Hee. Just thought I'd blog about some rather mundane things today. Hi there, I wonder how many of you actually read the posts. Please leave a comment so I know you're there. Anyway, let me share with you what I did yesterday. After school ended at 1230, I took a bus (actually its two if you know) to orchard road to meet my mom at shaw centre where there was an Isetan private sale. Gosh, there were so many people going in. The throngs I tell you. Inside it was really crowded, people would be brushing pass you, rubbing against you, hitting, bumping into you. I was rather annoyed so I decided to bump back after a while. My mom and aunt were there. They got lotsa Clinique cosmetics (actually it was my aunt who got the most) which I saw them taking out after. My mom gave me a bottle of mascara and body butter that came in a small package I suppose, that you get free when you purchase a certain amount of cosmetics. They were dividing them out, there was lipstick, lipgloss and some other cool stuff. I smelt the mascara. It smelt nice. I had an exciting time at the jewellery and accessories section where I spent most of my time admiring all the things I never had the time or bothered looking at. Pearls, brooches, bracelets, earrings. I kept looking at them. Sometimes the salesgirl would say would you want to try it on? And i'd say yes. Then she'll help me put it on and she'll ask whether it was to match with a dress. I said no. But after a while I got tired for that and i said yes instead. There wasn't much change in their response. Oh well. I got quite alarmed everytime I realised the necklace I was trying on costs well over one week's allowance. Sometimes its over two weeks and my heart would skip a beat and i'd just take a quick look and ask them to take it off. I liked this pair of black pearl earrings but i decided in the end it would look better if my hair was brown. So I didn't get them in the end. My mom surprised me. She asked what i was looking for and I said a pearl necklace. So we went around 2 or 3 counters looking, trying on the pearl necklaces. Mom! Its over 100 dollars! Expensive... But she went about like that was normal. I got to know a little about pearls cos my mom loves asking the salesgirl questions. There are freshwater and semi-cultured pearls. And pearls don't like perfume and sweat. Liquidy things. The amazingly perfect spherical ones are actually made from grounded powder. I took a fancy to the light pink ones. There were the usual whites, and some pretty darker pinks, and the artificial-looking dark greyish, and the horrendous other colours I shall not bother mentioning. My mom would look for light pink pearls then she'd talk to the salesgirl. I would be gazing around then my mom would suddenly pop in and ask me to take a look at some pearls. They were oddly shaped I said. Weird-looking, because all the pearls I'd ever seen were so.. round. But as i tried them on and took a look at the mirror they looked fine. The salesgirl was pretty good. She said they looked more fashionable (though I cringed at that word because that would mean it wasn't my type) because of their irregular shape, that they were more natural because this was their real form, taken from the shell i guess and not shaped from powder. They were chemically treated so they don't mind touching perfume or water. It was either that one or the other more expensive one (you know how I keep my eyes on the pricetag). Thinking how my mom might be getting a little carried away with this, I said (when the salesgirl wasn't there to hear. Though I realised she was just behind me after a while) these are expensive, you actually want to pay such a price for this? But my mom kept harping on the 30% storewide discount. Expensive as they are you'd never be able to get them at such heavily discounted prices. I felt bad. As I always do when my mom pays for something expensive. You know she even wanted to get a pair of matching earrings for me. Anyway, I said she'd have to wear them too, I mean, she's paying for them right? Hee. We got 40% off the necklace. And an additional 3% discount from the Isetan store card. Man, I didn't think I'd be one necklace richer by the end of the day. I played around with the necklace when I got home. I really liked it. The best part is that the clasp is so easy to take out and clip together. :) Thank you mom. I didn't think you'd buy something like that for me.
I want to see Martin again. I wonder how he's like now. Don't recall much but he's probably the first friend I'd made. I remember he lived at the house right at the end of the street. Used to go there everyday I think. I'm not sure. I remember woody wood pecker, his mom, the balloons in his room and how the whole lot of us were supposed to use tennis rackets to burst them but I didn't quite fancy the idea of bursting balloons. I don't remember anything about him which is pretty strange. I wonder whether I was a friend or just that girl down the street who played at his house. I don't think I said goodbye either, though I can't be sure about that. I know his name's Martin. I wonder where he is now, what he's up to. Just curious perhaps. Wish I knew..
If you could take my hand
Take my hand.
Cos i don't know how long i can keep it there.
Let us hold on and not leave the other behind.
If only you'd be willing to turn my way,
and take this chance. I know things will take a turn.
So hurry up, open those eyes.
My hand can't be there forever.
I want to hold on to you,
through the storm, through the rain, through those rocky times.
Never let go even when i bleed.
But you gotta give me your hand.
Let me know i'm the one you trust.
So take my hand,
don't turn back.
Look forward, and we'll conquer this madness together.
Hey mate. Physio must be really tough on you so hang in there. I'm sure once you're able to hit the courts you'll find the strength and vigour to play great tennis. Looking forward to seeing some explosive action in your next tournament :)
Taken from maratsafin.com14.09.05
Marat is so determined to get his knee better and play again - he is working on it everyday from 8am to 12noon. Now for those who know Marat well - that is quite something! Marat does not like getting up early and even his management are amazed at his dedication.
