so I wouldn't look like such a slow and lazy slob. Nodded and smiled at them (sheepishly)as I got my drink and ran past their water point...Seriously I didn't have a chance to slow down after that, because ahead of me in pretty close proximity were all the water points, with all the cheering people, and also the road marshalls in their SUVs or bikes who kept checking on me...When I was at the 6 or 7km point, this CISCO road marshall came up to me and asked if I'm ok, and after I replied him, I thought he would go away like the rest of the road marshalls, but NO! He actually stayed on beside me, going at the slowest speed his bike could manage so as to go at the pace I was running!!!! After a bit, I got quite stressed by the idea of being escorted and said, 'Eh Abang. you don't stay beside me la can, I very stress like that you know'. He laughed and as we got past the PSA building, he spoke into his walkie-talkie - '10KM Race - Women's last runner 35065 going past PSA building now, over!' Wow, what an honour, first time participant, go down in history as last runner liao. -_-"After a bit, he left me, and I was all alone on the road again. 10km may mean nothing to season runners, but I have never trained nor ran such a long distance throughout my life, so it was really a challenge for me, as I started to talk to myself, repeating the words of 'Go, Cath, go. Go, Cath, go' and also imagined people like my friends and family, especially my younger brother cheering me on by the sides of the road, telling me not to give up.Apart from all the encouraging marshalls above, I had the last marshall come up to me in the form of a sports coach in his black SUV and loudhailer, telling me to run and not to walk. And in his words ' If I see you walking, I will take you off the road!' Fwao. I guess he knew that would work because I am a young person, not someone looking elderly or weak and sick. So his vehicle was following behind me for about 1km, after which he started blaring Cher's 'Strong enough' on his loudhailer. Yea I knew he meant for it to be motivational, but I was hoping that he would stop soon, because I didn't want to announce to the whole world that 10km's last runner 35065 was finally finishing so the people along the route can pack up and call it a day!!! -_-Thankfully, he did, and his vehicle came up beside me before leaving, where he told me to give it my best shot because he knows I can do it. Wah lao. I felt so touched when he said that can? So I said thank you for your encouragement with a big smile, and continued running towards the finishing line, which I knew was very near already because of the happy music playing from the padang. About 200m before the finishing line, I suddenly felt my right calf muscle cramping up, and felt like I was gonna fall. I quickly used my fist to hit it and continued to limp a little towards the finishing line. Upon finishing, I walked and walked, with my head hung low, and saw that most of the people finishing at the same time with me were those who did the half or full marathon. A rush of emotions came over me as I continued to cool down, and then when I couldn't take it, I sat down and cry! I don't know if it was from fatigue, from exhilaration, or from the fact that upon taking off my shoes (which I realised for the first time after owning them for so long, that they were tennis shoes, not running shoes. Diu.), there was bleeding at the back of my ankles from abrasion and also under my big toe and second toe on my right foot.So I finished the race, got my medal, my stuff, and limped all the way back to the MRT station. It was amazing how I finished the run, but I told myself surely I could do more next year, with training. And so, I am going to run my first Half Marathon next Sunday, crossing another personal milestone in my life. Wish me luck! :)P.S. I got all the correct running gear this year, so hopefully no more toenails dropping off, for I have my pedicure sessions to go to. :P Reflections - In retrospect, with thanks. Yesterday after an amazingly draining day at work - draining not because of work but because of something stupid and totally non-constructive - doing spin doctor work on the Internet, I got back to real life mode. Actually went down to one of the "Voices of the Heart" session in the pc.Sharali got us to share based on the Rs. To reflect and to make resolutions.So the ladies on the right side of the hall started sharing first and when it came to my turn, I came to think and realise that I've had a really fantastic year.Hmm where should I start?After the session last night and tonight's time spent with my colleagues, I cannot put to words how truly blessed I am. But I can only say thank you.1. My practice hasn't been very consistent, but I was lucky enough to be in the world of rapture, of happiness, on a certain high most of the time, as they pointed out to me.2. Ok firstly, earlier on in the year came the part where I didn't have to worry about school anymore. Not for the time being anyway. :)3. Then came the part of being accepted by my Pa. Long story but even though fathers do not know how to show their love, especially MCP Baba kind of dads, my dad's attitude towards me has changed, and from his little actions everyday, I can feel his love for all of us. The family hardly quarrels, we go out on Sunday for dinner together every week, my parents are still healthy and well together, holding hands to go grocery shopping, while my two younger brother whom I get along very well with are turning into bright young men, finishing their pre-u studies and heading for the army soon. Oh and we have two very cute cats, Tommy and Timmy at home. This humble house in Jurong West