I treated myself to a slick Creative Zen … And now we have 2 at home! I find this easier to handle and better than an iPod. Downloading is easy and I’ve finally figured out how to build my playlist. Unfortunately, to most who would like to borrow it, 80% of it is filled with 80’s music. Depeche Mode happened to be the first band I downloaded onto my Zen! Hee hee.. Yesterday I trained with it for the first time and boy was I pumped! I was in a world of my own, (albeit deaf to my surroundings), much to the annoyance of my other team mates who couldn’t really get my attention! (Sorry guys! Love your work…) The arm band does the job by not slipping from my skinny arms during training and it tucks under my sleeves nicely. But I would’ve preferred it if it wasn’t that big. Or my arms just looked small in it. Anyhoo, I just love my new toy!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
ZEN MISTRESS
I treated myself to a slick Creative Zen … And now we have 2 at home! I find this easier to handle and better than an iPod. Downloading is easy and I’ve finally figured out how to build my playlist. Unfortunately, to most who would like to borrow it, 80% of it is filled with 80’s music. Depeche Mode happened to be the first band I downloaded onto my Zen! Hee hee.. Yesterday I trained with it for the first time and boy was I pumped! I was in a world of my own, (albeit deaf to my surroundings), much to the annoyance of my other team mates who couldn’t really get my attention! (Sorry guys! Love your work…) The arm band does the job by not slipping from my skinny arms during training and it tucks under my sleeves nicely. But I would’ve preferred it if it wasn’t that big. Or my arms just looked small in it. Anyhoo, I just love my new toy!
HAUNTED HOTELS
I’m not one to believe in ghosts or lurking (visible) spirits from the netherworld, neither do I have what they call ‘the third eye’.. But I have friends telling awful stories about their terrifying encounters with the ‘intangible’ beings, claiming to have been touched or (*gasp*) strangled by one while lying in bed. I’m very sceptical about such encounters and will quickly dismiss it as having a hyperactive brain (nightmares or vivid dreams) while sleeping. Here’s the latest story I’ve heard from a frequent-flyer friend.
He checked into this 5-start hotel over the weekend and when he got into bed, he was strangled, push and squashed the whole night. He later described that he was punching and kicking the whole night. Well, I have those too, even on my own bed! It’s just bad sleep for me, where I feel that my brain is awake but I just can’t move my body. But I’ve never once attributed that to having a ghost ‘squash’ my chest!
Another incident where I was sharing a hotel room with a friend of mine. We were on separate single beds and I was suddenly awoken by her murmuring and ‘whining’. Then I sat up to look at her and tried to wake her by calling her name. She then continued the murmuring and ‘whining’ and stirred. I yelled out her name again, simply because she was starting to annoy me for waking me up! Then she jumped up, tore off her blanket with great speed and bolted towards my bed and plonked herself on me, narrowly missing my arm! She looked pale and dazed and quickly said, “Argh! I’ve been squashed by something! I couldn’t move!” Sigh, woke me up for nothing!
Anyway, does anyone have any haunted hotel experiences to share, you may post a comment!
He checked into this 5-start hotel over the weekend and when he got into bed, he was strangled, push and squashed the whole night. He later described that he was punching and kicking the whole night. Well, I have those too, even on my own bed! It’s just bad sleep for me, where I feel that my brain is awake but I just can’t move my body. But I’ve never once attributed that to having a ghost ‘squash’ my chest!
Another incident where I was sharing a hotel room with a friend of mine. We were on separate single beds and I was suddenly awoken by her murmuring and ‘whining’. Then I sat up to look at her and tried to wake her by calling her name. She then continued the murmuring and ‘whining’ and stirred. I yelled out her name again, simply because she was starting to annoy me for waking me up! Then she jumped up, tore off her blanket with great speed and bolted towards my bed and plonked herself on me, narrowly missing my arm! She looked pale and dazed and quickly said, “Argh! I’ve been squashed by something! I couldn’t move!” Sigh, woke me up for nothing!
Anyway, does anyone have any haunted hotel experiences to share, you may post a comment!
Friday, August 15, 2008
BROKEN SOLES
What do you do with all the old training shoes that you accumulate over the years? I can't bare to throw mine away. Although they all look 'holey' like this!
These are my beloved 'Fei Yue' shoes, and a few other BATA ones that didn't last any longer either. As training would dictate, most of the damage is done on the R shoe! I dug them all out last night because I was trying to marry a 'decent' pair together, hoping I can use it to train on gravel. I didn't realise the extent of the (worn) condition that none can be saved.. :(
So I got a new pair (again!) today. I don't forsee this new pair to last past January 2009! I got a pair of black 'Fei Yue' shoes last year - I only have one pair and I only wear it as casual wear. There's no way I'm destroying that!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
DAY 2 OLYMPICS - GYMNASTICS
Wow, how cool was Zhang Yimou’s choreography of the opening ceremony! And I haven’t seen Li Ning since 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and he HAS aged but to have him ‘run’ that length, slow-mo, his body tilted at an angle, takes some endurance from this 44 year old!
