The last holiday weekend

I love the time of year starting Nov til Jan because it's the holidays!  First Christmas, then the new year, then it all ends with the Chinese new year celebrations.

This weekend marks the end of that. Making full use of it, here's what I did...

Played with Matty - ever the hyperactive kid, it only takes half an hour to be totally exhausted with him.

Cycling with my aero wheels - get outta my way people!

Attended Sister Lily's jubilee mass








And, polished my car with lotsa sweat and then a cat steps all over the newly shined bonnet in the night.  If I find out which one of you slept on my shiny car, I am so making you into a fur coat!  

祝新年愉快，万事如意，龙马精神！

Happy Dragon year!


We had a 4 day CNY break this year, starting from Sat thru to Tue!  I can't believe it all whizzed by so quick. 

Looking back.. there was a lot of eating/sleeping/playing with Matty.  So in conclusion - great weekend!  Also managed a 20km run and a 84km cycle.

Oh and a quick plug for a very talented friend who's selling her creations here :

http://www.etsy.com/listing/91315541/golden-lotus-floats-on-red-sea

Things that move on wheels

Something interesting happened while pushing my bicycle to the carpark this morning (yes, I load up bike for the ride tonight, so after work can zoom straight to brick training at ECP).

So there I was, pushing Speedier crossing Holland Avenue (2 lanes per side) and also crossing from the other side, 2 wheelchairs (an old man pushed by his young Indonesian maid, 1 perhaps cerebral palsy teenager pushed by his dad), then a young mom pushing her baby on a pram went by...  All of us met at the center divider, got a little squashy, but we made it through.  I was thinking, hmmm.. at lot of us on wheels all at the same time needing to cross this same road. 

And as I neared the other side, an aunty back from the market pushing her grocery trolley. 

Burst into laughter.  Very funny.

Dentist tonight

It's been slightly more than a month since the fall, the concussed teeth roots better have recovered!  Cos I really cannot tahan the heart attack each time I either drink something chilled or too hot (the cracked teeth are super sensitive) and I have not been brushing my back teeth (more heart attacks).

So tonight, I want them cracked teeth crowned and fixed!

Perhaps Thu I can go get John to massage the jaw muscles again...

Bored

Bored at work. 
Week 1 at new job - direct manager was on Christmas break. 
Week 2 at new job - entire US office (he's based in US) was shutdown from Christmas til 2012.
Week 3 at new job / week 1 of 2012 - CES week.
Week 4 at new job / week 2 of 2012 - Ok, this is the week right?  Martin Luther King holiday... -__- Yes, I don't need close supervision, but I am so green I have no clue what's going on!  Do I sit here and continue doing nothing? At least reply my emails right?


Positives :
I am paid to do nothing much.
My new tubular wheels are being prepared.  Eager...
I'm going over for dinner later, Matty has only less than a week to learn to say "gong xi gong xi" with the traditional chinese clasped hand greeting

What an exhausting weekend

Lay in bed this morning, rubbing my jawbone - yeah, it's been throbbing painfully ever since I tried bakkwa... And just thinking : how tired I am! *whine*

Sat : I slept 4hrs and then woke up for a very plesant leisure ride with SJ and some friends.  We laughed, joked and climbed many hills - all very fun (60km took over almost 7 hours with lots of long breaks).  Tried to nap when I got back but interrupted pleasantly by Matty who crawled into bed with me (courtesy of his mom).

Sun : Slept but 4hrs, and it rained at 2am, wanted to text Alex/Peter to skip the Terry Fox run.  But I endured.  Peter was early to pick me up (grateful I didn't need to drive), and we got there quite effortlessly, parked right out from the starting point too!  Alex was uncontactable, so Peter and I ran the 10km slow and relaxed.  My watch recorded a 1:05, I was pleased considering we restrained ourselves.  The event was just fantastic.  Bottles of water every so often, lots of cheerleaders (made it hard for 2 restrained runners) and they handed out cookies at the end!  Love it!  Gnawing on a cookie, found a really sore Alex walking stiffly towards us.  Considering he almost flew into a drain with his bike flying down hill, that he is alive is really God's blessings.  Peter offered to drive to yummy prawn mee breakfast.  Took Alex 10mins to get into car.  Took Alex another 10mins to get out of car.  Took me an hour to eat and break the prawn & pork to bite size.  Took Alex another 10mins to get back into car.  Took Alex 10mins to get out of Peter's car.  Finally, we were on the way home.  I managed a 2hour nap that afternoon.

Getting out of bed to get to evening mass was a colossal effort.  But I endured. Ta-baoed dinner but even as I ate, I started to feel sleepy again.  As I set my alarm clock for Monday morning, it struck me the irony.  Weekends, I wake up 5am.  Work days, I set alarm for 7 or 8.  My priorities are very telling.

Focus and Pespective

I scheduled myself to attend morning mass today.  But was really tired - driving home late last night was sluggish - unsafe!.  So predictably, I woke up at 8:20 for 8:30am mass.  Sigh...

Since the accident in early Dec and then joining GWR, I have not made ANY daily masses at all!  Got busy with recovery, then Christmas, then Elmo/Rae were here, then new job... Worse, my head is filled with thoughts that are mostly bike related or some training session/running/sports related.

I always wanted my life centered around church & family.  Caught myself this morning - ok, don't get ahead of oneself - rephrase : I was reminded this morning.  Thanks Jesus!