is not just a house, it's our home, and I'm always happy to come home to it and spend quality time with my family.4. Then came the very important part - getting this job in my current company. As I approach the 9 month mark, I'm proud to say that I've been doing a pretty good job in my position so far. It started out a little rocky, I was bumping and learning along the way and really challenged me self to stretch my limits when the learning curve became steep - i.e. having to juggle all the jobs of all the different divisions, running around a lot like a headless chicken, kenna bully by vendors, screwups here and there along the way - but my bosses were patient, and my colleagues were helpful and it has made coming to work a breeze. Apart from being helpful, they are also genuinely nice people who are open and hold no grudges. There is no backstabbing - And if some of them hate your way of wrking they'll tell u in the face; and if they know that you need help, they wouldn't hesitate to go all out to help. Just so you will be able to get through the day.Well of course I have some bad days - I complaint, I whine, I beat myself up and think if I am good enough, if I will live up to the expectations of myself or my boss. But the truth is, I have had good talks about this and learnt to accept my flaws and to grow from there. Because my environment accepts me and wants me to grow. So I will grow, learn and contribute as much as I can on this job. It's really amazing to be part of this family of passionate people and I am truly grateful for everything. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.5. At the same time, I have great relationships with the people who are special to me. Learning to take care of myself first has allowed me to care more for them too. 100%when it's called for, no more no less.Sometimes people lament and ask, why is my life in this state? Why xxxx, why yyyy? Well why? Maybe because they do not know what they want in life. I.e. 'This is not the life I ordered! Why are you serving me this!' 'Sorry sire, but you did not order for something specific, you ordered 'anything'. I used to be like that.However, I am really lucky to have met people and come in touch with resources allowing me to specifically zoom into my life goals and get me thinking about what I want. So yes, I am proud to say I spent a good solid couple of hours earlier penning down my goals while downing a can of Kilkenny. I merely verbalised them previously when I was asked what the 3 biggest goals of mine were, but penning it down made all the difference; I had to review the current situation, analyse my feelings and thoughts about it and lastly visualise. Some visualisations were absolutely crazy, and I kept muttering to myself about how crazy it was, it seemed a little unreal at times but I knew that was what I wanted to happen. I do not want to lead a mediocre life where I look back and realised I have acheieved nothing. Average is for everyone else. I am crazy because I have my big fat hairy dreams, I know what I want and I am heading there, right on track. Everyone and everything in my environment is supporting me.And this, is why I say I am truly blessed. Hihihihi Necessary Narcissism is backkk Hiao so post pics la okiessss :PWas attending colleague's wedding dinner last Saturday.So this is me post-wedding dinner heehee.Pardon the messy hair.I look old, don't I. Sighhhh. A girl can never have too many dresses. Or bags. Or shoes. :P Been clearing my wardrobe, so need to update it with new stuff la!Bought a dress or two this week, one of them being this: Heehee. <3 Dusting off the cobwebs Hello to my fatreduced blog once again!It's been a while since I updated, so thought I'd pen and share something again.Was bored with my previous layout, which weirdly screwed up and turning out ugly and all, thus I tried to install a new blogskin. However, still got some kinks to iron out, so I'll stick with this for the time being.The week started off queasy, wasn't too happy with myself even though the fires at work have died off. Guess the queasy feeling was due to a few factors, one being my colleague, Colleague A, who infringed on my 'circle of closeness' when she sent me SMSes over the weekend asking to talk to me, go through the registration for the Asiaworks course with me, and basically telling me that "she cares for me and has a vision of me" OMGWTFBBQ!!!I'm really nice and all at work, the girl who'd never say no to you if you request for some help, but helloooooo me being nice doesn't mean that you can try to cross the line, tell me that I should become more xxxxx at work blablabal and worse still, try to impose your vision of me ON ME.Then on Monday, she'd SMS me and email me to ask me to speak to her even though she's just sitting a few seats away. Of course, i didn't reply.Talk about being freaked out. Gee.Then again, when I mentioned this episode to another colleague, he asked if it showed something about me when I said that Colleague A has infringed on my circle of closeness. So I replied, "Yea, I don't like people to get too close to me."Do I have an issue with closeness? Does it affect the relationships I have with the people around me?Hmmm.Anyway I told Colleague A how I felt after much hesitation; so we managed to clear things up and its all good now.Speaking of good things, I am really blessed to have great bosses and wonderful colleagues who genuinely cares for me. During midweek, I managed to have an open talk with several senior colleagues over drinks and they gave me feedback on my work, and told me that I needed to work on managing my time and learning to prioritise my daily to-do list. Got commended on my quality of work