Rambling

Was kinda busy earlier this week cos Kim and her friend came to crash in my tiny apartment and also work wise, preparing for checkpoint meeting on Tuesday, which thankfully went smoothly.

Managed to get my 1st climb in on Wednesday nite finally. Was starting to feel depressed with office place politic-ing and all. But after the climb, I went with the Taiwanese folks to have coffee - well, I sipped jasmine flower tea while they had coffee (it was 10-ish, drinking coffee would be asking for insomniac-ness). I realise the Taiwanese are really humourous but their brand of humour is not personal, ie not targeted at anyone. Mental note to self, learn that!

Thu was peace memorial day - to remember 228 incident. Had packed Kim and her friend off Hualien & Taichung, so had a bit of space to myself. Went to boulder in Neihu with Peter then jogged in gym for a bit. Felt much more energized with some sports in. Oh Peter took me to see the guitar shop he mentioned, you know you're in Taiwan, when the guitars look like this...

This Sat, we're finally going to Yeliu and the Junming museum. I had wanted to go for the longest time but never gotten around to it until now. Yay!

Lent 2008

Made an unsettled start to this year's Lenten season due to Chinese New Year and returning home since moving to Taiwan.

We're into week 2 of Lent and I haven't even decided what personal sacrifice to do this year. As I explained to a colleague, it is not about losing weight or self-improvement nor deliberate suffering. It is about a step towards our faith, remembering my faith amidst the day-to-day living in a very secular world. Not about own efforts cos really without His Grace, our effort rarely amounts to anything.

- I hope to pray the rosary daily. Thanks to Sister Lily, I ripped the rosary onto my iPOD.
- and more difficult, to be more tolerant in the office place. Folks here are so political and I was starting to allow the resentment to eat into me until last Sat's Gospel Mt 5:43-48.
Jesus said to his disciples:“You have heard that it was said,You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.But I say to you, love your enemies,and pray for those who persecute you,that you may be children of your heavenly Father,for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?Do not the tax collectors do the same?And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,what is unusual about that?Do not the pagans do the same?So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

A tough call ain't it?

Year of the Rat

1. In 2 weeks, I start my guitar lessons at Yamaha here. Paid up for first 2 months lesson on the way home today. This ends some 10 years of procrastination that began when I first joined Creative Technology and said I wanted to pick up a musical instrument. I toyed with guitar, keyboards, piano, back to guitar.. FINALLY!

2. I signed up for a half-marathon today - Carrefore Marathon. Dragging with me 2 colleagues. Taiwan has more races. I used to just be able to run the Army Half Marathon (Aug) and Standard Chartered marathon (Dec). The Taipei Running Association has some event going on every couple of months. Woohoo!

Now if I can sustain this momentum...

Flying home

I went home for the Chinese New Year break, 1-14 Feb. I expected to be bored, but it turned out ok. Climbed alot with the Hard Cores (small sidetrip to Camp5 in KL), ate alot, slept some.. I missed people I guess - friends, family mostly.

Being away, I relooked Singapore with new eyes. Singapore is a great place to live in. Everything's nice, green, pretty and efficient. If I were raising a family, this is where I want to be.

However, Taiwan offers more just by sheer size. The 1st wknd back, I went to the gym, caught a movie, checked out the Chinese New Year laterns at the Sunyatsen Park, went shooting (we tried out the rifles this time).. and all at a leisurely pace.

It's still fun I guess. Ask me again in a year's time.