Anyway, day 2 of the Games and the women's gymnastics had a good start. We had first coverage of the Chinese and Romanians on the beam & vault and later floor excercise. And indeed, from my previous post, they have started using the new scoring system – with the perfect score of 17.
In summary, the scroring changes are as follows:
A Score = Difficulty
Starts from 0.00 and builds according to difficulty, with 7.0+ on some apparatus.
B Score = Execution
Starts from 10.00 with deduction for errors. (9.0+ is excellent)
Final score = A + B
After watching the Chinese in action on the floor excerise, these athletes have raised the bar (to suit the new scoring system) by choosing up to 5 (diagonal) tumbling runs! The tumbling combinations are SICK but so far the Chinese have nailed the team event.
We have yet to have any coverage on the Aussie girls but we're keeping the telly on. Watch this space...
Anyway, day 2 of the Games and the women's gymnastics had a good start. We had first coverage of the Chinese and Romanians on the beam & vault and later floor excercise. And indeed, from my previous post, they have started using the new scoring system – with the perfect score of 17.
In summary, the scroring changes are as follows:
A Score = Difficulty
Starts from 0.00 and builds according to difficulty, with 7.0+ on some apparatus.
B Score = Execution
Starts from 10.00 with deduction for errors. (9.0+ is excellent)
Final score = A + B
After watching the Chinese in action on the floor excerise, these athletes have raised the bar (to suit the new scoring system) by choosing up to 5 (diagonal) tumbling runs! The tumbling combinations are SICK but so far the Chinese have nailed the team event.
We have yet to have any coverage on the Aussie girls but we're keeping the telly on. Watch this space...
Friday, August 8, 2008
ALL THINGS WOOD
I had to get some of my string instruments fixed and I dare say, it’s about time. It’s been over 8 years since I last played my cello! It was finally shipped to me just 2 years back and found that the sound post had collapsed together with the bridge, pegs and strings... everything.. Sigh, fixing it ain’t cheap I can tell you that, and I have two other violins that needed some loving care too! 
But first things first, I found a very nice couple who repairs string instruments at their property and paid them a visit. Here I was lugging my cases around, navigating through the gates and finally found their workshop situated right at the back of their house. Who would've thought! Such a small and quaint workshop, the smell of varnish, old violins retiring on the walls and sickly looking instuments strewn all over the work bench ready to be nursed back to life!
Well, my instuments are as good as new now, I can start annoying my neighbours!
Many people usually have pianos in their homes, even if no one plays them anymore, they look good as a part of decorative furniture. As for MY household, you will find pieces of violins (even miniature ones!) everywhere, with my 4/4 cello standing bravely in my living room.
A friend of mine from overseas sent this photo of a fine piece of antique ‘furniture’ (no one plays it in the house!) which is apparently about 100 years old. It had a few aesthetic repairs done over the years but it’s a very special piano. If you look closely, the front portion of the piano is made of glass that you can see through the keys inside the piano. So, it’s not all wood!
Although this is not a very good angled photo, this piano is from Berlin and had suffered the wrath of the 1st world war! Apparently it was half bombed and hence the aesthetic flaws and the keys are a little impaired. However the strings are over 100yrs old and sounds 1st class!
But first things first, I found a very nice couple who repairs string instruments at their property and paid them a visit. Here I was lugging my cases around, navigating through the gates and finally found their workshop situated right at the back of their house. Who would've thought! Such a small and quaint workshop, the smell of varnish, old violins retiring on the walls and sickly looking instuments strewn all over the work bench ready to be nursed back to life!Well, my instuments are as good as new now, I can start annoying my neighbours!Many people usually have pianos in their homes, even if no one plays them anymore, they look good as a part of decorative furniture. As for MY household, you will find pieces of violins (even miniature ones!) everywhere, with my 4/4 cello standing bravely in my living room.
A friend of mine from overseas sent this photo of a fine piece of antique ‘furniture’ (no one plays it in the house!) which is apparently about 100 years old. It had a few aesthetic repairs done over the years but it’s a very special piano. If you look closely, the front portion of the piano is made of glass that you can see through the keys inside the piano. So, it’s not all wood!
Before this piano, my friend had an even dated piano!
Although this is not a very good angled photo, this piano is from Berlin and had suffered the wrath of the 1st world war! Apparently it was half bombed and hence the aesthetic flaws and the keys are a little impaired. However the strings are over 100yrs old and sounds 1st class! 080808
So the time has finally arrived for the Opening ceremony! And also for many thousands out there who seized the opportunity to have their wedding celebrations today! How auspicious, the infinite 8.
All eyes on Beijing now and I trust you won’t have a problem identifying the ‘jailbirds’ from the crowd! Last week, Elvis’ Jailhouse Rock music video was on TV and I could’ve sworn it looked like an Elvis inspired design!
All eyes on Beijing now and I trust you won’t have a problem identifying the ‘jailbirds’ from the crowd! Last week, Elvis’ Jailhouse Rock music video was on TV and I could’ve sworn it looked like an Elvis inspired design!
But phew, the Aussies will wear these subtle blue pinstripe suits during the march-in and I think they look superb.. a little hint of a certain airline crew uniform but overall, it looks professional!
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