even though I'm a little ditzy at times. :POk that's about it for now, shall go book my air ticket before I head to slumber land. More (backdated) updates tomorrow! Have I shown you my convocation pics before? Anyway here goes. :) I know what I want. Too often, the thing you want most is the one thing you can't have. Desire leaves us heartbroken, it wears us out. Desire can wreck your life. But as tough as wanting something can be, the people who suffer the most, are those who don't know what they want. - Dr. Meredith Gray from Grey's Anatomy.I know what I want.I'm in it for the long haul, no matter what the outcome is.I....want to finish knitting the scarf.And damn. They make it look so easy on Grey's Anatomy!I had a headache after an hour, trying to familiarise myself with the knit stitches!!Anyway, me and RedQueen can now be officially known as "The Knitting Sisters"And our new line goes something like, "Don't make me poke you with my knitting needles!" Teeheehee. Me and my grand plan to become a domesticated hen :P 881 - Royston Tan movie! 各位乡亲父老，兄弟姐妹，阿公阿婆，大家好！肥猫我刚刚从戏院回来！由于我人美歌甜，善解人意，活泼可爱，人见人爱(Well, almost?)...Claudia 昨天就拨了电话给我，　告诉我她手头上有10张　８８１　的戏票，全部送给我！（当我问她为何不要送给别人，他说不是不要送，只是给我　Priority! 嘿嘿 :P哈哈，虽然我朋友很多，敌人更多。。。我只用上了她５张戏票，分别送给了我两位同事，还有　Barffie & RedQueen!　这部电影由本地年轻导演　Royston Tan　主导，讲述两名称为“木瓜姐妹”的歌台歌星如何为了要把歌唱好，在“歌台仙姑”面前恳求她给他们唱歌是有"Feel"， 并发了毒誓，结果得到了仙姑的仙毛与仙丹！结果他们歌唱得好，人也红得不得了。。。直到”大木瓜”犯了规。。。于是他们在来年的歌台碰上了饰演“榴莲姐妹”的　May and Choy (Angmo Liew Lian, geddit?)，处处和他们作对，还他们跑台时跑漏了台。。。 而“小木瓜”的健康也渐渐衰弱，导致他们的歌台生涯受到了威胁。这电影中大部分的对白用的是福建话，而木瓜姐妹在台上的歌曲，更是首首动听，充分带出了福建歌曲活泼的味道与心酸的感觉！整部电影虽然故事简单，却从姐妹花之间的感情，夺目耀眼的舞台，绚丽的服装与福建歌曲中的情景充分的带出新加坡７月歌台的点点滴滴，而且不忘当中穿插许多搞笑的剧情 (which made a Hokkien illiterate person like me roar like mad in the 2nd row throughout！！）As you know lah, Hokkien humour is only good when it is in Hokkien, else its kinda like Hong Kong drama serials that lose its flavor when dubbed in Chinese.All in all, 881 is a very good show／musical with hauntingly beautiful title tracks that rings on and on in your head after you step out of the theatre. This is my next favourite show after Singapore Dreaming (which also stars Yeo Yann Yann).Show your support for local talent this National Day! Bring your parents out to watch it, for most of them are sure to like it :) I know mine will~~~~ And oh, it feels like Thursday already. Heehee. Hello to my uber long weekend! Bits and Pieces of Training As I step into the 3rd week of training and having increasingly better timing on the treadmill whilst doing the 5k routine (yay!), it occured to me that PROPER SUPPORT from the right sports bra is very important. A normal gym tank top from nike or Adidas just doesn't seem to do it, or rather do the job of holding stuff in and preventing gravity from acting on them and making it hurt to run. T_TAt the same time, in order to encourage myself to tone up while working for that 21.1km goal in December, I bought myself very cute jewellery,For the love of my bui bak! My rolls of fat! A lovely pink and yellow....SUPER GIRL BELLY STUD!!!!Of course it goes on when my tummy is finally flat(ter) lah! Duh.For that supergirl in me, knowing that I can surely make it to the finishing line! *beams* Sunday Somethings Feeling the itch to run after spending a largely lazy Sunday afternoon at home, my brothers and I headed to the nearby gym to run and workout a bit. On the way home, my brother asked why I had to train so hard (considering that I was mostly a non-athletic slob of fat, occasionally wearing makeup to the gym sort).I told him it was because I wanted to prove to myself that I have the endurance, the discipline to run and train weekly, to build mental stamina, stay motivated and most importantly, I want to experience the thrill and sensational high when I cross the finishing line! (Will finally blog about my maiden 10km done during SCM2006 soon)A good quote:"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired." - George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 OlympianBut I not so pia la, I rest in between. By doing things like carbo loading (aka pigging out) hee..Which brought him to the question of, "Are you gonna get addicted to stuff like this then? After a half marathon, then a full marathon, then what?"So I said maybe I will do the sky-diving stuff etc lah..and added some inane lines like "Maybe before I leave for that trip I will tell you two boys to please take care of Pa and Ma should something untoward were to happen to me..." To which he commented "Please lah, you will just go. You will never say anything like that, because it's not your nature!" Me: "What, to say if something untoward were to happen to me..?"Him: "No lah, the pls take care of Pa and Ma bit"Me: "!!!!! What is that suppposed to mean, I'm an unfilial daughter?" Him: "No lahhhh, just not you to do that lor."Think I need to go reflect :( Boo! And so training begins. I went to the gym and spent 40 mins on the bike, 20 on the Stairmaster and ran 3km on the treadmill. Now I cannot feel my legs.And I'm in a terribly good mood! Maybe I'm a sucker for pain. Tsk. Announcement Ladies and Gentleman! It gives me great pressure to announce that Miss Teo has just signed herself up for the SCM 2007, taking part in the Half Marathon category.Be amazed as those pig trotters of hers turn into thunder thighs of muscles! Mwahahhahahaa :P ME ISH SHAGGED!! ok no pun intended. REALLY AH! :PAnyway. I'm sooooo glad CommunicAsia/BroadcastAsia is over.Have to go back to office tomorrow to clear the backlog and filter the leads. Zzzz.On another note. Tbe weirdest pickup line I got today was, Hi M'aam, would you like to buy a satellite? I could give you a good price you know?