Inactivity & inability

I have not cycled nor run all week!

And I have yet to please my boss with a positioning slide she wanted. I'm still unsure of the intended audience & purpose of it. I'm going to cover EVERYTHING now. Do it up covering every damn angle. She can pick & choose.

Most of all, my Cervelo is in pieces literally.

Arghh! What a horrid week.

Lessons From Geese on team work

Lessons From Geese was transcribed from a speech given by Angeles Arrien at the 1991 Organizational Development Network and was based on the work of Milton Olson.

Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of each other.

Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

Fact 3: When the lead bird tires, it rotates back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other’s skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources.

Fact 4: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one’s heart or core values and to encourage the heart and core values of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
Lesson: If we have as much sense of geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we’re strong.

Vroom! Formula One is a huge rush!

I attended last year's Formula One race thanks to Vivi.

This year, thanks to Zi, I got to experince the huge VROOOM of the F1 cars up close and personal.

We even had dinner (she bought!) before the race started.

Thank you Zi.  Fantastic tickets : Pandang grandstands, just by the the concert area, and the tickets comes with free food/drinks!  Awesome!

She's somewhat knowledgeable about F1, so I can ask my duh questions (need to endure the 'Fel!' yells and the dramatized roll of eyeballs though).  And Zi - Toyota used to race in Formula One!  Right until 2009! 

To top off a fantastic night, Linkin Park played right after the race ended with Sebastian Vittel winning this year's race.

Unbelievably awesome night.

Elephantic Epiphany

It was a dark cloudy night.

We just turned out onto Coastal Road, I settled into a steady 32km/h with my best friends behind me. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw the shadow of an elephant.

I accelerate to 34km/h, definitely an elephant's shadow.

I dig in, 35km/h, elephant comes into view on my right.

The entire elephant, trunk triumphantly up, appears.  Prooot!

I was eating elephant dust.

Disappointed with self, I descended back to an earthly 32km/h.

A thought forms...

Just what does it takes to keep up with a flying elephant?  Is it technology or is it me?

Only 1 way to find out.

Stay tuned.

Good weekend

Saturday

Morning - nice climb with the gals.  Also nice that Belle is back climbing cos we get to use her sui-sui black rope to lead on :)  And I mustered up the blue route without hang-dogging.  Can't ask for more.

Afternoon - half hour nap then met up with Garin & Vinny.  Would've been just like old times, except Garin brought his wife and kid in tow.

Then I swung around to the 6pm Novena.  And that was really good.  I had not been going to Saturday Novenas in a long time. The church was very crowded, yet, some folks left midway through and I managed to get a seat next to a very nice lady who shared her booklet (forgot to take mine out of car) so I didn't have to strain my brains to recall the words to the hymns.  

Evening - bought Popeye's fried chicken & 贡茶bubble tea, then popped by Ian/Michelle's for dinner.  I love Matty - he's so cute!

Sunday

Woke up at 2am thinking it's already 6am.  Blasted bubble tea!  By the time I had to wake up for our usual morning run, I probably slept 3 hours - groan!  Peter picked us both up and we did 16km of Macritchie hills.  Today, Peter ran faster than both Zi & I!  I know - what happened right?  I created a monster.  Yeah - proud of it too :)  Franken-Peter.

It was not a particularly fast run, I felt tired towards the end and could not do the sprint to the finish with Zi (sigh!) but since it's my first long run since the AHM, it was a great start.

Getting home, I managed a short nap before rushing out to mass (sorry Lord, a little late) at St Mary of the Angels.  Afterwards, I dropped by Pa's niche for a bit.  Sorry Pa, it's been a while.  I lit 6 candles from the family including Matty for the grandpa he never had a chance to know.  Sob!  One day in heaven, we will all be reunited.

I'm now very full!  I ate lunch & dinner within 6 hours with just a nap in between!  

As I sit down to prepare the messenging matrix Katherine wanted, I notice that the show-off Danny did it up for China - and it is so different from what I had in mind.  And she replied to say yes, but repeat the same for all the other countries.  Eh?  Should not our messenging be same through Asia Pac (hell, worldwide ideally!).  This is so hard.  I can't predict what's in my boss's head.

Perhaps I should've gone cycling after all.  Feel so frustrated every time I think of work : my inability to predict what's in my boss's head is killing me.

I want a husband/driver

Recently a friend wrote on her FB wall that she wanted a wife/cook to prepare her recovery foods from her crazy racing schedule.  You rock, Manly - 3rd place at Megatri! 

So I want a husband/driver so I can read/think in the car.  I find I think best in the car, unfortunately, it occasionally interferes in the tedium like watching out for traffic or needing to stop at traffic lights.  To that grey car who I had to cut in front of abruptly to make my turn, sorry!

Yes, either implement those self-driving highways that the Germans and Californians have been testing forever (now even Google has jumped in these tests)  ; Or, a driver will be nice so I can safely ponder my game plan on how to find market size for a restore/recovery software intended to boost hard drive sales.  Hmm...

After the AHM, comes the....

And as always, the AHM marks the beginning of training for the Stanchart marathon. 

My motivation in doing Stanchart marathon was to stay fit & have fun at it, since I already did the Sundown marathon - which satisfied the whole rigamole of training and then running to a plan.

I did not even intended to do up a training plan, until Peter pressed me for the plan last night.  He wanted to know what my plan since he intended to run with me.

Now that I have the plan mapped out, the mileage intimidates me.

So as requested, I sent this plan to Peter via FB message and he replied with 3 simple words "ok, no problem.". 

Really?  I wish I had the same confidence.  I think I'll skip the opener run, and do 20km this Sunday.

Emotions & Jesus

Matt 14:22 to 33 - The Walking on the Water.

Then he made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.  After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone.  Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.

During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.

At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.

But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

This was a passage given to us during last weekend's retreat by Father Vaz.  I feel too much of late, insecurities, work frustrations, anxiety, nervousness... I have let fear overcome me - much as the disciples did, to the extent of failing to recognize Jesus (it is a ghost, they had exclaimed) & sinking into the water.

Refocus I must.  My peace and calm is in the Lord.  Deep breaths!