Wit’ The Flo’

July 6th, 2010 § 2

Last week, I was at Wavehouse at Sentosa to have a go at their Flowrider machine which is basically this -

And yes, we all fell like that too although I’d like to believe that I’m a lot more stable than that after one or two attempts. It’s insanely fun but on one of the attempts, possibly when I tried to jump, I fell awkwardly on my shoulder which strained my neck. It’s a week and I can’t look up properly when I’m standing up and my neck feels very tight, though painless when I look to my right. But this is definitely worth another try though because look at this vid:

Will bring my cam the next time.

Reading Garbage

June 29th, 2010 § 0

I just got started on this graphic novel. It’s graphic, alright. And edgy. I like it so far!

Meanwhile, Back on Earth

June 29th, 2010 § 0

Passe Passe has *finally* decided to return my emails so I’ll be getting my glowballs replaced soon.

I’ll also be getting contact balls from somewhere else. It’s all good fun except I’ve seemed to have lost a bit of skill with the isolations.

Hearing, Not Listening

June 29th, 2010 § 0

I finally found some time to finish The Night Listener by Amistead Maupin, a rainbow-flavored novel about friendship, love and faith. I’ve read most of his books after being impressed by Tales of the City more than 10 years ago. There was nothing remarkable about the book – mere accounts of everyday life of a group of people strung neatly into a full novel – but it was decidedly bitchy and deliciously trashy. Maupin, if you aren’t familiar, specializes in gay fiction and Tales was a refreshing read because it didn’t shy away from the gritty, ugly issues that gay people are dealing with, from death to insecurity to love. It had all the elements of a soap opera and that was what made it easy to read.

The Night Listener though, is quite definitely the last book of his I’ll be reading. It’s apparently been adapted into a major film too but this is one of the worst books I’ve read in a very long time.  If anyone had needed further proof that Maupin’s a one-trick pony, this is it. The book’s formulaic, self-glorifying and downright ridiculous at times. I also find it very disturbing that while reading some of the worst bits in the book, it occurs to me that Maupin might just be reminiscing about some of his real-life experiences which would definitely explain why some of the events are completely random and doesn’t advance the plot.

I’d have thrown the book away but thought it wasteful since it *is* a book and it’s only been through some 2 hours of reading. I had intended to just leave the book on a bench somewhere but gave the book away instead.

Utter rubbish and a complete waste of my life. I’ll cleanse my brain of the filth with Confessions of a Shopaholic soon.

Cameraderie

June 28th, 2010 § 1

Here’s my new toy. It’s an ultra wide angle toy camera by Superheadz which presumably comes in limited quantities. It’s even got a name – clover san – which doesn’t make much sense but hey, it’s probably in the name of cuteness. At 75g, it fits comfortably in my palm and from the viewfinder, it seems to have a bit of fisheye effect. I’ve now a roll of film in it so I’ll update when the roll’s expanded.

Happy!

Will probably bring this to Mongolia.

Sign on the dotted lines

June 25th, 2010 § 0

Stupid moment of the week:

I sent out some forms and a check by post because I couldn’t endorse them electronically. I went to the trouble of printing the forms, then buying stamps and locating a post box just to send them out.

First, I got a call saying I forgot to sign the forms.

Then I got a call saying I forgot to sign the cheque.

…

I’ll be resending them tomorrow.

Online Shopping Part 1

June 23rd, 2010 § 0

It all began one glorious morning, where it occurred to me that I wanted a hat with a feather. There’s plenty of good to be had with hats with a feather in them and plenty of fun. I mean, if you had a hat, wouldn’t you too want a feather in it? This led me to look around for Brixton hats because Brixton makes such pretty hats that would actually stay on your head if you were riding a horse.

But I ended up getting one without a feather because the ones with feathers look uglier. I have my own bag of feathers at home so all is well.

And then I bought that Nixon belt I mentioned some time back except in bright orange which I thought was red (it looked red online!). The belt’s made of rubber and the buckle is plastic which is very practical and great for jumping into the pool with if I had a swarm of bees chasing after me. No more rusty belts!

Stay tuned for Part 2!

Where Did That Weekend Go

June 21st, 2010 § 0

My arms hurt. They hurt like crazy. And my shoulders. I thought I’d wear something sleeveless today so I would have larger armholes to free myself from when I bathe but no, it doesn’t work that way. I think I look like I go to the gym more than some people who actually hit the gym regularly.

I think I’m going to go lie down.

New in the Neighborhood

June 21st, 2010 § 0

There’s recently been some construction work done at my place. For some reason, they built this sheltered area beside the lift landing, tidied it up by building a ramp so the disabled won’t need to mount any curbs THEN decided that that’s too easy for everyone and hence build a metal barricade.

It’s fair though – now we all have to make a detour to get to the main path whether we’re on foot, in a wheelchair or in a pram.

Mizuno Mount Faber Run 2010: Post-mortem

June 18th, 2010 § 0

Last weekend, I did the first 10km run in recent memory, possibly the first of the year but I might be wrong. It was a 10km run including a 1-2km hill portion (again, estimated, I might be wrong). I did this run last year and finished in 1:13 according to this post here. This year, I clocked 1:09:59 (less than 1:10!) which means I’m maintaining my speed and stamina. It’s a good thing because I’d be quite screwed for Monguni otherwise.

I actually felt really lazy this time round. Waking up at 5:30 in the morning is definitely not natural. I had some water, started the run and felt stitches on my right in the first kilometer. The prospect of walking 9km more proved motivational so I pressed on to run til at least the bottom of the hill where I’d probably not want to run up it anyway, pain or no pain. That was at the 3-4km mark. So I walked up the hill and overtook some of the slower runners. The downhill bits were fun but gravity proved a bitch to my toes and I ended up with blisters. I’d blame that on my socks – they’re too thick and abrasive.I’ve taken a liking to my Nike Frees. They’re slip-on shoes and are light and flexible. Running flats with them is a good experience but downhill was a bit straining on the heels because they’re not as cushioned as my previous Asics pair. I do feel that they’re building up my ankles too although it might be purely psychological.

Since I started running again, I’ve been recording my mileage and speed with the Nike+ iPod device. It failed me for the first time during the run, recording nothing for the first 15 minutes, then recording a shorter distance thereafter. It might be due to the battery running low but I’ve only used it for (according to stats) 20km so it’s an awful shame if that’s the case.

I guess the next 10km I do should be done in an hour flat. I’m keeping to a semi-regular running schedule which is a good start. It’s a good way to train up on endurance and fitness in a short time but I think I should also start getting some upper body training too so I don’t kill my back eventually.

« Older Entries

Newer Entries »