the omg-im-done-with-assignments moment

"I think you all M&M students quite extreme ar...its either ur super free, or super stressed up!"

she couldn't be any more true. it seemed like not long ago the Marketing & Management (M&M) students were gallivanting down the corridors of Metro...swinging our little handbags, with our very very free hands, whilst the Accounting & Finance (A&F) students struggled under the weight of 4-5 PhD looking text books.

hell, it seemed like not long ago I was just stepping into the walls of Metro again after my long summer break, starting those Grease practices, wishing i'd be done with the semester in an eye blink. well i guess my wish came true...sorta...

this semester flew by. like wooOOOOSH! haha...this must be the busiest semester i've ever had in my Metropolitan life. unless something grander can top acting/singing/dancing in a student production, catwalking down the concourse area in a tube dress at peak hour, popping buttons during a very very public event, getting the whole Ms Metro thingy and running fitness weeks during the next semester, i can safely say this would be the most happening semester i'd have.

anyway, i am finally done with all my assignments, thank God. what seemed like impossible feats were once again done in mere hours on the night before they were due. yes yes, i never learn, i know. but i have to say given a second chance i believe i would've placed more effort into the Strategic Marketing paper. that was one assignment which i truly feel i hadn't put in much.

now im in my parents' room because my granddad and my aunt are sleeping over tonight. why??

coz im going to Chiang Mai in a few hours!!

so yea...thats basically the main element of this post la. see you all on Sunday!

perspective of time

i am...

2 group assignments and 2 individual assignments

approximately 3000 words

4 nights of sleep deprivation

approximately 20 hours of computer screen rays exposure

approximately 5 hours of temporary blurred vision

a few mouth ulcers and a couple of pimples

away from my holiday to Chiang Mai...

Inspire me

Motivation to finish the semester quicker...

God let there be hot men on the beaches of Langkawi

yes, i'm looking forward to a new set of hot wheels

and manageable hair...

Please inspire me...:)

emotions

most people think i'm tough. i don't blame them. it's a front i work very hard to put on - Girls are strong, women are as good as men, tough independent female yadda yadda...

truth is, i can be an emotional wreck. sure i dont cry at the movies, nor when my friends threw me a gigantic surprise party. i don't sob at farewells or at graduation days. and i most definitely do not cry over heartbreaks and boys. these things just don't make tears roll down my cheeks.

but i'm emotionally weak. i cave under immense pressure. like the time Fitness First decides to tell me that they haven't a clue what i was talking about when i phoned them on the day they were supposed to come and give a group x work out. i was this close to bawling my eyes out right there in the student department in front of all my friends. thank God for deep breathing.

and i have little drive and will power. like the countless of times i went to sleep with plans to work out in the morning, only to snooze my alarm 3 or more times before deciding to just switch it off and sleep in. like the countless of times i give up halfway just because something went wrong and i already don't like how it's going to end up.

and i always always always avoid confrontation. if i were unhappy with someone, i'd avoid having to deal with that person. i don't like sticky situations, so the less complicated things get the better, even if i end up on the losing end. i make a terrible salesperson because buyers can manipulate me easily.

and i was a cry baby growing up. i'd cry when i forget a routine at my gimrama competitions. i'd cry when i think my family doesn't understand me. i'd cry when i get a terrible haircut even. i'd cry at little petty things and drive my entire family up the wall because of my endless laments and unreasonable demands.

but i've come a long way from that person i used to be. there are times when i was proud of myself. like how i am pleasantly calm and collected about my disappointing 15km run yesterday morning. or how i no longer slam doors and throw fists when i screw up a performance. i've learned to laugh along with others when being laughed at. or how i have endured 3 years (almost) of business studies against my will. to be honest, i still don't enjoy the subjects i study, but i'm starting to see the benefits of it. and i love the friends i've found. :)

so in many ways i am still naive and immature, but in more ways than 1, i am more mature. i'm yet to find a movie that would make me cry though. and a guy that would too. haha...

No, Karen, running a fitness week is not a form of training!

i guess you can tell this morning's New Balance 15 km run did not go so well. i knew the moment i heard the alam ring at 5.30 am. my dad claims it is the law of attraction. because i filled my head with negative thoughts in the morning, thus, the outcome was nothing short of negative. i supposed it could be that. or it could be the fact that i was immensely out of training and i have been rushing in and out of the house, having group discussions, and interviews, and the occassional mamak sessions. either way, i could feel the tiredness in my legs and the steady decline of my fitness level.

