Being Realistic

M

y last race was nearly two months ago when I completed my first half marathon in early Dec 2008. As we welcomed 2009, I have been busy checking out race schedules for this year. While doing so, my mind was in a toggle state of whether to sign up for a full marathon in the Adidas Sundown Marathon or not.

Advices from friends and family are divided into two schools of thoughts. Some think that it's a great idea to do my first full marathon in the night. The weather would be easier on me and the five months duration seems like a good time-frame for me to train up my body to achieve that mileage.

Others fervently oppose the idea of running at night. My sister believes that the body is accustomed to rest at night. With the actual race gunning off at midnight, she feels that I would be going against my body clock. My husband thinks that five months is too little time to double my distance from 21km to 42km. My mother? .. oh well, she generally feels that running too much is quite an ungirly thing.

I appreciate inputs from them but did a final check with my own body. I have to agree that my sister has a good point about running at night for probably 5hours when I am normally sleeping. Plus, I do agree that demanding myself to double the mileage in five months might be a tad too stressful a schedule for my body to train up.

With these considerations, I am giving the Sundown Marathon a pass and aim to complete my first marathon in December this year at the Singapore Marathon. I plan to run a few shorter distance races this year as I train up for the 42km. My first run for the year is already signed-up for. It's a 10km run around my neighbourhood on 15March09. Check out The Suburban Run if you are keen.

Smell of Freshly Cut Grass

J

ust got back to office today after a five-day break for Chinese New Year. I am still sorting out the pictures of our reunion dinner and the visits and visitors to my parents' place. I hope to put up a post this weekend. I would be inviting relatives and friends to my place this Saturday. Hubs would be making Burmese Curry Chicken which is getting very popular among his friends.

I was early for work today and had to wait for about ten minutes at the bus-interchange for the company bus to pick us up. This gathering point was very much quieter than usual, I guess many have chosen to take off for the entire week. Half of my office is not here today.

I was reading a book on Running when, with the side of my sight, I noticed a wheel-chair stopping nearby. I did not pay much attention until I heard what sounded like dripping water. When I lifted my eyes from my book, I was more than astonished. The owner of the wheel-chair was an elderly lady and she was emptying her bladder in public! I tried not to look and could feel the eyes of others nearby looking away. After she had finished, she picked up three bags by the side of her wheel-chair and stuffed them next to herself. I could see that the bags were filled with small packets of tissue paper. It was not difficult to conclude that selling tissue paper to passerbys must be her way of earning a living. It pained me to see elderlys that are homeless like this and still had to fend for a living.

My company bus came and we all rushed up the bus, while the lady wheeled herself to a potential spot with many passerbys. As the bus sped to my workplace, I was greeted by the smell of freshly cut grass. I like the smell. It's refreshing and the turning of plastic blades in the quiet morning to cut the grass seemed to gently signal the beginning of the day. It's the beginning of the work year for this Year of the Ox for me.

As I walked into my office and sat down, I hope that the elderly lady in wheel-chair is having good business with her tissue paper today.

Chinese New Year 2009

Kicking a Bad Habit

Acolleague of mine just came to my room to say, "I am quitting smoking!!". For a moment, I was surprised and did not know how to react. By the way, I have never discouraged nor encouraged anyone to smoke. But I am not a smoker though.

She went on to tell me how difficult it has been for the past six days while she tries to kick nicotine addiction. Through her narration, I could really feel it's not easy. She used to smoke at least 15 cigarettes a day. The last day that she smoke was seven days back when she puffed only three.

As she walked back to her place, she turned back and said,"Please standby me and remind me not to lit that stick again. I want to be healthy."

All the way, gal! I admire her spirit to kick a bad habit. And I admire her courage to rally people to remind her not to give up by telling everyone around her. Umm... maybe I should tell the world that I am trying to kick the habit of procrastination. Then maybe everyone would greet me in the morning with,"Have you made up your mind? ... Whatever it is?"

Bright Side

January is usually a quiet period of the year. After the December mad rush to close numbers, most people are taking it slow and easy at the start of the year. With the current financial situations, it's not surprising to expect this year to be quieter than yester-years.