Starting next week, I will strive to attend mass every Friday.  Will be a good way to reflect as I end the work week, going into the weekend.

May the Lord bless Taiwan

Taiwanese presidential elections are in 2 days.  I recall the earlier election in 2008 when 马英九 (9 English horses) won - all the drama and over-the-top acting.  It was interesting for a very apolitical Singaporean like me.  Pity I am not there now to watch a more heated battle between ， 马英九 and 蔡英文 (English veggies).

Taiwanese are very emotional people - worse when it's about China or politics.  I hope they vote with wisdom and much blessings.

Ok, I am hoping 9 English Horses to win because I'm visiting in early Feb and I don't want a pissed-off China to bomb Taiwan.  Not while I'm there...
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/world/asia/taiwan-vote-lures-back-expatriates-in-china.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

台湾加油！

Carbon wheelsets for a bargain?

Simon text me asking if I wanted to buy super duper aero profile carbon wheels for $500.  He had the bargain of a lifetime.  They wanted to clear, and they really liked Simon as a customer.  Only comes in 650c, so Simon asked me if I wanted.

These carbon wheelset are going for $1.5k on CRC.

Such a steal right?  Brand new too!  I could buy it and use at the duathlon in Feb right?  Right??

Friday blues

Not feeling good.  Sore from John's massage last night.  My face is throbbing... my teeth are aching... my nose is dribbly and the skin on my nostrils are peeling off from chaffing with the tissues. and most of all  I'm sleepy cos I keep waking up too early (6am this morning).

Skipping lunch today - not up to more pain.  Am tempted to go nap in the car too.

Got a CaFE meeting tonight, perhaps I can sneak in a short nap after work before the meeting...

Groan...

Happy new year!

I started off the first work week of the year with online shopping daily!
Tue - bought "Baby On Board" decal for Matty's parents' car
Wed - signed up and paid for Terry Fox run on Jan 15
Thu - bought Road ID band for the accident prone me
Fri - booked and paid for tickets to Taiwan for mom and myself (going on holiday with Jo & Yili)

Pain

At Changi Hospital's emergency room after the Bintan accident, the doctor asked me my current pain level.  I said 8.

Now if you ask me, I'm still hurting!  I'm perhaps 2-3 daytime, by end of day, it goes to 4-5.

Mayo Clinic Chronic Pain scale
0-1 No pain
2-3 Mild pain
4-5 Discomforting - moderate pain
6-7 Distressing - severe pain
8-9 Intense - very severe pain
10 Unbearable pain

Painful areas
- jaw
- teeth
- chin where the wound was (underneath the scar, it is still rather raw)
- left palm & wrist
- left knee still very pussy and painful
- calves (from brick training)

Perhaps I should take a hint - getting too old for this crap!

As a reaction, I have just purchased a RoadID in case I one day go out for a run alone and collapse. 

Oh, here's how it'll look.  And if you want one, use this discount voucher : ThanksFelicia9760014

www.RoadID.com

www.MyRoadID.com

 

Medical bills and vulnerability

Finally met up with cousin (my insurance agent).  Passed her my bills from the fall and we both commiserate about age and vulnerability of being single.

In this case, my bills should be covered by a combination of travel insurance and personal accident insurance.  

Also I will be increasing my personal accident coverage to be consistent with me cycling more (hence more liable to falling tragically off the bike).

Feeling really depressed now.  Boo hoo hoo...

Foldable bikes

L - my former coworker wanted to pick up cycling, to destress from the politic-ing at work.  She keeps hearing these crazy cycling stories from me (before my accident in Bintan). 

She wanted a foldie.  We went in search of a Dahon D7 just like the one I had.  But the offerings are paltry.  There is the $2k-ish Bromptons, Dahons are sold out until March, leaving us with Tern (never heard of this brand, but supposedly a new brand related to Dahon).  Terns were going at $599, not cheap too and I hated the unfolding - it was pretty hard for a woman to manage.

I was in Rodalink & noticed they had foldies too, sent L to take a look.  Highest end foldie - Polygon Urbano 5.0 was going for $479 - comes with rain covers, a carrying case & suspension.  Ok, it's a little heavy at 14kg but it rode very smooth with the suspension.  I believe can hit top speeds in the high 20km/h.  Plus I like the service & staff at Rodalink Commonwealth - I knew L will be in good hands there.

Will go on an easy ride with L one day... now especially since I am a damaged (me and Speedier - both a little beat up but still game spiritually).

Weird - PayPal

My PayPal account does not work anymore because I moved back to Singapore.  I couldn't update the home address in my profile from Taiwan to Singapore and wrote to the help email in frustration.  Paypal confirms that you cannot add 2 different country bank accounts that you need to close that account and open a new Singapore account.

Sheesh.  In this global age, I would imagine many people would have homes in 2 countries.  So Paypal's work around is not good service at all.

What am I trying to buy?  A baby on board decal for Matty, after his parents' car got hit from behind by some blind/stupid/rude bozo. Thankfully it was just a slight dent and nobody was hurt.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/280651757303?item=280651757303&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:L:COSI:SG:1123&vxp=mtr

The offending BMW driver was both belligerent & unreasonable until they had to carry a crying Matty out.  Then he felt a little guilty because there was a baby in the car.  Perhaps this will help.  I hope.