I had gone to the race course feeling a little weary, but i assumed the competition adrenaline would spur things up like it always does. so when we were flagged off, i ran alongside Sam at my normal pace. I did feel as if we picked up our pace several times but i didn't feel the heart burn until after the double hills. After that i could barely talk between my panting, so i slowed a little. Upon reaching the 7th km or so, i gave up. I told Sam to go no, while i slowed to a brisk walk.

I think i walked a good kilometre. I did feel a bit defeated but it was something I kinda expected. At some point Daddy overtook me, and although the temptation to "save face" was strong, i let him go on la. I was pretty worn out by then. After walking a fair 7-8 minutes or so, i decided to run again. I slowly overtook all the people who ran by me when i was walking. Catching up with Sam would be a miracle, so i aimed for the next best thing, catching up with my dad. Which i eventually did, but it wasn't that easy too.

I came in at 1 hour 33 minutes, which is a good 10 minutes drop from my best 15 km time. Can't complain la i guess. I am disappointed with myself not for today, but for the past weeks...for not having enough determination to pick up my trainers and run. Better race next time..=)

***

Since i promised Kelvin to promote his event in Singapore, here goes...

There's a race this weekend called Legs and Paddles. It involves running and canoeing. Or you can opt to just run 10 km. Details here.

My Visual DNA

What's YOUR visual DNA?

whether i need you or not...:)

when grey clouds hover above my heador rainy days strive to keep me in bedwhen assignments seem too much to bear

or will power have gone through wear and tearwhen tears threaten to roll down my faceor hope disappears without a tracewhen the day's too long to go throughand i could use a laugh or twowhen home feels a little too small to live inor my room feels too big to sleep inwhen there's a need for limau aisin the sweltering weather that we despiseor if the cold starts to send the shiversand there's a need for warm cotton sweaterswhen you know there's something i wantbut would never dare wear it in the sunwhen dress sizes seem to stand in the wayor flight schedules just fill up your daythanks for all the times you make my daywhether your efforts were a little or a lotthanks for being there for me anywaywhether i need you or not...:)

more photos

let me let go

i can't stop. i just can't. i thougt i had. it went well for sometime. now thoughts of you seem to cloud my head again. cloud my thoughts, my judgement. seriously, let me let go. i need to...

***

my legs are so strained from this morning's RPM and BLT that i find myself wobbling down the stairs. now I know how weak my legs are. hm...

the birthday post

How did i turn 21?

through a series of fortunate events! no seriously...i had a blast!

It doesn't matter that my turning twenteen-one (yes i'm not done being a teen), lasted from thursday midnight till saturday morning. It doesn't matter that my friends actually allied with my parents to surprise me in my own home with such a fool proof plan that they sure fooled me. It doesn't matter that I had my school mates, my lovely RSGs, my kawan-kawan OB and my college mates together with me for dinner. It doesn't matter that I went up to Genting in the wee hours of the night, and came down in the wee hours of the morning.

It doesn't matter that i slept till 12.30 pm today, catching up on all the lost sleep throughout the week.

I had an amazing time turning 21! I felt so loved. Oh and i have the coolest birthday presents this year. :)

The best part of turning 21, is that instead of feeling older, i feel a whole lot younger! Like little-mermaid-slippers-and-balloons-and-shiny-tiaras younger! haha...

*cue* awwwwww.......

no, seriously.

anyway, i'm 21! :)

p/s: will post a full report with pictures once i get my hands on them...

Keith the 13 year old...

On the day Keith turned 13, unfortunately, i was pacing up and down in the Student department trying to fix something which went wrong due to some imbeciles who shirked responsibilities and punished me by doing so.

So when we went out for dinner in Windmill Restaurant, one of Keith's favourite places, i was pretty drained and wasn't really in a talkative mood.

Anyway, it is a milestone in life worth jotting down...

13. when i was 13...i guess the biggest change in life was switching from boys-got-cooties to boys-are-everything. it was the transition when i no longer hated guys but rather started ogling at a few. and i suppose the most major event in my 13th year in life was when i became a "girlfriend". haha...
Keith is now 13. For all i know, girls at school will no longer look at him the same way they did in primary school. For every girl he interacts with, there is a probability that that girl thinks he's all that. and if i were a 13 year old girl right now, i'd totally date Keith. He's the fastest runner in the afternoon session! :)
well, here's wishing my baby brother a happy 13th birthday! may he find this transitional event as exciting as i did when i turned 13. :)

Red Hill Biathlon & Triathlon

Biathlon: 800m swim, 5 km run
I was initially really afraid of the 800m swim. I wasn't afraid that i'd drown, because i was pretty confident i can finish it. I was just afraid of coming out last from the water. But for what it was worth, I had a whole lot of fun splashing in Uncle Chan's "drinkable" lake water. And also for what it was worth, I did not come out last.

