HAPPY 2009!!!

(Taken by Princess_Pie)

As we progressed on to the new year, its time we say hello to new friends, greet new adventures with open arms, but keep the memories of old intact, and the friends and family ever closer to us in our hearts.

Happy 2009!!! It'll be another great year ahead!!

My New Year's Resolution...

Only one so far..

to put up a contact pic to all those in my phone's contact list.... and must be taken with the phone...

:)

so frens out there.. I'll be hunting for ur pics.. ;)

TQ in advance

trudge on...

In the end of 2008....

Phew... finally made it to the end of 2008... and, so the end of the prev post "The Twelve Months of Jonie".. hehe... this is gonna be another bragging post.. but hey, tt's wat all a blog is about, right.. :)

January: CSMC paintball, Pacesetters 30 km run - my first race in KL

February: First CNY visit to Ipoh after..ohhh... 5 yrs?... first gathering with the SMKSI peeps..

March: Got my Open Water Diving license and First KL marathon... and first big bdae celeb which was graced by my first pearl pendant from Mikimoto

April: MULU - caving Clearwater - wind cave connection , and doing the Mulu Pinnacles thingy...

May: Changed posting to Medical Informatics. First Ultramarathon, but only managed 54 km

June: Moved to another place in HV ... so new place :)

July: First tri bike, then first OD triathlon - OSIM

August: First bike crash, then PANGKOR where I rode on a JetSki for the first time!!!! first LV bag (and the last ever too)

September: First Half IM Triathlon and first ever visit to Tioman

October: First visit to Yangtze cinema, and kayaking at KKB!!

November: First SkyDiving Sim at SkyVenture, First Genting Trailblazer, First Tattoo (temp la), First Fish Spa, First Wakeboarding, First Pedicure!!.. then the Gmax Reverse Bungee and Xtreme Swing rides, First Makeover and James Bond Movie - Quantum of Solace, Another rafting trip at KKB and Skydive basics training at Genting!! Spent time back in Ipoh...

December: Whitewater kayaking...

alright.... not bad... now things to look forward to in 2009:

Skydiving, Whitewater kayaking - the full course, Rafting at Sg Singoh, Ironman Langkawi, Diving at Redang and Bali, The Great American Escape, more marathons in different places, the Kinabalu Climbathon, and actually completing in time, Krabi for beach, dive and climb, improving on wakeboarding, getting a facial and manicure, and a Hermes scarf ....

Other than that, mainly to go further in my work now, taking up a course in Feb... and will see how if I wanna take up GDFM...

hmm... so far, so good... :) life is just great... so live it!!!

Trudge on...

Wishing all a Merry Xmas and a Happy 2009!!!

Whitewater Kayaking Weekend....

Last weekend was another interesting weekend for me. It all started with Pris wanting a memorable birthday this year, so I suggested that we go rafting in Msia. Called up Safiq, but he said that they were full last weekend, so..hmm... oh well.. came up with another idea then, let's try whitewater kayaking.... heheh

Whitewater kayaking is similar to rafting, except that you're in a one man kayak built for river running. It's more challenging, as you're in charge of your kayak, and that it IS a small boat that can capsize much much easier than a raft. We kayak-ed at Sg Samak, Tnjong Malim, which was a small, relatively easy river with rapids up to level 1-2, good for beginners like us. I have only kayak-ed once before this... if I remember correctly.. so this is gonna be a really new thing for me.

We went up to KL on Saturday morning and arrived around 2 pm in the heart of KL city.. stopped by at Berjaya Times Sq, looked at the indoor roller coaster, deemed it shady, and left for Midvalley Megamall... hehe.. walked a bit here and there and basically tried omos all the body lotions in L'occitane and Body Shop, before heading off to my Unc's place for the night. The whole Midvalley was drowned in Christmas decors...

and I get to see my Bear Bears ... hehe :)

Unc and Aunt treated us to a nice dinner at the local Chinese rest.. (how I miss Msian food).. and after that, Pris, my cousin and I went walking arn Bangsar Village. Later, we turned in early cos we needed to get up early for kayaking the next day.

Woke up early at 7am, got myself ready, and went to have breakfast. Mmm... homemade kaya toast and eggs alw taste better.. Jaffry (the kayaking instructor) picked us at 830am from my unc's place, and off we went to Tanjung Malim. Jaffry was an experienced white water kayaker who now works in the uni's as a sports science instructor. I was amazed when he told me he kayak-ed at Sg Singoh before.... Singoh is like the ultimate whitewater exp in West Msia... with rapids up to level 5-6 ... man... I gotta go there one day.. SAFIQ!!! when are u guys going?

But anyways, we collected out kayaks, and were at Sg Samak at about 10am. We unloaded the kayaks and put on the "skirt" and life jacket. Jaffry gave a brief demo on what we shoud do when we capsize, and how to swim safely to the eddy's which were more of still water. The waters were FREEZING!!! hahah... but anyways, got into our kayak and we were lowered into the river.. yay!! time to start.