09.09.05 Marat Update
Marat had his consultation with Dr Lohrer on Monday in Frankfurt and his first session of treatment. He then went to Moscow to attend the funeral on Wednesday 07/09 of his friend Leonid Nerushenko who died tragically on Saturday in a motorbike accident. Understandably Marat was very upset by the death of his friend and as he has been away from home so much lately, felt he wanted to stay near to family and friends. It has been established that the same treatment is available in Moscow so Marat is happy that he can stay at home and continue his treatment. The course covers 5 hours a day of Physio, shockwave treatment, gym and massage and will last 5 weeks.
Therefore it is anticipated that all being well, Marat will be fit for the Japan Open in Tokyo on 3rd October.
We will keep you informed of developments. This is a very hard time for Marat dealing with the death of a close friend and his injury and knowing he has so many points to defend. So keep him in your thoughts - he needs all the love and support of his fans to help him through this difficult time.
I went to the gym in school today and didn't bring my towel. Running at 7.1km/h on the treadmill i thought i could run forever. I don't know if they call this the runner's high or maybe its just a case of running so slowly that the pace seemed manageable but i went on for about 25 minutes, the longest i've ever gone feeling so relaxed. I want to run again! Maybe this time i'll try going on for, uhh, 40 minutes! I've never found this much pleasure in running >:D
It has dawned on me that i need to become more capable. Stronger, in another sense of the word. I came to this notion after reading the Prince of Tennis 12. Ryoma's being in my understanding. I think i know what sort of person he is, and i want to be something like him. In the face of overwhelming odds, nothing really matters except your will. Being unfazed by the external, and totally in tune with the internal. What prevails in the end is your passion which will surpass whatever's in the way. The amazing thing is his outlook on things which ultimately derives from his passion within. Me, i'm not very able. I can't even multi-task. Give me a little bit of pressure and i break down. I need to get better. I need to subject myself to greater forces that will stretch my limits, tear me down, heave me against a wall and break my bones so that i can stand up stronger than before, and take beatings twice, three times as hard.
Oh and btw, if anyone has the time, go create an account at threadless.com and vote 5$ for this design. Its just the best thing i've ever seen in a long time. I'd kill to have one of these.
Hey
I knew this day had to come someday. But i chose to put it at the back of my mind everytime something more interesting came by. I didn't want to think about it. The day, despite bawling madly, i'd have to hand you over. And now, it's time. I haven't thought of what to say or do. I tear, not because i'll see that empty rug and miss you in the days ahead. Its cos i worry of where you'd be going. None of us have been there before, none of us know where that is. But don't worry, i'll pray hard. That He will take you to someplace more magnificent than you could imagine. Maybe you'd get to see Momo! I hope you'd be smiling, laughing, dancing paw in paw, rolling around, sprawling, having fun. Having so much fun that you'd forget about us, that this place ever existed. So don't run away anymore, we want to give you a proper burial. Don't dwell on the things that are to come in this world, instead i hope you'd embrace all the wonderful things that are coming your way in that place where kitties go when its their time. We love you and wish the world for you. The Lord be with you always.
Ask a s2pid question, get a s2pid answer. I'm thinking of the time when we were all getting ready for the choir farewell. All the individual sections preparing gifts for their respective juniors, the painting of the wooden frames which we were going to give the teachers. I think those were one of the few times i really enjoyed being with the choir. Our choir had that certain chemistry sometimes. I just know that people would wanna be in the choir if they knew the fun we had as the 2005 batch. Anyway, we were all at the north lodge painting frames, taking photos, making a lot of noise, eating, drinking, talking about totally unrelated things, opening windows and calling peoples' names then ducking. Lianglin's suggestion for the manufacturing line: certain groups doing the same thing. Like one group of people sticking all the black paper on the board of the frame, one group painting the first coat of paint. I just found it amusing at that time the way he called it manufacturing line. Then people were picking up the frames and sticking their heads within the frames and taking photos of themselves.. like hello? we're supposed to be painting here.. Haha. I can't forget the moment when Grace and Lianglin had their El Grito whistling duet. All of us were so amazed and we tried to add in the missing sections. Aww, but none of the altos knew how to whistle. Josiah tried to be the bass but he couldn't control his whistling either. Then when the guys left to rehearse the song they were gonna sing for the girls the next day (which was really nice :>) it was me Grace, Joyce, Mindy left to do the details on the frames. Ok, but all this had nothing to do with the first sentence of this post. What i am actually referring to was the day when i had to lug around that paperone box that had the alto junior notebooks in them. They each had the same lovely quote from Aristotle in them which i really liked. Anyway, i was going into the library and the librarian auntie saw me with the box and she asked whether there were kittens in there. Naturally, i answered yes. Which gained me a rather bewildered look from the librarian herself.
The exams ended rather abruptly. I was still studying til the wee hours the night before so when the last mcq paper ended, it felt a little weird. All of a sudden i don't have to study anymore! Thats good i guess, but its bad also. Because all this while i've been charging ahead, head buried in books and all. Now that there's no need to do so, its like i've lost any reason to live anymore. Today was a wasted day because of this. So much free time but yet i don't know what to do with it. For these next few days, or even the week ahead, i want to just severe connections with anything outside and just live in my own world. I want to have a conversation with myself. It has been overdued far too long. Like an empty shell that watches the world go by, it pains me to see myself like this. It hurts when i can't define who i am. Everything i've had to let go so there's really nothing left. Just need some respite for the soul. Please try to understand.
