F1 First Night Race

The Singapore Formula One Grand Prix was an absolutely exciting one. The experience of watching the race up close beat watching it on TV or anywhere else. The onsite mood was fantastic, with real time actions, deafening sounds and unexplainable trills!

It was a drama-filled race yesterday with Ferrari’s Massa started from pole but a disastrous mistake at the pit stop sent our jaws dropping – he drove off with the fuel hose still attached to his car!! Although the crew eventually managed to pull off the hose at the end of the pit lane, all was too late. Adding on to that, he was given a 10 seconds drive through penalty. He only managed to finish 15th in place.

The highlight was Spain’s Fernando Alonso, the two-time world champion, as he won the first race in a year. The Renault driver started from 15th as his car ran into mechanical problems on Sat qualifying session. However, in the mayhem of pit lane dramas, crashes and safety cars, Alonso took the lead at Lap 34, and finished first. Germany’s Nico Rosberg finished second, with championship leader Lewis Hamilton in third…

I certainly had great fun there last night – no, I wasn't in the exclusive (and costly) Paddock or in any other suite, I was only at Connaught Grandstand, but it's a brand new experience which beats seeing the race on TV or hearing it a hundred times from someone! :)

Memories...

It was past midnight when I heard this song by Michael Jackson in the car today. I could not help but to bring myself back to nearly five years ago, when we decided to use this song “Heal the World” as a torch pass song. I remembered walking into the packed room with lit candles with my mates singing this song, reaching out and touching hearts. Our message to the people in the room - make the world a better place to live in. I also have vivid memories of holding the torch and passing it on.

Time has flied certainly. It seemed only like yesterday when it happened. Nevertheless, it was a marked turning point for me then… If not then, I would not be where I am today. So am I glad that I went through it? Yes, of course.

And such coincidence today is my captain’s birthday too!! It has been 5 years… but I do remember that he was the one who rooted for me when I went for my interview presentation. I was getting really nervous and it was his sms that gave me confidence. I could also recall that I was feeling very disappointed with myself in a job, and he was there to give me strength…

We just had steamboat buffet dinner together… and hope he would like the watch… Happy birthday.

Bad news

First, it was Lehman Brothers filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, followed by a last attempted deal to sell off its Asia business to Barclays.

Then, there was Merrill Lynch absorbing more than US$40 billion in write-downs and its rescue buyout by Bank of America.

Then it was the giant AIG asking for a loan, which US Fed Reserve is close to finalizing a US$85 billion loan in exchange for a nearly 80% stake in the company.

British bank HBOS, which is Britain’s biggest provider of home loans, is in deep trouble on the stock markets amid the crisis engulfing global financial markets, and it is reported that Lloyds TSB is in talks to buy it over.

And there is speculation whether Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are the next on the line.

The whole financial market is in turmoil. Where is the end? It is yet to be known, but it clearly spells trouble. Any job in the financial sector can be very unstable – I had witnessed it first hand already. Better to be on the toes now and don’t assume own indispensability or job security.

May I be blessed.

Full Moon

Have you taken a peek outside your window tonight? Isn’t the moon exceptionally beautiful today? It’s mid- autumn festival today – a day that Houyi visits his wife, Chang-e accordingly to a myth, thus it is tonight that the moon is full and beautiful.

Since sometime back, I never fail to admire the beauty of the full moon, no matter where I am… and every time, the moon leaves me in awe of her charms – sexy at times, pretty at times, captivating in other times. She always seems so near, but I know she is beyond my reach, meant to be only appreciated from far… But perhaps that is how it is supposed to be. Getting too near will mask the intriguing beauty and upset the whole equilibrium…

Still loving it nonetheless.

My Fri

I was supposed to be out shopping, and then I was supposed to be out celebrating a friend’s birthday over dinner on Friday evening. It was long awaited Friday, and it was a time to let down the hair and had some fun out there. But I turned down everything at last hour.

I ended up getting home before 7pm. After settling down, I did a simple dinner to fill my stomach and poured myself a glass of white wine to go along, while watching my DVD. The week proved to be a little more than I could take, and somehow it had reached a tipping point on such a Friday. I decided that I needed the time away from the bustling crowd, let my emotions clear a little and had some quiet time for myself. I did not think I would do quite well if I were out trying to make merry and entertain my friends. By the way, I really had no patience to wait for 2+hours before meeting my friends that day.