Okay... alw keep rowing to maintain balance, keep the raft straight at all time, towards downstream, watch out for boulders, slap the water when you're off balance... aaaarghhh!!!.. not easy.. hahah... but really.. its about getting the feel of the water and being "one' with the kayak.. haha.. still not easier said then done. The rowing itself was more of a sweeping motion and the kayak responds very readily to the body's balance, in that you can get out of sticky situations by rocking your body from side to side. Other than that is practice practice and practice to learn how to control the kayak to get it to go where you want it to go.
The first few rapids were ok, and fun...but I tend to get stuck in the low water level parts, which required me to manually push myself up from the rock... tiring.. but after a while, got used to it, and was enjoying riding the rapids, though they were small rapids. Pris capsized a few times, but managed to get out of the kayak safely... hehe... but she still power-ed on... go gurl!!

It was fun going down the rapids, but really can feel the rapids as the hit the kayak. It was really more sensitive than the raft, as can really feel even the lightest of rapids hitting the stern of the kayak. We rested a lot, girls ma... no arm strength wan.. and had water and light snacks (me eating most of it). Finally, about 2 hours later, we reached our take out point. I asked Jaffry to teach me rolls... and he did!!.. managed to do assisted rolls, but long shaft rolls were.. still... impossible for me.. tried tried tried , but can't get it right. darn... phew.. hahah.. even practiced on the sand.. rock rock rock my hips.. but.. sigh... cant get it right in the waters.. mebbe next time. After that, a short dip in the waters, and done... poof... we were arm's dead..

Hahaha.. ok.. loaded the kayak onto the car, and went back to the Uni, for a quick shower. After that, we went to Yik Mun rest, to eat their famous Tanjong Malim pau.. and finally back to KL.

I was zzzz-ing throughout the journey and Pris was sooo nice to lend me her shoulder... Note to self.. if I ever get a BF, need to find someone with the correct height to sleep on.. hehe...

But anyways, arrived back in KL arn 4 pm at Midvalley again ( I love that place) and we managed to catch Ip Man ( it's Yiiiiiip Maaaan, no Ip Man) - gooood show... might review it later... and finally, a dinner at the Food Junction in Midvalley. I had the Sizzling Hot Plate Noodles... not that very very nice.. and after went to KL sentral to take the express train to KLIA. Finally, flight back to SG was short but fairly comfortable.. with me still zzzz-ing all the time.. and zzzz again at home... hahah the forever zzz-ing jonie.

Well, that was another short but exciting weekend for me... missing the rapids now... and my newfound sport, kayaking. Considering taking up the basic course now, cos it was really cool... heheh

Before I forget... more pics : http://picasaweb.google.com/jonie81/20211208WhiteWaterKayaking#

okies.. need to sign off now for lunch... ciao, and trudge on...

The people I'll remember forever...

I've met a lot of people in my life and my line of work, but there are some that are forever etched in my mind. So this post is dedicated to them, the people I met for only a short while, but changed my perspective in life.. and probably made it a bit fuller as well....

1. The guy I met while I was in the Blood Bank who gave me hope that patients do remember me :). He came to donate blood, but surprised me when he asked... "aren't u the doc who delivered my son?" ... I didn't do that many deliveries, but I was quite surprised he remembered the nameless HO who assisted in the delivery even after a year after the delivery. Thank you :)

2. The old man who made me realise that no matter what or who I am, I can only do so much. He came in for joint pains, but was later diagnosed with end stage cancer. He led a healthy life until then, but there was nothing I can do... except just being there for him. Being strong is not easy to do, but sometimes, it is the only thing you can do.

3. The lady at A&E who held my hand while the doctor did a painful emergency procedure on her. I was an eager medical student there who wanted to grab a look and participate in it. But when I looked into her eyes.. she needed someone to hold her, not just look. So I stood there and held her hands tight.. Learning sth not only comes in books and classes and it's not only for knowledge enrichment, but also in life experiences with others, and sometimes its the others that teaches you more.

4. The 84 year old lady, who taught me to slow down in my life, but never stop looking sexy and adventuring around the world... walking her to the library was all my pleasure, as she turned out to be one of the most chatty person ever.

5. The lady with cancer, but still wanted to hold off therapy until after giving birth. No other love can stare death in the eyes except that of the love of a parent to his/her child.

6. The small kid with an incurable disease, but never stopped smiling. Bravery comes in all sorts of packages.. and it comes in making other ppl at ease even in difficult situations.

:)

Trudge on....

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

Pondering.....

Part One:
Fleeting moments, but memories forever… that was running through my head while Joshua Radin’s Winter was playing in the background. I never notice how fast time flies, as my time was always filled amazing friends, my loving family, and wonderful experiences. I remember the exact same time, date, last year when I was surrounded with supportive friends and family, who held me up when I felt there was no tomorrow. The following months were rough as I slowly worked my way up to becoming who I was again. True, times were not always good… but it is through having bad times that we learn how lucky we are, how blessed we are, under His guidance that we all gain the strength to continue living, and for that I give thanks, for another great year He has given me and to all my friends and family who made me feel special all the time

Part Two:
I always ponder, what is the meaning to life?... Well, so far the best answer I could ever figure is that : life is what you make of it. To an artist, it is his art. To an athlete, it is to ever improve his performance. To a dedicated doctor, it is to save his patient’s life. To a mother, it is her child, and to the child… it is his/her parents. Not everyone has the same thing to live for, nor the same way they want to lead their lives. It is unique as their fingerprint, but that’s the miracle of God’s creation, (hehe… to Pris) and no one can ever take the place of another. That’s why everyone is special to me.. and that’s one reason buying presents can take me days.. months.. cos there’s one special present which can only be for each one person… that’s how special everyone is to me :)

Part Three:
Can’t think of what else to write, but things alw come in three… :P

So..trudge on… make a resolution to know that you are special… and keep it

Standard Chartered Marathon 2008!!

