Midweek Crisis.

It's Wednesday. It's not very near the weekend, but also not that far either. I was embroiled in my own crisis for the week. I didn't want time to move along because March will be a busy, busy month. We're looking at 7 work days a week kind of month. But I'd love for this weekend to come because no work this weekend!

So what did I do to stop myself from freaking out? I popped by Junction 8 and got myself Fish Leong's new album. It's not the latest- the latest has just been released but I already have all the songs except for 2- but it isn't that old either, having only been released in December last year.

It's just nice and soothing to listen to her, even though some of her songs do bring back unexpected memories from way back. Always thought-worthy and meaningful. When life suck in any way, she'll have a song about it.

有時愛情一眨眼 靠著的肩變失眠
遺失了一句永遠 地球轉速沒增減
感情只是生命的部份景點
失戀和失敗的人沒關連
我們不為失戀說抱歉

1 Dollar.

If I get $1 every time I tell people I'm a production assistant and they go "What product?", I'll be rich soon.

If You Can Feel Your Butt Muscles, That Can't Be Good.

Well, I can feel my butt muscles now, all nice and tight. If you think I'm giving away too much information, don't worry. I can explain.

So the start of the week went well. Valentine's Day this year was spent not with Avid (the editing suite from school or I like to call David's brother), not with Cathy-Yewei who bought us flowers which I wanted to break, but with my arms and legs and a nice jog below my house.

I only ran 1km plus and it took me 10minutes. But the next two days, boy, I felt like an achy old lady.

Then Thursday came and I was able to go for basketball training after work with this almost-totally new team. Saw 2 old teammates, some familiar faces, and did a calculation. I hadn't played basketball in 4 months. Or more. I can't remember. But my body has a good memory and it knows how I've been wasting away. We did stretching, ball control and shooting drills only, but my legs became a creaky old chair in need of some good oiling shortly after.

It could have been a coincidence, but I chose to take up my first refereeing assignment today after 2 months of not blowing the whistle. Thank God it went okay, but I still ran a little.

And tomorrow, tomorrow is the grand finale of the week, the icing on the cake that is my worn out butt muscles. It's the YA Sports Day! It's a church event for the Young Adult cell groups to come together and play soccer and frisbee. Even though my butt muscles are screaming "Bloody Murder", I am actually quite looking forward to it.

This week is sports week for me. And it really reminded me, how I used to run 2.4km in 12mins and 12seconds, how I used to train at night after a hectic day at school, and still manage to stay up in the wee hours to finish up assignments, how as a referee, I am already used to assessing situations as they come and working under pressure.

I am strong. And God reminded me this week that He has been preparing me for the real working life. And you know, even with the butt muscles, and the having to sit down really slowly if not your butt will hurt, I feel so empowered this week.

Philippians 4:13 says, I can do everything in Him who gives me strength.

And so, my job don't seem so freakishly scary after all.

It's now just plain scary.

Kidding.

No really.

Kidding again!

Okay bye.

Bye bye Joyce!

My dear Joyce, who has been my bedmate and travelmate since 4 years ago, is flying solo. And will be, for the next 2 years.

She'll be doing her Masters in Social Work in (currently) flooding Melbourne. Thank God her apartment is on the 18th floor, so she won't be swept away. Nevertheless, Joyce, if you are reading this, please buy a floating device okay! If you live on the first floor, I would have asked everyone to chip in to buy you a small sampan. But since you're living on the 18th, an inflatable float will do. Don't buy an inflatable doll ah. Cos that's er... just awkward.

I pray that she will have a smooth 2 years, that she will have a lot of fun Down Under, and at the same time, be able to serve in a ministry over there. Maybe she can try to wriggle her way to Hillsong United? Haha, that's a wild idea.

It's a bittersweet moment, and so I chose not to be there at the airport. One, because I was still at work when she checked in, and two because usually when both of us are at the airport, we'll be going into the departure gates together. I was afraid I would try to do that unknowingly.

"JOYCE AHHHHHHH I LOVE YOU! MUST EAT AND SLEEP WELL!!! MUACKS MUACKS!!"

And so, if the Aussies are still asking "Where the bloody hell are you?", Joyce, you can safely say "I'm here la! Alamak!"


p.s, if you miss me Joyce, draw a dot on your forehead and look into the mirror. :D I will only allow you to do this. The rest of you, don't ah!

Psalm 23.

"The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want."

And simple as that, the weariness of a 6-day work week is lifted up.

Happy new year.

It's the rabbit year again!

24 years old!

I was very excited when I was 12 years old. I felt special because it was the rabbit year, even though horoscopes always suck for the people whose zodiac signs falls in the same year.

But now horoscopes are out the window, and being 12 years older, it's not so special this year.

I think when the next rabbit year comes about, I will be depressed.

Oh wait. I already am.

Happy new year "tu" you!

The Japan Diaries- Prison

After seeing the review on the hostel we were about to go that it was a "prison", we were a little worried. However, the hostel had proper beds and there was a room just for the 5 of us, so we decided that it was going to be alright.

And well, we were truly grateful for the place, as compared to the one we had pre-booked. However, it was indeed a little like living in prison. Here's why.

1. Because the hostel is right above an office building, it is closed at 11pm. Any guest who don't return by 11pm gets locked out.

2. The bathroom is closed at 10 (if I remember correctly). We had to return to the hostel by 9pm just so we can bathe before we sleep. But the silver lining is, we don't have to pay to shower.

3. All guests have to get out of the hostel by 10am every morning, so that they can "clean up". The earliest time guests can return is 3pm. So we were up by 9am everyday.

4. There is a PA system within the room which we stayed in. At 7, 8 and 9am, it makes announcements regarding breakfast, and/or having to vacate the premises by 10am. Wakes me up every single day. It's better than our alarm.

5. There is a female receptionist who looks stern enough to be a prison warden. She scared the heck out of us, even though she never really did anything bad to us. She did, once however, scold really noisy kids. (Which we were grateful for because those kids were being nuisances)

And so, for the 7 nights that we were in that hostel, we would be in the streets of Tokyo by 10 in the morning. But it's alright, since we're all bathed and about to fall asleep by 11pm. I can't really remember where we went and what we did in Tokyo in sequence, but I can remember the sound of the PA system. Which liked to repeat the message quite a few times before they gave it a rest.

It was still, better than having to sleep in coffins for the night though.

We also felt that we were never more thankful for the abundant flow of water in our showerheads.