Viva La Vida

Da link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsUAxG6c3Ws

Amazing... one guy, playing all the different layers song separately.. and editing it back into one piece. Reminds me why I took up violin last time. I loved the sound it makes, the emotions it stirrs. The pull of the bows, the light staccatos it makes..

But anyways, about the song. It's time to review the year that just came and go, and wonder how next year will be like. This year has got to be the biggest DRAMA year ever, not as painful as a few years back, but just super DRAMA. And the drama happened not only to me, but to people around me.

I tried a lot of new stuff that stuck to me, like MTB-ing, and made a bunch of new crazy frens along the way. I restarted some stuff that I left cos of time constraints, like kayaking and climbing. I learnt about how much life is reliant on having good frens when I'm staying on my own, like when I had my pneumonia. I learned that being there for a friend and having his/her back is something that is not easy to be done, but is one of the best things to do. I learned that things do not last forever, no matter how perfect it looked from the outside. I know that I can finish everything I put my mind to... if I can put my mind to it. I learned to smile, even when things are getting harder and harder, cos smiling makes it easier to get through it. But the best of all, is I learned more about myself, and how I think people should accept me as who I am. I don't think I can ever leave the outdoors for now, and that's fine with me :). Oh... and that life moves on... one setback only means that - one setback. It does not set me back for life if I don't let it.

A short snippet:

• Night MTB!!
• Got my 1Star & 2Star kayaking cert...
• Roll in a kayak!!
• Severe pneumonia & got warded!!
• Had a Minor Operation
• Climbed at Dairy Farm, Batu Caves and Tambun
• DWS and Lead Climbing
• Moved to a new place
• Visited Hanoi & HaLong Bay
• Visited Siem Reap
• Mountain Biking and built my first racing bike
• Found 2 someones .. & gave it up.. hehe :)
• Volunteered at races (bike escort & medic)
• Play FFXIII
• Three Adventure Races
• Shot from a AK-47

I wonder what will happen next year... hmm

Trudge on..

Epic Plentong ride...

Just a memorable conversation...

On one of the short road parts, one of the guys riding next to me asked me why I was spinning on my Granny's. I told him that sometimes I still have a problem with my gear shifts, and I'd prefer not to shift if possible. He was impressed as he said I was spinning very fast and added that I would have nice legs. With a devilish grin, I told him to just give that thought up too... I have bigger than normal girl calves cos I run a lot too... He just shook his head and we all laughed it out.. haha...

The reason I like MTB :)

Trudge on...

The annual Twelve Months of Lala!!

Back again, the 2010 edition...

Jan: Got my first MountainBike, and endo-ed on the same day; CNY home, played Futsal with the Ipoh guys

Feb: Siem Reap - to the Wats!! and... Shot from a AK-47, started Flowriding

March: Bdae month... Finally got FF13 (but until now, no time to finish it), Started volunteering in races- OSIM, OCBC

April: Sabah Adventure Challenge!!

May: Moved to a new place; Rafted and started climbing again; Kayaking 1Star

June: Halong Bay for DWS

July: Nomad Adventure Race, PNEUMONIA!!

Aug: Recover from PNEUMONIA!!

Sept: BC, Ace Adventure Challenge, Lasiks done!

Oct: New Bike, Started night MTB, Rolled in a kayak (finally!!), Tambun - Lead Climbing, Batu Caves and Genting

Nov: MTB - Kiara, 2Star kayaking, MTB - Plentong Epic Ride...

Dec: Takun Recce!!

OK... another year of fun is almost coming to an end. I got one more module to grab my Grad Cert... then think think about progressing to Masters. Time really has flown, hasn't it. Let's see what happens in the coming 2011.. things are just getting better and better...

Trudge on...

A good start to the morning :)

Tried to pay with my Starbucks Card this morning, and when it didn't work, I had to pay in cash. When I got my change back, the barrista handed me a voucher for a free beverage... :)

This is excellant service... and a good reason to go back to Starbucks for good coffee...

Cycling in Kiara 2

Can't remember which trail this was on though.... help anybody?

Back in the waters..

After a long hiatus, it was time to get down and wet.. in the kayak again. This time, with a clearer vision of whitewater ahead, I've decided to plunge ahead to learn how to roll (finally!!). Messsaged SO, and got my first rolling class rolling. I've tried to roll before but have never got it done, so, this time, with goggles, and a nose piece, I'm super determined to get it done at least once...

Capsizing, at first, is scary. But after capsizing so many times in my first WW kayaking course, it's.. somewhat, quite a normal thing for me already. So, capsize one.. I'm upside down, orientation off, SO tried to get my paddle in the right position, tried to hip flick... kaboosh... fell into the water again. This went on and on for a few more times.. before finally, with SO's help... my first assisted roll!! yay!! OK, now need to do an unassisted roll. Tried a few more times ... and failed... but.. never give up!! and, after a while more... MY FIRST ROLL!! and then another 3 and I'm done for that day!.. This was a few weeks ago...

Rewind to last weekend. EA-san wanted to do 2Star kayaking. I wanted to do 2Star Kayaking. So we went and sign up for the course. There are a few reasons to do 2Star:
1) Can't rent a spray skirt without 2Star
2) Most kayak races (WW) will require a 2Star
3) Kayak expeditions in SG will require at least a 2Star

The 2Star course is 3- day long, and includes a 6km expedition. Other than that, the other useful skills would be the Eskimo Bow Rescue and Scullying Draw (which SO has taught us in 1Star). The first day was used up to polish the 1Star skills, and I realised that I don't even remember much. After a while, everything started to come back to me and well, started to get back in the groove.

The second day was the expedition day, and it was fun. I guess one reason was that we were bonding better with our team and an expedition is always more fun than just a skills course. We packed chicken rice for lunch as we're suppose to kayak somewhere, eat lunch and kayak back. The journey there was fun, except for the avoiding the fishing line part. Also, the instructor was commenting on our strokes, and he gave some useful tips like, keep the other arm at the forehead while drawing, it makes a good pivot point. We reached the Changi Water Venture are about an hour later and had lunch. By the time we finished, the dark clouds started to come in and it drizzled a bit.. brr..cold.. The drizzle soon became a thundering storm, and hmm.. we ran for shelter at the Changi Water Venture. Shivering and cold, we waited till the storm abated (a bit) and headed out to kayak back. There was still lightning in while we were kayaking back, and even the instructor was a bit reluctant. OK, let's do it slowly this time.. (we were all tired anyway).. and soon, we were reaching Pasir Ris.. :) On the way, we did some wave surfings.. hehe.. awesome

The guys in the Tiny Teddies Kayaking team!

Gwen with her Vibrams

The rock wall, so near, yet so far...

Yeah... the tiny teddies kayakers!!

Back at Pasir Ris, with some extra time, we practiced Eskimo Bow Rescue, and I tried the C-to-C roll a few times, before getting it right again. We were all shacked out by then. OK.. 5pm.. time to call it a day. Chop chop, we packed up and showered. A few achievements from this course so far:
1) I can finally kayak straighter
2) I can finally scully to save my life
3) I still remember how to roll, as of yesterday.

Just one more day and I can get my cert. Sorta exciting in the sense that with the cert, I can go do more crazy things. So, wish me luck this coming Saturday, and we'll see what happens...

:)

Kayak on!!

Update 20/11/10: I passed!!!! Now I'm a 2star kayaker!!!

Cycling in Kiara