-_-I think I will go for a swim in the morning before I head for massage + mani pedi. Have a good weekend my lovelies! Broadcast Asia 2007 Grace called me on the phone to ask how the day was. When I told her I sorta settled the stuff, she sounded as if she struck lottery or just bought many things from a sale! Same for my brother who asked me about the exhibition when I got home! So strange. Other people are feeling happier for me than I am for myself. But then again, I think I am too tired to feel anything lah, managed to get the banners, posters and flyers designed and then sent to the printers, managed to get the suppliers to delivery the gifts for the show (which were a hit with my colleagues and visitors to the booth :D) and managed to get the product sheets to the resellers while walking through CommunicAsia. Got onto the shuttle bus, reached the printers to fix the artwork for the bloody namecards, and fell asleep at the printers. Haha.And then I realised it's the first time I was taking public transport this week this evening. I've managed to get my colleague to give me a lift to work in the mornings, turning my 1.5 hr journey to work into a pleasant 30 min one, and while I was trying to balance myself with all the marketing collaterals from Bras Basah yesterday and thinking how to get myself back home, Grace came by, we had dinner at Boon Lay and she sent me home. Haha such darlings :DWill go tend the booth tomorrow again and go fish for freebies :PAnd maybe attend a networking event after that at Red Dot. Zzzzz.More updates with pics soon! :) Some narcissism, missing my friends mostly. Was just looking through my folders, played around, and came up with this.I need to see all of you soon!! Orbee Quack! I've got swollen eyelids and lots of discharge in my extremely dry eyes,so it's been spectacles all the way for me for the past few days, just like how I wore my contact lenses continuously for the 3/4 days before that. WITHOUT TAKING THEM OUT AT ALL. BRILLIANT, NO?:(------------- Q: I am unable to wear contact lenses due to small bumps found on the inside of the eyelid. Prior to this, I noticed some discharge from the eye. — C.TA: Small bumps on the inside of an eyelid in a person who wears contact lenses usually mean a condition called Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC). This is an allergic condition, often due to protein build-up on contact lenses, as well as allergy to components of contact lens storage solutions. Your first step should be to see your eye care professional for a complete eye exam. Your doctor will decide if GPC is present, and then recommend treatment options. Common options include cessation of contact lens use for a few weeks and then use of topical anti-inflammatory drops. — Dr. TrattlerSobz. I should really consider Lasik! 93 more years before mankind gets wiped out? Five Years Written by Grant Schreiber From: Global warming: the final warning Published on Saturday, February 3, 2007 by the lndependent/UK by Steve Connor According to yesterday's UN report, the world will be a much hotter place by 2100. This will be the impact... +2.4°: Coral reefs almost extinct In North America, a new dust-bowl brings deserts to life in the high plains states, centered on Nebraska, but also wipes out agriculture and cattle ranching as sand dunes appear across five US states, from Texas in the south to Montana in the north. Rising sea levels accelerate as the Greenland ice sheet tips into irreversible melt, submerging atoll nations and low-lying deltas. In Peru, disappearing Andean glaciers mean 10 million people face water shortages. Warming seas wipe out the Great Barrier Reef and make coral reefs virtually extinct throughout the tropics. Worldwide, a third of all species on the planet face extinction. I’ll interrupt Connor’s report right here. Let’s take a look at this -- a increase in 2.4 degrees Celsius pretty much shuts down the agriculture capabilities of the United States. Need we go on? Seriously, must we? The report continues to list various increases in temperature, ending with an increase at 6.4 degrees where the oceans die and the planet becomes pretty much a hot bed fun house for some bacteria and that’s about it. That dire prediction is for the year 2100 – based upon current increasing levels of CO2. This isn’t a ‘worse case scenario’ where we only have 93 years left to get our act together and save the planet. Because, let’s face it, if we lose our grain and cattle, there’s going to be widespread starvation – in this country – as well as abroad. But the report is vague on many important details. To find clues, one has to do some digging. The second step of global destruction is listed at: +3.4°: Rainforest turns to desert The Amazonian rainforest burns in a firestorm of catastrophic ferocity, covering South America with ash and smoke. Once the smoke clears, the interior of Brazil has become desert, and huge amounts of extra carbon have entered the atmosphere, further boosting global warming. The entire Arctic ice-cap disappears in the summer months, leaving the North Pole ice-free for the first time in 3 million years. Polar bears, walruses and ringed seals all go extinct. Water supplies run short in California as the Sierra Nevada snowpack melts away. Tens of millions are displaced as the Kalahari desert expands across southern Africa. And while I’m not sure what is meant by the Amazonian rainforest burning in a firestorm – one assumes that some fires cannot be avoided – what is missing from this doom prediction is again the date. But buried in the report, someone let it slip out. The 3.4 degree heat increase is scheduled for roughly 2050. Okay…let’s let that sink in a minute. Instead of some far off 