The financial situation across the world is putting everyone on guard even during this festive season of Chinese New Year. It's usual to stock up Chinese New Year goodies during this period of time. But this year, most people choose to cut down on expenses on the goodies and even size of Ang Pao's to be given away. We live in a real world. And effects of inflation can't be ignored.

My Sales VP came to my office this morning to discuss projects for this quarter. I was taking a very conservative stand of proposing to spend and buy less and only when very sure of projects coming. He agreed completely. Although, he was acceptable to managing risks tighter, I was impressed by his optimism. He believed and had plans for this quarter, albeit expected to be slow, to be better than the first quarter of last year. He had planned out on how to extend our services to ensure that our company remain competitive and very relevant in the market. As he spoke, I could feel that he really believed in what he was saying. I could feel in the energy in him and his belief that if we synergize, we could really still do better than last year. It was a good discussion and a great way to start my day.

I like people who believe fervently in their own causes and plans. Even more than that, I admire people who can see the silver linings when the whole world is lamenting about the skies filled with dark clouds.

The Wise Woman's Stone - A Story

A wise woman, who was travelling in the mountains, found a precious stone in a stream.
She reverently placed the gem in her bag.

The next day, she met another traveller, who was hungry.
The wise woman opened her bag to share her food.

The hungry traveller saw the precious stone in the wise woman's bag,
admired it, and asked the wise woman to give it to him.

The wise woman did so without hesitation.

The traveller left, rejoicing in his good fortune.
He knew the jewel was worth enough to give him security for the rest of his life.
But a few days later, he came back, searching for the wise woman.

When he found her, he returned the stone and said,
"I have been thinking. I know how valuable the stone is, but I would like to exchange it in the hope that you can give me something much more precious. If you can, teach me the secrets about the power you have within you, the power that enabled you to,
without hesitation, give me this precious stone."

I read the above story on my way to work this morning. It's a short and simple story but it gave me immense clarity. Such an act would be near crazy in the world today. It's like walking into the house of a millionaire and asking for all the material things that he has and he immediately hands over to you wholeheartedly.

Material comforts are important to us inthe world today. Since young, we are taught to ensure we will earn enough to have a good life. To try to have a successful career to live as comfortable as possible. We plan for our retirement. In units of dollars and cents. Sometimes I wonder if being well-off financially and being rich spiritually can co-exist?

Despite all religions and great philosphers' teachings on the transcient nature of material things, our collective conscious stand triumphant as we worship the importance of having enough or the more the merrier. It's takes wisdom and quiet courage to be able to treasure the non-material. There is a thin line between contentment and laziness which most people can't differentiate and choose to abhor altogether in the competitive world today. There is an even thinner line between contentment and detachment.

To all who have enough gems in life for a lifetime of security, I congratulate you.
To you who is able to appreciate the material comforts and yet stay detached, I hope to learn from you.

Contemplation in Motion

It was New Year's Day and I went for a slow jog in the morning. Decidedly determined to enjoy the sport rather than to push myself too hard, I did not even set the alarm to wake myself up that morning. I woke up at about eight and strolled to my favourite jogging spot, Punggol Park, which is just ten minutes walk from my home. Here are my usual buddies for a good run: my bluetooth headset, my Nike sports watch that tracks my pace, distance covered and timing and also my arm-pouch to hold my handphone.

The park was still quite empty and quieter than any usual Sunday mornings. People must have been out partying the night before and giving the Sunday morning runs a miss.
I am currently reading a book on Yoga. One aspect of yoga that is crucial to all learners is to give up the notion of wanting to improve. In the competitive world today, such a teaching would be branded by all to be fit for losers in life. But I do see the essence of such an attitude. It is to do one's best and yet be able to enjoy and appreciate the journey of progress and not cling too tightly onto some perceived goals and lose one's sense of the present.
*
The same applies to running (or all aspects of life). I might be a beginner. But I want to be aware and enjoy the process of progress from a beginner. Detachment from Success while doing one's best will ensure that the progress is steady and avoid unnecessary burntouts.
I did not cover as much distance as I would usually do on Sundays. My past habit of covering as much distance as possible on Sundays often left me satisfied and triumphant but at the same time somewhat drained out for the day. At times, I could even sense a nudging reluctance in me as I thought of the 15km ahead. The next time I do any long distance running, it will be one of awareness and joy. I will respect the tolerance and needs of my body. For I need this dearly for existence in this world.
I did my Sunday morning run at the same place and quite the same time. It was the same me but one whole new run. All things looked so fresh and new if you would just change your perspective. I can't agree more to this now.

