2011 in Retrospect

As is customary for newspapers to publish editorials on the year in retrospect, I will be penning down my personal perspective of 2011 here.

I liked how 联合早报 did a series of articles using singular words to summarise events of the year, so I shall 东施效颦 and attempt the same today.

水 (Water)

This one is a no-brainer. Throughout the year, I probably spent more time with water than I ever did before. So much so that I have witnessed the gradual transformation of Kallang from a salty, used-condom and dead cat-strewn waterway to an apparently freshwater but still used-condom and dead cat-strewn Marina reservoir, complete with a white-elephant of a fountain that I don't see switched on these days. I was there before the sun rose, and there when the sun set. Sometimes, I would spend my entire weekend there. Gradually, I developed a love-hate relationship with water. The thrill of a catch, the exhilaration of a surge, and the letdown when I just fail to connect with the water on curious days have contributed to my present schizophrenic self. The consolation is being able to do this with people of similar ambitions, so you can share your woes or learn a few tricks to give you an extra oomph while wielding the paddle. Lately, the masochistic part of me has compelled me to learn K, and my high CG, complete with a clumsy demeanour, aren't make things easy. I surmise I capsized more than 30 times in one session alone (as Jerry Tan can attest to), much to the amusement of roaming Banglas along Kallang Park taking a break during the recent Xmas long weekend. But the 抓水的快感 is something you will never forget and would want to experience everyday, so my "It's complicated" relationship with water shall persist.

Still working on it; gotta row more, swim less

速 (Speed)

2011 was all about speed for many reasons. First, I rushed through my long overdue driving lessons in 1 month and got my licence on the second try (damn you KERB!). Second, I acquired an overpriced car that made life much easier, and faster. Going to trainings no longer became a hassle, and ferrying friends around provided great in-car entertainment on the otherwise angst-inducing roads of Singapore. Third, there was the speed on water as we chase the elusive magic figure while trudging our way in Marina Reservoir. In a measured sport like ours, the GPS will validate our hard work, and will similarly shame us with nonchalant candor for shoddy performance. Numbers do not lie, so those digits became our best friend and worst enemy for the entire year. I shall not even begin talking about the ergo panel that mocks you with its dwindling numbers as you fight tenaciously against the equally dogged clutches of lassitude at every single pull. 

Ergometer - The machine we love to hate

友 (Friends)

I promise i will not go melodramatic about this, but i have learnt many things from the people i've met this year, both at training and at work. Whether good or bad, these new friends have helped shaped my perspective on many important issues. Platonic relationships aside, I have been pestered at various ends (friends and family alike) to up the ante and start a romantic exchange. Well to put things upfront, I am one heck of a boring guy with too many things on my mind; so, I'd patiently let nature take its course. I appreciate all who attempted (or are still attempting) to matchmake me, and while these events can be daunting for a timorous person like me, I will take things in my stride. Ok next topic *ahem*

志 (Ambition)

The past year has made me reevaluate what matters to me, and what doesn't. It's always about striking a balance. Thoreau said "To put to rout all that is not life, and not, when I have come to die, realise I have not lived." Yet, in the process of "Living deep and sucking the marrow out of life", I am constantly reminded that "sucking the marrow out of life does not mean choking on the bone". A thin line separates passion and obsession. I wonder if my involvement with rowing (or as purist will say, "paddling") has made me overlook other important things in life, and whether my singular focus on bettering myself on water has been a myopic move. My answer to this, has always been an unequivocal "no". I enjoyed every single bit of training, and I will continue in this pursuit, even if my work has to take a backseat. Sometimes my Type A personality rears its head and shriek at the possibility of me being a nobody when I eventually do "retire" from the sport due to physiological limitations (yes, age); that i'll be a lowly MO while my other friends have risen to be full-fledged specialists. As traditional Chinese wisdom expounds, 鱼与熊掌毋能兼得; so I am still trying to achieve the zen of balancing both work and training in the coming year. Already in Jan 2012 I foresee missing out on quite a number of training sessions, and I am suppressing myself to prevent any displeasure from effervescing while at work. I am not sure how long I can keep this up. There are expectations from both sides and I will persevere to meet them all, and if I ever explode into a fit of exasperation, I will welcome an arm round my shoulder. "I'm only a man looking for a dream"... and it sure ain't easy to be me.