2100 date when everyone you know is dead, it’s now down to 2050 even if you’re not alive, your children will be. Think about it. Sometime between now and 2050 we hit a point of no return, with the heat spiraling ever upward, no end in sight, oblivion for the human race the final goal. Again, I don’t think we need concern ourselves with the burning Amazon of 2050 because without a healthy agriculture, we won’t make it that far. The report clearly, perhaps deliberately, ignores human reactions to this crisis. We know the current reaction is to do nothing. Gee, the whole country has been under a deep freeze -- in the winter -- therefore there’s no climate change, no global warming. Yeah, that’s helpful. That’s looking at the big picture. Fire up the SUV, Ma! We’re going to Wal-Mart! But screw the guys with their heads in the sand. They’ll be preaching nonsense as the waves break over their heads. We’ve seen the utter and complete failure of the Bush government dealing with Katrina. Even if Bush ends up in prison, he’s still managed to erode a good deal of the few governmental systems that worked, like FEMA. It will take years to get the basic governmental agencies back in shape – years we can ill afford to waste. As people are displaced by rising seas and shrinking rivers where do they go? If the hurricane season is especially brutal, how many insurance companies default on all claims and declare bankruptcy? How many times must a family go hungry before resentment turns to violence between the haves and the have-nots? How many governments collapse along with that 2.4 degree increase? How wars break out between nations desperate and hungry and scared? If the United States can no longer feed its citizens do they meekly accept their fate and starve to death or do they riot? If food is more important than money, but money still hold sway, who gets to eat first; the guards or the prisoners? Which one are you? There’s enough nutjobs in this country so the last thing we need are more people stocking up on cans of Spam and weapons, thinking this something we can wait out, like an attack from Mars or a radioactive cloud that will dissipate over twenty years. Waiting will only see things get worse, not better. So once again we are left to figure out what to do in a surprising short time period. The most obvious choices of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle seem to fall on deaf ears, but if you think having to recycle is a burden now, it will be nothing compared to watching your family die. The real trick will be to consume less. Consume less everything. Go on an energy diet. Replace light bulbs with more efficient fluorescents, watch less TV, use the car less, brown bag lunches, don’t rush to put the AC on start getting more use to the heat. Stop drinking bottled water, it’s obnoxiously bad for the planet. Bottled water produces mountains of trash while draining the aqua filters. Not sure why people are so thirsty all the time anyway. Maybe it’s too many salty snacks. Stop eating those too. Nothing I say is new to you. You know what has to be done, it is now time to start doing it. David Bowie’s song Five Years is about people finding out the earth was dying. We are rapidly approaching that point where five years will be all we have left. I don’t want to be some crazed asshole screaming ‘I told you so!’ as soldiers march us to the death camps were the most fit can be made into guard and the rest converted to food for the cannibals running this country, so I’ll leave you with Bowie’s lyrics instead: Pushing thru the market square, saw many mothers sighing News had just come over, we had five years left to cry in News guy wept and told us, earth was really dying Cried so much his face was wet, then I knew he was not lying I heard telephones, opera house, favorite melodies I saw boys, toys electric irons and TV's My brain hurt like a warehouse, it had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there And all the fat-skinny people, and all the tall-short people And all the nobody people, and all the somebody people I never thought I'd need so many people A girl my age went off her head, hit some tiny children If the black hadn't a-pulled her off, I think she would have killed them A soldier with a broken arm, fixed his stare to the wheels of a Cadillac A cop knelt and kissed the feet of a priest, and a queer threw up at the sight of that I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlor, drinking milk shakes cold and long Smiling and waving and looking so fine, don't think you knew you were in this song And it was cold and it rained so I felt like an actor And I thought of Ma and I wanted to get back there Your face, your race, the way that you talk I kiss you, you're beautiful, I want you to walk We've got five years, stuck on my eyes Five years, what a surprise We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot Five years, that's all we've got .. Here’s the rest of the grim scenario if you’re interested. These final predictions mean nothing though. We have five years left to try in. No wonder I like zombies so much. A zombie infestation would be so cool compared to this slow withering away like a discarded orchid. +4.4°: Melting ice caps displace millions Rapidly-rising temperatures in the Arctic put Siberian permafrost in the melt zone, releasing vast quantities of methane and CO2. Global temperatures keep on rising rapidly in consequence. Melting ice-caps and sea level rises displace more than 100 million people, particularly in Bangladesh, the Nile Delta and Shanghai. Heatwaves and drought make much of the sub-tropics uninhabitable: large-scale migration even takes place within Europe, where