I did however, lose my way mid way. I had decided to pull a stunt by swimming a few strokes of my very very newly acquired knowledge of front crawl. I thought i was making good progress, because i really felt like I was going faster. But after 10-15 strokes, i looked up and saw everyone gone! i had to do a 360 degree turn to realise that i have swum off course. Lucky for me, i didn't go very far from the race route la...so didnt lose out that much. :)

The running i managed without issues i guess. Running had always been the leg i looked forward to most. So no matter how tired i was i'd be ever grateful that i finally get to run. :) The sun was merciless, but I guess after a while, you just get used to it. I hate the smell of sun block enough to not apply any. I know, skin cancer.....

ren, eugene, adrian

I clocked about 29 minutes for 800m of breaststroke and 28 minutes for 5 km running. I couldn't have done it any better, so i'm pretty satisfied. :)

jackie, chew wei, mei juan, ren

Triathlon : 40 km bike, 10 km run
I was once again, too chicken to take on an Olympic Distance, so relay it is. My excuse? I didnt get my duathlon fix this year. So i'd have to make do with this. :)

The day started off pouring at 6 in the morning! Yes, I believe certain parts of the brain shuts off when it starts to rain. It's like a natural antidote for insomnia or something. The body just responds to rain by getting even sleepier. but i digress...=)

I tore myself out of bed at 6.30 am. Then we all cycled in the drizzle to the race route. Because we were staying exactly 2.6km away from it. Don't even get me started on how small the little matchbox they stuffed us into was.

swim start, see how the pontoon was tipping over!

My swimmer was Mr Tee. Who fed me durians to fuel me up the night before. Let's just say my bike was the last one on the relay race rack when i finally got to cycle. :) Cycling the Colnago Dream was just amazing. Like Uncle Peter said, one can really start dreaming about it, if not on it. The ride was smooth. The hills were managed easily compared to when riding my Giant. When the meter went past 12 km I felt a moment of relief. Because I only managed 12 kms in A Famosa. haha...:) Anyway, the entire route was only 34 km.

The run, was once again, in the hot scorching sun. But perhaps my skin was already burnt to a crisp. So i didnt really feel the heat. I did, however, feel the ground underneath me feet, a sign that i should get new shoes! yay! =) I dont know if it was really 10 km. I hope it was.

I clocked 1:16 for the 34 km ride and 54.06 for the 10 km run. And i'm blissfully happy. :)

chew wei, ren, christina, mei juan, not sure what's his name, not sure what's his name, hui jean & uncle alex with the flags behind...

Thanks to Andy, Sue and Chiat for putting up with me in the car. Thanks to Chew Wei, Mei Juan and Hui Jean for the company in the room. Thanks to the others for the laughs. I actually enjoyed this tri thoroughly this time around. :)

click for more pics

Bye Lou!

My entrepreneurship visiting lecturer from Curtin Perth is uber cool. The 3 days he spent here were nothing short of enjoyable. even the 5 hour lecture today from 8-1 was fun. :)
I wish all my lecturers were like that...sigh...

I'll be in Bukit Merah tomorrow! so when i come back i'll let you know how my 1000m swim go...:) see yaz!

*Blooop Blooop*

Today i went for my first swim lesson. I know what you're thinking.

"Karen can't swim? How the hell does she do tris?" or "Then how did your shoulders grow so wide?"

The former i can answer. Contrary to popular belief (assuming majority think i am some hyped up obsessed triathlete) i actually really suck at swimming. And i have never done an Olympic Distance triathlon. I have been a sprint triathlete since last year. I never swam more than 500m, and that i complete with breaststroke only. But not for long. For i am aiming to do an OD in July during the PD triathlon. :)

The latter, unfortunately, I'm just as clueless. I have been mistaken countless of times to be a swimmer and it is achingly embarrassing when I say I can't swim for nuts. I'd like to believe I was born with broad shoulders. But i think the occassional rock climbing and the throws and leaps i've done in my past gymnastics live have contributed to it. Some people think it's nice, some people (namely myself) think it looks like a piece of ply wood. But owell...:)

Anyway, back to my first lesson. I'm taking a stroke correction course. My instructor is May Ang. And today, for 60 minutes, I kicked and kicked and kicked like i've never kicked before. I kicked with a kick board. I kicked while holding the wall. I kicked while swimming with only one arm. and i kicked while twisting my head above the water every 5 seconds. I swear my legs are so sore i feel like i've just run 21 kms.

