Wednesday, May 13

Cycling and Being Alone

okay, before i say anything else, let me announce to everyone (just as i have already done on facebook) that I BROUGHT MY SISTER JOGGING YESTERDAY! for those who don't know my sister, the last time she ran (or did any similarly strenous activity) was in her JC years (that's more than 5 years ago hahahahaha whoops sorry 姐 age exposé!). but of course she's not been totally inactive, it's just that she isn't the sort who would go running or jogging on her own accord. so YEA it's rather AMAZING that she decided to run with me when i was in my go-jogging-after-work mood, 姐 i'm so proud of you! (and of myself, of course). i think the healthy lifestyle bug finally rubbed off on her, cuz my bro had just gone jogging and i was about to go too.Seems like the people around me are all starting this get-fit routine, going running or swimming or gym-ming or even brisk walking occasionally! and so when i was done cleaning the house, or what my domesticated housewife part of me was inclined to do on my day off, i decided to go cycling on the old mountain bike which i'd cleaned earlier. (yes kor i actually cleaned the muddy bike, the mud you see on the tyres now is from MY cycling trip the next day) And i couldn't be bothered to actually call anyone out just to cycle around for an hour or 2 (see that's the trouble of living in such an ulu part of pasir ris) so i actually went alone. Armed with my phone and music and my over-stretched headband to keep my specs on my face, i embarked on the most courageous expedition since shopping in bugis during peak hour on a friday night.

Alright honestly it wasn't particularly adventuro
us cuz all i did was cycle through pasir ris park and on the park connector towards sun plaza park. (AWW yea so loser!) i actually intended to cycle all the way to bedok reservoir but it was getting dark and i was getting hungry (HAHA seriously! and i didn't bring any cash out to buy food so yea).

the fact is i haven't had the chance to be alone much for the past few... months actually. i've been surrounding myself with people and activity and friends and events - no time to really have some time out to pause and reflect. i suppose being a sanguine or someone who thrives on
having company, it's so natural to want to spend every moment with someone or doing something - i guess it's the usual perspective of making use of one's time. but i merely neglected the fact that solitude and reflection is so necessary for a productive life as well. if not i'll tend to lose focus on why i'm doing stuff.

anyways i found this amazing
little bike trail area off the pasir ris/tampines expressway (i always find it hard to describe this - it's at the T-junction just before you turn into the avenue that LEADS into the road that turns into tampines central). it was so amazing! all natural tracks, not concrete, the only gravel was the patch before the sign that read "beware - challenging trail ahead please wear helmet and proper safety gear". oh and i only found that sign after i came out of the trail. i attempted to ascend this low hill (yes, a hill! how cool is that, and in some urbanised regional hub) on my bike, which got stuck on the muddy tracks until i gave up and pushed half the way up. i didn't go to the very top cuz scare-dy me saw the approximate distance i could fall down the steep side and got so discouraged by the thought of pushing another few rounds around that mound in the muddy soil, so i turned back (which meant it was down hill so i could bike down woohoo!). but the best part is that the place smelled like CAMERON HIGHANDS!you know the fresh hilly smell of wild grass after a shower, with the fresh air which somehow has a hint of cinammon... i love that place, i miss my childhood holiday getaway!!

So i've decided that i'll go back there to explore, and maybe bring a friend or 2 so in case i fall down and break my leg, there'll be someone to drag me out of the thicket.(really, when i was speeding down the slopes every
bump made me imagine this amazing flying-off-bike scene cuz of the rocky track) and there're other safer ways to spend time alone:)

But other than that exciting bit thru the dangerous bike trail, the "boring" parts through pasir ris park was really good too. got a chance to experience the beautiful scenery and God-created nature, it's really true that "since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Romans 1:20) it's really undeniable that God exists and that He's superbly creative and really powerful too, after experiencing the beauty of CREATION omg!! it's so AWESOME - look at the sky and sea and greenery - or better yet, catch a sunrise or sunset...breath-taking:)

Wednesday, May 6

what i did on my day off

i donated blood yesterday!!!!! there's a needle-sized scab on my right arm (what do you call the underside of the elbow? elbow-pit?) to prove it and a purple bandage that i wore around town yesterday but my com's bluetooth isn't working so i can't upload the pictures SIGH. (and no cable too, my phone camera album is bursting cuz i can't upload any photos i've taken urgh!) Michelle and i actually made the trip down to Outram just to donate blood yesterday morning - after weeks of not having a common day off we finally managed to meet for an overdue LL date! (LL's just a term michelle and i use to refer to each other - go figure) Originally it was Zoe who asked me to go donate blood with her on tues morning when we were out with the serve people for dinner on mon at tamp1 (AGAIN), but last minute she couldn't make it, so it was just M and me. she'd been dying to donate blood since she'd been rejected 3 times previously hahahaha and i never had the opportunity to donate blood (always had training that same day, scared not enough blood to last me thru training haha).

SO we arrived at Outram Park MRT and we had a bite and a drink to help michelle put on a few grams to pass the weight requirement (have to be at least 45kg to donate) before we went into the blood donation place. okay i was like some idiot fumbling through the questionnaire and tests, not knowing where to go etc. M said by the time i finished filling up the mandotary form all the water she drank would've evaporated HAHA. aiyah i was being thorough, and couldn't remember if i'd gone overseas in the past 3 years (i concluded that i haven't, so sad right?). anyway, M failed the heamoglobin test (not enough iron in her blood) so she couldn't donate, leaving me to go thru the scary part of the ordeal myself! okay it wasn't really scary, the nurses and all were really nice, even though my finger's still bruised from where i was pricked for the heamoglobin test. the anesthetic jab feels like an ant bite (not the painful red ant kind) and the actual needle that's poked in for blood doesn't hurt, just feels slightly uncomfortable (duh, there's a needle in my arm dude!) but bearable la. (honestly after experiencing menses cramps anything is bearable.) the whole thing was over in 15 min, didn't know my blood was so dark red! i didn't feel woozy or anything, probably cuz they made me rest in the chair for another 10min before the kind nurse, this chinese auntie, carried off my bag of blood and wrapped me up - i asked for a purple bandage in the cutest voice i could muster. then she sent me off to the cafe for refreshment, and i took my muffin and milo and went out to find michelle. overall it was a good experience la, i guess it always feels good knowing you potentially saved a life. of course the experience of saving a soul is irreplaceable.

After the life saving deed we went to Plaza Sing to watch X-men origins Wolverine! but not before our tuesday half price waffle YAYYYY. And since i'm so broke M practically paid for all my expenses the whole day la, even my EZ link top up. AWWWW
my best portable atm! LULL<3>