deserts are growing in southern Spain, Italy and Greece. More than half of wild species are wiped out, in the worst mass extinction since the end of the dinosaurs. Agriculture collapses in Australia +5.4°: Sea levels rise by five metres The West Antarctic ice sheet breaks up, eventually adding another five metres to global sea levels. If these temperatures are sustained, the entire planet will become ice-free, and sea levels will be 70 metres higher than today. South Asian society collapses due to the disappearance of glaciers in the Himalayas, drying up the Indus river, while in east India and Bangladesh, monsoon floods threaten millions. Super-El Niños spark global weather chaos. Most of humanity begins to seek refuge away from higher temperatures closer to the poles. Tens of millions of refugees force their way into Scandanavia and the British Isles. World food supplies run out +6.4°: Most of life is exterminated Warming seas lead to the possible release of methane hydrates trapped in sub-oceanic sediments: methane fireballs tear across the sky, causing further warming. The oceans lose their oxygen and turn stagnant, releasing poisonous hydrogen sulphide gas and destroying the ozone layer. Deserts extend almost to the Arctic. "Hypercanes" (hurricanes of unimaginable ferocity) circumnavigate the globe, causing flash floods which strip the land of soil. Humanity reduced to a few survivors eking out a living in polar refuges. Most of life on Earth has been snuffed out, as temperatures rise higher than for hundreds of millions of years. Heidi's Baby Shower It was a very spcial day at 3 Pine Close today...With 3 other ex-classmates of mine, we went there to pose with balloons...NOT! We were there to celebrate the arrival of our classmate Michelle's baby girl...HeidiHeidiHeidi! Congratulations on the bundle of joy Mich! :) Kitty and the Pretty Warehouse Dress Happy Shalala!That was too expensive. $119 for lousy cotton printed V-neck Dress. Le sigh! Coming of age In a couple of months, I'd be turning 25, just like how everyone grows older and ultimately dies. So what would be significant and what's in store for me?WorkWork-wise, I must say I am doing pretty fine. My colleagues are great, humourous and easy-going. It's probably the first workplace where I'm at with almost zero politics. We're always out for long lunches all around town and the East (Geylang and Temasek Poly inclusive :P) and I work with the MD so no bitchy female managers to report to (hohoho). Jobscope and workload is still manageable, just that I notice a trend of 'Stressful Fridays', where last minute stuff crops up and I am forced to stay back in office to do firefighting, ending up grabbing a can of Heineken from the pantry to cool myself down. That aside, all is fine and I hope to be able to travel to the regional offices/overseas events soon! Dubai seems to be on the list.. hee.Relationships1. FamilyI am glad to say that I am close to my siblings. As siblings grow older, many tend to drift apart but it seems like the bond we have is growing stronger by the day. We have a bitching support system and we laugh over boardgames. Could do better with parents, but they already have problems communicating themselves, let alone with us. So I guess I will just do what I am required to do - Help out with chores, give monthly allowance, celebrate impt events like birthdays, Mother's Day etc. Not very hard, so yep!2. FriendsI have got different groups of friends and am really glad for their friendship. Generous and kind souls like Jessica and Jeff who drinks and stil bothers to take care of me whenever I'm out clubbing, drunk or not. Old school friends like Grace and Gynis who still bother to catch up via email (due to geographical differences), but most importantly, I'm thankful for the friendship of Jenny, who never gave up on me even when I was down and refused social contact with outsiders. :)She was always there to call and text to check on me, to encourage me and cheer me up. So even though she first kicked my chair during orientation in JC1, making me dislike her immensely, and also she cancelled on me for my 18th birthday celebration for a small thing like 'having to go back to visit sec sch teachers', I am very happy to have her as my friend. So glad that she is still sticking around, to do our monthly pigging out in the small lanes of JB, gossiping, waxing lyrical about life!3. LoveLove life is zilch. All that gym yoga religious shite I am indulging in is just to get myself fatigued so I wldn't have the energy to think so much. My brother asked me why I cannot move on, but he understands that people move on only when there is nothing more for them to hold on to. So there.4. Life in generalWhat is the meaning of life? Is your life meaningful? Now that I've had the major parts of my life such as my studies and my work settled, what's next? Do I have the passion for anything in life at all? I don't know, it just seems empty , and my friend told me that I am merely running away from things. :(Think I should go pray. Ah well. 25 signs that you have grown up 25 signs that you have grown up1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them. 2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.6. You watch the Weather Channel.7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up".8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up".10. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won't turn down the stereo.11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you. 12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.16. You take naps.19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good shit".21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.22. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that much again".23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking, "Oh shit, what the hell happened?" Bonus:26: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn't apply to you and can't find one to save your sorry old ass. Then you forward it to a bunch of old friends 'cause you know they'll enjoy it too. Maybe tts why I'm posting this up on a Friday night... Ben Folds Five - Brick I think most of us grew up listening to the radio and would have remembered this great track by Ben Folds Five. In my opinion this is one song anybody could listen to 10 years later and still give it the thumbs up. Initially I had thought that the song was about breaking up but realised there was more to it, with the lines 'they call her name at 730' and 'can't you see, it's not me your dying for' and found out recently that it was actually about abortion.Looking through the lyrics again, I think this is one track that anyone who's been thru an abortion could easily identify with. 2 young people meet, hearts soar, they fall in love, and in the heights of their passion they melt to become one. And reality sets in when they realise how when they became one, they had produced one. One brick, that is. Under the pressures of finding a solution, their young love erodes and it goes down like a brick, leaving nothing but emptiness in their heart...Enjoy.6 am day after Christmas I throw some clothes on in the dark The smell of cold Car seat is freezing The world is sleeping I am numb Up the stairs to her apartment She is balled up on the couch Her mom and dad went down to Charlotte they're not home to find us out And we drive Now that I have found someone I'm feeling more alone Than I ever have before She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly off the coast and I'm headed nowhere She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly they call her name at 7:30 I pace around the parking lot then I walk down to buy her flowers And sell some gifts that I got Can't you see It's not me you're dying for Now she's feeling more alone Then she ever has before She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly off the coast and I'm headed nowhere She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly As weeks went by It showed that she was not fine They told me son it's time to tell the truth She broke down and I broke down Cause I was tired of lying Driving home to her apartment For the moment we're alone She's alone I'm alone Now I know it Desperation I feel like giving up everything, but suddenly recall that I have nothing. DIY Dog Soooo, animals are into masturbation too...I learn something new everyday man. Visual DNA test! Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™ Of Marketing and such What is Marketing? You see a gorgeous girl at a party.You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!"That's Direct MarketingYou're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl.One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you says,He's very rich. Marry him."That's Advertising.You see a gorgeous girl at a party.You go up to her and get her telephone number.The next day you call and say, "Hi, I'm very rich. Marry me."That's Telemarketing.You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl.You get up and straighten your tie; you walk up to her and pour her a drink.You open the door for her, pick up her bag after she drops it,offer her a ride, and then say, "By the way, I'm very rich "Will you marry me?"That's Public Relations.You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl.She walks up to you and says, "You are very rich, I want to marry you."That's Brand Recognition.You see a gorgeous girl at a party.You go up to her and say, "I'm rich. Marry me"She gives you a nice hard slap on your face.That's Customer Feedback. 6 weird things about me. Really weird meh? Got tagged by Cowboy Caleb sooo here I am!These are the rules: Each player of this game starts out by giving 6 weird things about themselves. People who get tagged need to write in a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state the rules clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. After you do that, leave them each a comment letting them know you tagged them and to read your blog!1. I talk to my siblings on MSN. Even when I'm sitting between their tables in their room.2. I had ingrown toenails all my life. Now I do not have them anymore, but I'm missing two toenails on my right foot, after I did the SCM. AND GUESS WHAT! I discovered much later that my shoes were...cross-trainers. Damn smart, Cath...3. My ambition ws to become a newscaster once upon a time, but now I do voiceovers for inflight entertainment programs. For XXX airlines...:P4. I have a tendency to try out new recipes on the day I'm holding a dinner party/pot luck. And once, I had to go around asking my guests to touch the dish I made, pointing to the recipe book and saying "This was how it should have looked like..."5. I like to wear pointed heels. And stilettos. All friends say I'm the classic case of 'Ai Swee Mai Mia'. And I wear stilettos to Zouk, so sometimes I end up taking off my heels, simply because I cannot stand it anymore. And I've had my heel passed around the Zouk platform before, simply because my friend thought it was cute to pretend my neon pink stiletto was a phone. -_-6. I was from a sap school, did all the chink chong chang thing like playing the pipa, singing the school song and saying the pledge in chinese, but I flunked my Chinese Lit :(Thats it! And now, I tag six other victims friends with this uhhh FUN meme!1. Isabelle2. Canny3. Rachel4. Mica