Happy New Year!
I know it's kind of late to be saying this.
But hey ... I am learning to take things easier and to be less hard on myself.
So in that light, it's quite an achievement, right?
No?

White Horse is not a Horse

I found a few of my secondary school classmates recently via facebook. Eversince that few adds in facebook to my contact, I am happy to be able to start getting contacts of these buddies that I have lost touch many years back.

Today I received an email that the boys are planning a gathering on the week of Chinese New Year! I am so excited about meeting them after all these years. For some of them, I might have not seen them for more than twenty years! Imagine!

I came from a neighbourhood school. Stress was not high even when we were taking our O-Levels. As I look back and compare the lives of teenages these days in secondary schools, I think I had a very much more stress-free life then.

When we were Sec 4 (about 16 years old), there were many class outings for picnics, chalets & BBQs. As we exchanged email this morning, the string of conversation led to the idea of inviting our teachers then. I think they should have retired by now! We had many good, caring and interesting teachers then. I remember our Chinese scholarly teacher who was very very well-versed in chinese poems used to try to convince us that a white horse was not a horse! We did not really understand where he was coming from then. But such conversations were so fun!

I look forward to meeting them. This will be like reliving our happy days.

Theimportanceofspace

Iwashavinglunchwithmycolleaguesyesterday. Mostofthemjustgotbackfromalongvacationbreaksincechristmas.
Andmanyofthemwerealreadyplanningforthenextbigbreak.
CanyouunderstandwhatIamwriting?
What'smissing?

I used to be fond of taking long big breaks like them, usually at the end of the year. To spend something on holiday and mainly to get away from the office. But such way of taking a break is like the paragraph above. No spaces in between. One big break at the end when we are near the verge of breaking.

Taking breaks in between and frequently adds space to your life. It's like adding space to words. Just as space between words make reading easier, spaces in between your life makes the journey very much easier. Make a conscious effort to take small breaks. In fact every weekend can be a break if you consciously do it and make it a point to refresh your mind and body.

We don't usually appreciate the space between words. But lets at least start to appreciate the space inside the very hectic lifestyle that most of us in this modern world are living.

We all need to have a creative outlet -
A Window, A Space -
So we don't lose track of ourselves.
~ Norman Fischer ~

3 Babies, 6 Beancurds & a Potato Salad

Ee Jean and her husband, Vernon, popped over our place this afternoon. Ee jean is a long time scout friend of my hubby. They brought their nine-month-old Jodie as well. She was such a little bundle of joy. This little chubby princess came dressed in sphagetti strip top and shorts. She did not mind anyone carrying her and was crawling all over the place. She was getting bored with the just that few soft toys that we managed to find in our house when my best friend, Sophia, arrived.

With her was her husband, Boon Heng, and my god-children - two-year-old Oliver and his three-month-old sister, Heidi. Oliver just woke up from his afternoon nap when he arrived and was in a grouchy mood. Little Heidi was as sweet as ever. She was quite well-behaved but could scream really loudly when upset.

It was a nice afternoon spent with good friends. Ee Jean brought a tub of Potato Salad from Siglap and Sophia brought 6 servings of beancurd dessert from Tiong Bahru on the way here. My husband made a dessert with ChingChao Grass Jelly, canned lychees and Coco de Nata. The potato salad tasted yummy. In fact there was so much hubs and I had to finish them just now for dinner. The beancurd dessert was nice and smooth.

Good friends, lively children on a nice windy Sunday afternoon. What more could I ask for? Sophia was so thoughtful to even bought me a nice loaf of spinach bread from a bakery on the way here!