And yes, I did feel better thereafter. Somehow, the emotions found their own space and settled down better… Afterall, I was given enough space – I had the whole house to myself for that few hours before bedtime. :P

Korean Drama Addict

Did I say that I am watching another Korean drama recently? I had been watching it for the past 5 weeks already!

I watch a few episodes every day, day in, day out, and the weeks just fly past! We are talking a total of 167 episodes, not mentioning that I started off from Episode 43 instead of the first… But I finally got to the last episode last weekend! Oh, I should also say that I have just started from the very first episode today too. :-P

My ex-staff got the DVD for me on his last day. I asked him causally before if he got them at home since his mom and sisters were Korean OST addicts. This OST was showing in Channel U at 7pm everyday, and it aroused my interests when I caught a few episodes during days that I was back home real early from work. Certain dialogues and acts were really hilarious, you see…

It is a simple (and light hearted in some sense) drama series – it features the love, struggles and triumphs of a nineteen years old girl whom initially came to Seoul to get married, how sincerity can move all the people around her, and the dailies of two families including the disputes, arguments and the intense love, care and concern.

There aren’t big ups and downs or extremely drama stuff in this OST, yet it is so heartwarming that one will inevitably be very touched by all the simple acts and displays of deep affection and love.

Simplicity is beauty; sincerity and perseverance pay off; bliss is doing what you love doing with the support of your loved ones… these are my learnings from this 《19岁的纯情》.

Thots

Sometimes the journey just isn’t as smooth as I want it to be
When I thought it can go a little more stable
Life would just has its way of springing up surprises (or shocks) for me
Jerking me out of my daydream, throwing me off my chair, leaving me bewildered and lost
I hate to get complacent or comfy – that usually spells trouble for me as proven many a time
I'd rather be on my toes so that I am always prepared for the unexpected
There are always times I wonder why so…
Why me, why must it happen, why is it tougher for me than for others...
Unlimited questions of whys
Yet, I learn to tell myself that things happen for a reason…
For me to learn, to grow, to make a better me in the future
I need to view every incident and experience in a more positive light
Yet the process is not easy – it doesn’t happen with a snap of my fingers
Perseverance will get me to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I understand fully
I just need to hang on…
And trust that things will eventually fall in place for me, as it always did…
Faith, stay here with me.

What a run!

This was my run at ECP yesterday night...

650pm: Started running after Fort road, after all the blocked roads in preparation for Ironman on Sunday. Ran like a snake, trying to run through all the people. Everyone seemed to be there; the air only smelt of BBQ food.

800pm: U-turn at National Sailing Centre.

805pm: Gushing strong wind, dark red sky... The weather not looking good! Couldn't even quite run in one straight line due to the strong wind! Is Tsumani coming, I thought to myself... We started to double up our running pace while muttering to the sky to wait till we were back at the start point.

840pm: Stopped for a break and a can of Pocari at the toilet. Shit, the sky din wait for us -it was raining cats and dogs within 2 mins. But we were just about 3km from end point! &#*@! Toilet shelter area started to get really crowded with all the people trying to squeeze for a space to avoid the rain.

930pm: Too long a wait, legs giving way already and getting very impatient. Rain finally seemed to be smaller. Decided to run back in the rain. After all, we did not have a choice – the car was at Fort road carpark!

930pm onwards: Gosh, legs were stiff like sticks after stopping for about an hour. The road was wet and slippery, and the wind was icy cold! Couldn't see properly with my glasses – it was coated with rain drops! Yet, the only way out was through, so gotta keep running. Otherwise, it would only take forever to reach my destination.

940pm: Ran through the Big Splash carpark and ran on the road side towards Fort road carparo as we wanted to avoid crawling through the muddy water-filled grass patches due to partthereof pavement blocked for the Ironman event. All the cars that passed by us then must be thinking we are seow!

10pm: Cleaned up, bathed, make nice.

1030pm: Finally dinner time at KFC… Such sinful stuff at late night, but could we care more than just to satisfy the growling stomaches? By the way, the rain didn't stop even at 11pm. In fact, it was only bigger! :-O

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130am: Bedtime!

Learnings

I have learned.

Learnt to view the world with a different set of lens that is serving
Learnt to open up my heart to listen and receive
Learnt to be thankful who and what are in my life
Learnt to understand, accept and love myself
Learnt to stretch beyond for spectacular results
Learnt to take different actions to create different result
Learnt to let it out and let it go
Learnt to make a stand and make a difference
Learnt to understand life and appreciate it
Mostly importantly, learnt to learn and re learn continuously.

I'm still in the process of learning, as ever.