Moneky5. Grace6. No more lah, my friends don't blog. Grrrr. Famine mode I almost passed out halfway during the Hi-Lo classv just now. And then it occured to me I only had one meal throughout the day.I think the reason I cannot lose that spare tyre is because I am not eating enough, so my body is in famine mode already! *store fat store fat*-_- Of cheap Yoga pants, quizzes amd such Ok, those close to me would know what I am going through at the present moment, so I shall not elaborate here. Was feeling like crap all day and so decided that I diedie have to go for a session of Yoga in the evening before I snap. Halfway there, I realised I had brought EVERYTHING except my bottom. Who goes to the gym without a bottom?!?! I cannot wear a skirt, get to the lying dog pose and stick one leg up into the air ok.. It might have been a minor thing, but when you're on the verge of breaking down, molehill also become mountain lah. I texted my little brother telling him that while I was walking under some flats earlier, I had actually wished someone would throw a chair/vase/oven down, so I wouldn't have to face all my problems anymore. (Prior to that, all I kept thinking about was for the earth to open up and swallow me whole. But as you know, we don't have earthquakes here so that's impossible :( )Negative thoughts aside, I dragged my ass to bodsbodyknit/Adidas/RSH/Nike at Suntec to look for a pair of gym capris and was despaired to know that EVERY SINGLE SPORTS BRAND sells them for at least $59, which I was not prepared to fork out just for a moment of carelessness. Was on the verge of giving up, when it suddenly occurred to me to try Carrefour. And..tada! Yoga Pants in all colors at only $8.90 :D Thank goodness for my auntie instincts heehee. The instructor, Dr. Venky was really patient and nice, despite me behaving as if I had psychomotor problems while attempting the poses. 'Concentrate concentrate! Stop looking at others..' Well, the newbie Yogi in me couldn't quite catch up and so I had to uhhm refer mah! Could literally feel the knots in my body loosen up after the session, and I managed to pop into the steam room before heading home. Was reading Xtra's blog and saw the link for the Colorgenics test, and so I did it, Results for me are eerily accurate,especially in my current situation..ah well. Since it says things will be ok, my stress is unnecessary blablabla, let's pray tomorrow will be a better day :)My results:Presently, you are trying to break away from a situation that is causing you considerable worry and concern. Things are getting on top of you and you are feeling depressed almost to breaking point. Obviously there must be a way out - but at this time the solution seems to be escaping you. You want to 'get away from it all' and as a consequence you appear to be sullen and introverted and refuse to get involved in any discussion or arguments which could aggravate the situation. Accept the fact that 'as you feel - so your body will respond' and 'pretend' to the world about you that everything is going beautifully as, if you act as if 'all is going well' everything will, whether you believe it or not, work out as you would like it to.Being a likeable person you get on well with neighbours and friends. You don't need anything to 'Rock your boat'. You want to 'love' and to be loved'.You feel that you deserve far more than is being attributed to you, but there is no-one to whom you can turn to for sympathy and understanding. Your pent-up emotions and inherent egocentricity make you quick to take offence, but as matters stand you realise that you will have to make the best of things as they are.You are an emotional, sincere and impressionable individual experiencing frustration and unnecessary stress. You vehemently resist any form of pressure from outside sources, insisting on your independence as an individual. You want to be a decision maker - to make up your own mind without interference. You wish to be able to draw your own conclusions and arrive at your own decisions. You detest uniformity and mediocrity as you want to be regarded as one who gives authoritative opinions. Your favourite expression could well be that 'I may not always be right but I am never wrong'. You're a perfectionist and even though you may feel that the other person's point of view may be right, you find it extremely difficult to admit that you could be wrong.It is strange that the anxiety that you are experiencing at this time is of your own making simply because of your desire to be respected by your fellow man and with those whom you work with. You are not satisfied. The normal congenial 'you' is becoming quite introverted. This is becoming increasingly more obvious because you seem to shy away from participating in everyday activities. You are refusing to allow yourself to become involved or to participate with others and it is the reluctance to communicate that is the inherent cause of your problems. OMGWTFBBQ So I had a few resolutions this year, one of which was to learn how to cook.And I dare say I'm pretty ok at that now, so its time to move on to something new..like learning the guitar.Just as I was thinking whether to buy one, Gynis drove by to return me the dinner bag, and coincidentally she mentioned she was gonna return some guitars to friends after leaving my place. And then one of her friends texted while we were still chatting in the car, "Hello, I don't want the guitar anymore, you can keep it if you want to, else pls dump it for me" !!!!!And later, owner of Guitar 2 said she wasn't in a hurry to get her guitar back,SO NOW I AM HOLDING ON TO TWO GUITARS!Six Pence None the Richer, Oasis, Sheryl Crow, Guan Huai Fang Shi...here I come! :D