Tim Brabants - Olympic champion + World champion + Doctor

Looking forward,

追 (Pursuit)

I will not mince my words but put it point-blank that 2012 will be a challenging year. Full-time work, almost full-time training, and post-graduate exams will take up the bulk of my time - and I foresee the need to deconflict, rationalise, reschedule, and even beg as I try to allocate the right amount of time that each of these priorities deserve. Nonetheless, the relentless pursuit of happyness shall press on, with my paddle and my buddy and me...

What Drives You?

It’s been more than a month since I started gyrating to the tune of Jazz, and the melody continues to add colour to my otherwise staid life. Much like how Edward in the VW Jetta ad loves keeping his week chockfull of lessons so he can sit in the said car, I like going to training now because I get to drive my Jazz. It might be melodramatic to expound on how the car has completely transformed my life, but that is exactly what has happened, or rather, continues to happen as we speak. No more long MRT journeys where I sometimes fall asleep while standing, or nerve-wrecking experiences where, as Murphy’s Law might have it, cabs just don’t appear at the time you need them most, like during a downpour, or when you are already late. It panders to my control freak nature because I am now in complete charge of my time, not the loud-mouth taxi-driver whose smokes in his vehicle, sneezes into the air-con vent, and rejects your $50 note.

Yet revving a $91K metallic body on the asphalt can be rather stressful, especially when you are fresh out of driving school and have the driving skills of a chimpanzee. I remember sweating buckets just deciding when to filter lanes on an arterial road, and each time I am horned at (either because I’m too slow, or too abrupt), my morale drops. I will say I have improved since, and there are shameful moments which I shall not mention in detail here. Those who have seen my photos will also know that my parking skills remain to be honed. I have had Samaritans waving their hands frantically to tell me I am too close to the adjacent vehicle, only to leave me red-faced and driving off to a far remote corner where I can park slowly and try multiple times without the scrutiny of the public eye. 30 days on and I am still working on it. Those who’ve been in my car will attest to my abysmal parking. Let’s not even begin to mention parallel maneuvering; it’s probably enough to say that the last I did it, was during the practical test.

The fortunate thing about the lack of parking skills is that the deficits can be corrected with repeated practice. I have, however, witnessed irresponsible driving behavior that’ll probably take intense psychotherapy to rectify. Perhaps my luminous green-orange label on the windscreen makes me a perfect bully victim, but taxi drivers (yes, them again) who make a last-minute, close-to-90-degree filter across 3 lanes within 10 meters of the junction, just so he can reach the right-turn lane (and not to mention, blocking my way in the process because the right-turn lane vehicles are not admitting him), make my knuckles crack and hungry for a face to land on. I certainly hope I do not develop these bad habits as I continue on the roads. To balance things up, I have also met drivers who slow down and allow a tentative P-plate vehicle into their lane. Times like this make me want to install some form of LED display at the back so I can flash “Thank you!” at them.

The Jazz has been a great drive thus far, and I am enjoying every single moment in it (minus the road rage ones). In all honesty, I would love to wash it every week. I remember starting off eager, having gone all the way to Marina Square’s Homefix to get the car shampoo, 3M car sponge, microfiber cloth and other branded cleaning essentials. Alas, all these equipment remain untouched in my room. I have never actually got down to clean my Jazz, and I let the occasional torrential rain do the job a water jet would in a car wash. I am ashamed of such nonchalance, yet as an excuse I always quote my car agent who proclaims that the car is meant to serve us, and we should not be slaves to the vehicle, spending hours just to get a showroom-worthy sheen. A part of me thinks that is pure indolence, but a quick survey among other car owners reveal that most of them don’t really bother cleaning the vehicle themselves either. It might therefore be more than a coincidence that every time I pass by a car in the washing bay of my MSCP, I see only a Filipino maid and nobody else within a 10-meter radius. I think my let-the-rain-wash-my-car strategy in our equatorial climate remains pretty sound, thus I do not see the need to invest in a can of car wax or a Leticia counterpart, for now.