Alright, short notes on running a marathon:

1. Arrive early.. the gun is not going to wait for you.

2. Always wear a different color shirt from everyone else.. and not wear the race shirt.. easier to spot in photos.

3. Don't bother to lose weight while running ie take as many power gels as needed cos u need it for energy and to avoid cramps
4. Don't stop and drink at each water station.. you'll probably over hydrate. If need to stop, just take sips.

5. Have fun.. achieveing your goals doesn't mean you can't have fun... plus it keeps your mind away from thinking about the pain.

At KM 42.5 in the race

Well, the race this year was blessed with fantastic weather, and the new route was quite OK, but I wasn't excited about the longer ECP stretch.. I don't like running in ECP. The last 3 km was horrendous though, as there was a bottleneck of all the runners from all the categories heading towards the finishing line. A few of my serious runner friends disliked this as it prevents them from achieveing their PB in this race. Hope the organisers will take note in the next race.

Ok Bragging time :: skip this part as it's just me wanting to brag

Did a slow run this time, as I did not want to push myself with 2 injured knees and I still need to train the next day for the upcoming Ironman in 2009. Brought a camera and took some fantastic shots.. (esp the ferarris at Marina)

and had the most relaxing marathon ever... :). Finishing time in 4hrs37mins.. but managed to catch up with some friends during the run...

The run was all in all a good run with totally flat routes and fantastix runspirators along the way. (Thanks guys!!) Will prob skip next yr's race as I want to try other overseas race ie BKK marathon which is about 2 weeks before this one, so I'll prob be pom-pom-ing the runners next year!!

So... till then, trudge on and run hard!!!

Mixed feelings... and intuition.. and all...

The past two weeks was weird.. weird in the sense that to me... somehow or rather, things connect, and in the whole universe, all our fates are tied in together in some way or another. I trust my intuition.. and from other recent experiences, I believe that my ancestors have always been looking out for me from high above. Now, I'm a free thinker, but I still believe in God and that we must always respect the things we don't understand.

It all started out about 10 days ago, when I was suppose to fly in to Bangkok/Udon Thani for skydiving, then back to Ipoh for a while, before coming back to Singapore for the marathon. Thoughts of skipping the marathon did crossed my mind back then, in case I was too tired from the skydives.

Okaaay, was all ready and prepped up to go... when.. the most unimaginable thing happened.. the Thai protestors took over and closed down the Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Tuesday... Was suppose to fly to Bangkok on Fri, so... I held my fingers crossed and still kept my hopes high... until Thursday... no improvement of the situation.. sigh.. so finally on Friday, we (my instructor and I) decided to postpone to January. To me, it was a big loss.. but something was tingling inside my head.. could this be a kind of divine intervention? So far, things in my life has happened to prevent me from disasters, hence I've always come out safe and sound, even from all the extreme stuff I do (ask my mum, she agrees and also trust my instincts ever since the almost accident near Sitiawan a few years back)

Okay.. so skydive off..next stop Ipoh. Had a wonderful and relaxing time at home.. but had right knee abrasion so put off running the whole week at home to let it heal. Then it was time to decide when to go back to SG. Now, usually I travel a day earlier back to SG so that I can rest before starting work... which would put me on Saturday night bus. But as I had a marathon to run which I was now adamant to go for on Sunday, I opted for the Thursday night bus to arrive on Friday morning instead. Here's the scary and shocking bit: as many of you would already know... the Saturday night bus skidded off the road, and crashed causing 10 deaths.. this was the bus from the same company, same timing, that I would've taken if it weren't for the marathon.. Most of you would think then that I would've actually taken the Sunday night bus cos Monday was a holiday.. but..I frankly did not know Monday was a holiday in SG.

Apparently, one of the passengers who passed away was a good friend of my colleague.. and I was then doubly shocked. Was terribly sad that we lost a young brother in arms in medicine, but was even more shocked than sad. Till now, that sensation has not left me... cos sometimes, I feel that maybe, it was suppose to be me in that bus if the events did not play out so smoothly. ...hmm.. was it really suppose to be me?.. will me life be like in the Final Destination movies from now on... I shudder to think...

Well... this incident reinforces my thoughts on life, and that we should all live today for today... its all we will ever have... so we should not be greedier that this.

So, to all my friends, family, acquaintances, .. to everyone out there who has touched my life... live on.. and trudge on..

RIP Dr David Ho... though I don't know you personally, from all my friends who talked about you, I will always wish that I had the chance to meet you.. :)