But i think i've learnt to stick to my streamline now. May didnt really say anything. But I'd like to believe I've improved quite a bit for my first 60 minutes. Because I can now MOVE when i splutter around in the water. I used to make tidal waves without moving an inch.

So 1 lesson down, 11 more to go. I'm on my way to claiming myself as a triathlete!

p/s: with this one lesson, i am going to do a 1000m swim in Bt Merah this saturday. God bless my legs. =)

Metropolitan College Gala Night 2007 @ PJ Hilton

Because someone said the previous post sounded more like a grammy speech rather than an event report, i've decided to write an actual report.

The day actually started with Cassandra and I walking to SizzaMagic because they wanted to get our hair done. This was at 10 am. I know, why do we have to set our hair so early right? Because we've got a super uptight schedule that day which gives us only an hour of "mingle with friends". Anyway, the hair dressing itself took almost 3 hours. Thank God i've got all my bags packed already, so all I had to do was go home and get them. But i had to drive 2 other girls there, and they were still getting their hair done at 2.15 pm, while we were expected to be in Hilton by 2.30 pm. We missed the lunch college treated. sigh...

camwhoring in the car waiting for the girls

Since we were already late, I managed to pick Shakti also. We finally reached Hilton at about 3.30 pm, and started rehearsing. The stage was pretty small, and the backstage was dodgiest i've ever seen! After chomping down 2 sandwiches at 4.30 pm, we were hurried to the hotel rooms where we changed and got our hair touched up and make up done. Being a performer consumes a LOT of time. It's not easy being a diva, i tell you!

At about 8 pm we shooed out of the hotel rooms and into a little hall just outside the stage where they kept us till it was time to perform. The Grease play was a major success! I think everyone truly enjoyed it! There was a lot of laughter and applause so we must've done something right :)
After the play, Ronald came backstage and started yelling "Mr & Ms GO CHANGE!". Cursing the bad scheduling, i rushed to change out of my 60s outfit and into my dress. Then cursing all the way down the staircase in my heels, i hurried to the bathroom and then to the banquet hall where i literally ran across to where the Misses were standing as fast as my 3.5 inch heels could carry me. I was the the first one to go out and my heart was pumping like mad! The other girls looked gorgeous and Emily was simply stunning. They were all radiant and bright. I was suffering from mild gastric and sweaty palms.

i look like she-hulk next to the slim and slender nominees...

Then the MC announced our names. I walked up with Alfred. He looked pretty confident. We strode around the VIP table and alnog the red carpet. Seriously, walking on the red carpet has a rather dizzying effect. The flashes from the camera, the smiles from the people around. No wonder celebrities take such pain in making that one walk the best walk of the entire evening.

Back on stage, the girls were whispering amongst themselves. I wonder whether they do this at pageants. I was too jumpy with nerves to join in the conversation. They announced Mr. Metropolitan first, and Sean got it. No surprises there, he was pretty much the favourite all this while. When it came to Ms Metropolitan, the MC stalled and started asking everyone who it should be. The crowd literally roared "Karen!!!" and then he asked "Why should she be Ms Metro?" and someone yelled "Because she's the man!". what the....

Anyway, when the MC (which is Landslide, formerly a member of Poetic Amo), announced that the Ms Metropolitan title was mine, i was seriously stumped. I'm not just saying this out of humility or humbleness, but i was seriously stumped. I was so sure Emily was going to win it, and to be honest, I was so sure I was going to be disappointed. So when I heard my name, I was in utter disbelief. Then an even bigger surprise stumped me further when Khoa shows up next to me with a huge bouquet of purple lillies! Yes yes, Khoa's my hot Vietnamese, if you should know. My dear friends were sweet enough to chip in and buy me flowers!:)
Everything after that was a blur. I had wanted so much to sit down and eat, but the moment i got off stage people ambushed me with cameras. Not that I'm complaining la. It was my 60 minutes of fame. I stood and smiled and hugged and thanked so much that when i finally sat down to have a bite, i lost all my apetite. I ate only a mouthful of rice and 3 prawns.

So the after party started at A&W drive in which was right outside. I scarfed down a regular coneydog combo! :) Then we headed to Decanter @ Hartmas for some scotch whiskey and beer. I honestly found that to be the best scotch whiskey i've ever tasted. :)
The night ended at 4-ish in the morning. Joey stayed over, but before we launched into girly sleep over pillow talks she was already so gone. haha i thought i was supposed to be the drunk one. *shrug*

memories of the night are still lingering in my head. who says you need a date to make a night memorable? all you need is a bunch of your favourite pals.