Notwithstanding, a bikini-clad lady (who for whatever unfathomable reason decide to coat herself with car shampoo) will be a delicious alternative. =)

Your Vote is Your Voice

This will be the second time I am voting, and the use of digital media has really changed the husting climate this time. Many articles, photos and videos started circulating in my Facebook and email accounts. Friends I knew for years actually became outspoken, fervent campaigners who want to make Singapore a better place to live and work in. I guess those who've always thought youths are generally apathetic towards politics should reconsider their judgement.

Digital media has certainly made information more accessible, and palatable. I no longer have to plow through a thousand-word editorial on The Straits Times or The Economist to understand what is going on. Instead I visit Mr. Brown for his "Gee Gee Gee Gee Ahruh See" video to get a humorous summary of the issues that have been raised thus far. I applaud all parties for engaging us through these varied platforms, and I believe my decision come May 7 will be one that is better-informed, and more carefully considered.

Yet this very advantage of digital media (of being accessible, updated, and more engaging) have led to such an explosion of information, that I sometimes have difficulty keeping up. It also makes separating the wheat from the chaff an arduous task. Politics aside, we all know the perils of the cyber landscape. There is so much information, yet only some of it is true and reliable, some are half-truths, while the remainder is simply made up of blatant lies. The onus is on the reader to verify the information offered in the article.

The picture becomes more muddled when you add politics to the mix. In an attempt to sell different ideologies, an essay with a political agenda often drift away from being a neutral and objective piece, to one that is saturated with emotive words and rhetoric. Such is how the game called politics is played. It will take a mature electorate to read between the lines and censor all theatrics and word play before finally understanding what the article has to offer, if any.

I have to admit that I am concerned with how mature our first-time, Gen Y voters are. Let's be honest. More than 90% of links I see on Facebook for the past week have been unabashedly pro-opposition. The increased interest on the opposition has been phenomenal, and I have taken advantage of this to understand the opposition candidates better. However I am not certain if such a lopsided representation may inadvertently skew our perception of "ground sentiments". I am very curious to know what the Gen Y voters make out of this. In the same vein (and I agree somewhat) that our local papers have been guilty of pro-government propaganda, TOC and TR (the most quoted websites from which FB articles originate) haven't been exactly balanced either. So I urge all voters to study both sources carefully.

I will now attempt to dissect what a good balanced article should be; and since analogies seem to be the in-thing these days, I will give it a shot:

You want to get a phone, which will become an extremely important device in your daily living. You are given the choice of either an iPhone, or a Blackberry. I prefer the iPhone more, so I want to sell you the idea that the iPhone will be a better choice. A responsible, balanced way to do this, while respecting your right of independent decision, is to tell you what the pros and cons of the iPhone are. So I will probably talk to you about its sleek design, comprehensive apps market, iPod, and lament about lack of Java support etc, then tell you that I can still live with not having Java support and the pros outweigh the cons. I might bring up a thing or two about BB while I'm at it, that it has too many buttons, it looks bulky, and the apps don't look as nice. But I will remind you that some BB models are camera-free so you can bring them to army camps. The final decision is up to you, because you will choose what is best for you.

Unfortunately many popular articles that were shared on FB seem to talk more loudly than sensibly. If they were trying to get you to buy the BB, they will first go into a tirade of how lousy the iPhone is. Then they enter into rhetoric like, "do you want a phone that has a death grip problem?" Duh, who does? The article ends pretty much at that, maybe adding a line that the BB will be a good alternative to the iPhone.

I think I am rambling, but all I want to say is, read the online articles with a discerning eye. Listen out for what both the iPhone/BB can do, because ultimately you are going to use the phone for what it is capable of. Don't be taken in by the unscrupulous salesman with an axe to grind.

To make this possible, my suggestion is to attend the rallies. This is where information will be coming from the horses' mouths, and not from middlemen. Hear directly from Steve Jobs and Apple engineers (since you now have the privilege) on what's so good about the iPhone. Hear directly from Research in Motion on what's so good about the BB. Don't believe tech reviews, just as we know movie reviews are hardly reliable sometimes. Hear from the source. Then, do a test drive (ok enough of driving analogies), but you know what I mean. You can't quite "test-drive" candidates, but think about how their proposals will work out if implemented, then see if you like the outcome.

The next point is want to bring up, is that not all phones are created equal. Just because you die-die don't want an iPhone doesn't mean you will just settle for any Motorola or LG model. Unfortunately, not all shops carry all phone models. You may have a tough choice between iPhone and BB at your shop, so choose wisely. But if your shop only has the iPhone versus the Nokia 3310, it would be rather foolish to choose the latter just because you don't want an iPhone, even though an iPhone will obviously be more useful.

GE 2011 is turning out to be an exciting election, and I have my personal favourites in both the incumbent party, and the opposition. I have always been told to consider both sides of an argument before making a decision or passing judgement, and I will continue to exercise this diligently. And I believe the younger segment of the electorate will be able to do the same.

Your vote is your voice. So speak up and be heard.

Run Monster Run!

The first marathon experience is such fodder for discussion that a new blog post comes as a natural reflex. Pounding through 42km, with only an AHM under my belt to count for any vague “long-distance” experience, made me exceedingly nervous at the start line. I protected my nipples and my balls, but failed to pay attention to my armpits, which burned during the post-race cold shower. But we’ll save that for later.

I wasn’t really expecting much, but only to complete the race under 5 hours. Anything more, and it would have been an embarrassment, considering that Qian Yi was aiming for 4:45 (and eventually came in 4:05!) The start went off smoothly, and I was rather concerned that my pace may be unsustainable because I was doing good timing until the return leg from East Coast. Right on cue, at the 25km mark, my electrolyte homeostasis went awry, and the right quads stopped listening to me. I have never slobbered so much deep heat in my entire life. Heck. This marathon was the first time ever I used any form of NSAIDs on myself. Not even the time they took out my wisdom tooth and put in stitches in my gums.

I went through all that my friends told me before the race. “Take 1x power gel at every 10km… Take drinks at all stations, especially the 100-plus… It will be painful… Take the bananas… You will just ache for a week after the run, it’s ok…” I followed all the POSITIVE advice religiously. At the 10km mark, Felicia and Bryan overtook me while I slurped up the Lemon Sublime. At the 20km mark, it was Strawberry Banana. Along the way, 2 x bananas were also helpful, though I was seriously hoping for a Filet O’ Fish (ala Roger).

Brynner said “Try not to stop…” I tried as best as I could, but I just had to at the 25km. From then on, it was entirely mental, bearing testimony to what Wei Khyuan said, “For the marathon, it’s not about cardiovascular endurance, but about how your legs are able to take it.” Oh lassitude... a word that sounds nice but fills you with agony...

I literally hobbled through the Marina Golf Course, and tried to run from the Barrage onwards, because I was back on familiar grounds and the end should be somewhere near. Along the way I had fun reading the words of encouragement that runners pinned on their backs. “If found, drag across the finish line.” “I love Daddy (complete with a family photo involving a 4-month old child)” “I know it’s painful. I’m in pain too!” “Help me to do this under 4:20, and my friend will quit smoking.” Every runner has a story to tell, and a motivation to run. For me, it was coercion from friends, and an egoistic need to be part of the 60,000-strong in-crowd.

It was also fun to listen to what fellow runners had to say. Active agers practicing qigong at East Coast were seen congratulating and cheering on a 70+ year old full marathoner in Hokkien “要拼才会赢!” Running buddies were pacing one another and giving advice, “Keep the pace. 2 mins ahead of time.” I ran past this random lady who started to walk, and for some reason, I muttered to her “Come on you can do it,” and she actually replied “Ok!” and started to run. It was a wonderful feeling to be a positive influence. Really.

The funniest moment came when 1 guy literally sang the BEP’s hit “I gotta feeling!” to his friend. Of course instead of gyrating to the party groove, his friend said “Serious?” in the most concerned manner possible, and the first guy stopped shortly thereafter to nurse his cramping calves, accompanied by his buddy who also stopped to help apply deep heat.

患难见真情. It may be clichéd, but this is the truth.

Fast forward to Esplanade Bridge, and I opened up my strides, to reach the finish line at a net time of 4:48. I heard Eve shouting “Good job!” amongst the supporters and I was gleeful, until I actually stopped to walk again to collect my finisher-tee. Lactic acid coursing through the muscles was not a good feeling, trust me. So was unchilled 100-plus that the organizers were handing out. Seriously, there must be more muscles in our lower limbs than what Snell says, because I was cramping up at places I never knew existed…

Post race I made my excruciating walk to the F1 pit building (WHY SO FAR AWAY!!!) to collect my bag, downed a Sub at the Flyer, met Geraldine Cheong (who was here to support Huiliang doing his 3rd marathon!) and went home.

And so, I began by talking about the large patches of abrasions at both armpits, which was particularly tormenting to nurse but fortunately started to epithelialise today. The annoying thing is my left ankle is still hurting when I weight bear. Looks like an ATFL strain, ?tear, and hopefully not a stress fracture *touch wood touch wood!!!*

I need to get back to my DB training soon... RICE RICE RICE!

To end this post, here's a video shared by Sheila on Facebook, which I think sums up succinctly the post-race sentiments of the 19,000 full marathoners (ok maybe not all of them but at least the lousy untrained ones like me). Great job everyone!

What Makes A Champion?

Those who have the chance should try to watch "Nagano '98 Olympics: Bud Greenspan's Stories of Honor and Glory". I caught it recently on ESPN, and it was inspiring to see the kind of spirit and mettle that makes a champion athlete. I am probably over-quoting this already, but John Keating from Dead Poets' Society said "Sports is a chance for others to push us to excel", and this was exemplified by the stories that were shared during the documentary. My favourite has got to be Bjorn Daehlie's triumphant run in the 50km cross-country skiiing event (which came after his medal finishings in the 10km, 15km, and 4x10km relay events within the same week). His sheer mental tenacity, and his humility after all this achievement, are qualities that all of us can learn a thing or two about.

I guess all of us need some form of inspiration to push us forward during difficult times. For those who need the extra spark during ignition, Bud Greenspan should have the answer for you.

Muddy Monster

The Urbanathlon turned out to be more boring that I thought. As Brynner summed it up, it was just a race with "things in your way". And I personally felt the mud pit was unnecessary, especially since the organisers made us queue hours just to get washed up and hosed down after the event. Tsk tsk.

Headed back to training, ran another 4.3km, which made me hobble around for the rest of the day. My mud-soaked shoes served her tour of duty well, and I got myself a new pair of GT 2140 the next day! Too bad it didn't come in the "rad and loud" version I preferred. Regardless, it is time to break into these new shoes in preparation for the Singapore Bi.

Amazingly we were ranked 11th in the team catetory despite my horrible timing; which made us wonder if we should try this again next year, although we felt unanimously we probably wouldn't come back if the organisers remain bent on making us muddy but not giving us facilities to clean up. And there was no finisher tee! Grr...

Fortunately I was on leave on Monday so I had the chance to slack and watch the Grammys, which was as boring as ever. Taylor Swift seems to be getting more awards that she deserves, considering how out-of-tune she was during the live performance. And I can't get enough of Beyonce! Album of the Year should have gone to Sasha Fierce!

Oh dear. Just received an sms that there's going to be another test during this posting. Time to hit the books again! In the meantime, I gotta get myself a new DVD player cos there are 2 seasons of Simpsons still waiting for me in the drawer!

By the way, sports make you crave for the weirdest things. I need my Strawberry sundae fix from Macs, NOW!

Boom Boom Pow

i am not proud of my temper. there are times when i would erupt like a Vesuvius. other times i just rumble in consternation. i just don't like it when things don't go your way due to reasons not within your control. like you losing your entire patient clinical entry just because the computer lost its server connection. or the G3 just refuse to read in a patient who's ABG was as difficult as milking a prune. or the printer jams just when you want to rush and clear the fast track queue. all in all, equipment failure peeves me to no end. it wastes time, effort, and makes me poke the poor man for his second ABG.

which reminds me of Ironic from Alanis. it's like 10,000 spoons, when all you need is a knife. or like 20 boxes of unpowdered gloves, when all you need are powdered ones for a pair a hyperhidrotic hands.

anyway i erupted. i was so pissed the machine said i did not fill the cartridge "to the mark" that i literally poured my second syringe of arterial blood into the channel and made it overflow copiously onto the table. you could imagine me going "wa haha" with a devious grin and two fists in the air as i celebrate my triumph over... erm... a piece of plastic. the ABG was finally read.

cheap thrills aside, i am in dire need of anger management. someone to make me go "om" and delve into the deepest crevices of my inner self, so that i can uproot the origins of my short fuse.

ok i'm too tired to carry on. writing this on shift for the first time. please bear with my grammar.