Life is either a daring adventure or nothing

S$19.00. That was how much I spent on these 3 pairs of thinner thickness ankle socks in preparation for the marathon. Why do I need these new pair of socks? ... Because last year I ran the marathon with my thick pair of socks and it felt really uncomfortable. I concluded since then that thicker socks prevented my feet from "breathing" well and my feet would be in danger of getting blisters with bonus of becoming "HongKong Feet"!

Previously I talked about the importance of goal setting to finish the race well. Now, in every battle, we must learn to have PROPER PLANNING; just like buying these socks! Don't just be blindly setting goals. We must learn to sit down and plan ahead realistically how we should go about in achieving the goals set out! So what are some things that you want to conquer in the new year ahead? Is it doing better in studies? Or wanting to pick up a new sport or adventure? Set the goal to achieve and list down plans on how to reach these goals.

Goal setting shows us the end point. Proper planning enables us to reach the end point!

Gosh! Check out those wobbly legs from last year's marathon and you can guess how tough it was...

1.5 weeks to 42KM marathon and counting down.... *gulp* Read more on this article...

Last year, I took 6 hours 5 minutes 23 seconds to completed the gruelling 42.125KM marathon.. During those 6 long hours, walking has NEVER EVER been that painful before. Even plain water taste like ice cold coca-cola man!

In 2 weeks time, I am CRAZILY gonna take on the same challenge of the marathon once again! This time round, enhanced by the 100KM-fast-walking skills imparted two weeks ago, I am SETTING A GOAL of 5 hours 45 minutes for myself. It's time to get those flabby leg muscles into royal rumble action once again!

Goal setting is important.. It give us a vision of where we aim to be or what to accomplish. A famous author once wrote, "Without vision, the people perish." How true it is.. when we do not have an end in mind of what we aim to achievement, the entire journey become laborious and purposeless. We won't be motivated in anyway and it will be a matter of time before the thought of giving up becomes reality!

5 hours 45 minutes.. join me in this enduring conquest either by running with me, cheering me on, or maybe feeding me with bananas along the way! Read more on this article...

One week ago this time, I am psyching myself up for the 100KM walk. One week later today.. I am preparing myself mentally for the 73 storeys climb up Swissotel on Sunday. I don't want to underestimate this challenge after the 100KM incident... But so much so for preparations yeah?

Am I prepared for this event?
Hmm.. Mentally and emotionally, Yes. Physically, Not really.

What prior training did I have?
70KM walk last Saturday and Futsal game in 12 hours time.

Previous vertical challenge record?
22 storeys climb up to my house unit in HBD block.

Gosh! Why am I constantly pushing myself and straining my body for such physical challenges???

I guess I am wired up this way, always learning from experience. Pushing my physical limits always teaches me about perseverance in life. I share with many youths about the importance of perseverance and not to give up so easily when we meet obstacles in our lives. Talk is cheap.. now I am putting my words into actions and setting the example. Life is NOT like computer gaming where there is a RESTART button to be pushed as and when we like.. But it is about persevering through and developing character through the process.

Don't always focus on the end result.. It is the process that matters more! Read more on this article...

After my previous post that I sprained my wrist in an SMSing frenzy, I have been receiving alot of SMS, Tags on tagboard, phonecall and even in my office... people are either sympathizing with me or laughing at me over this crazy "accident"!

There was one really funny comment made by a youth...

Youth: "Hey.. better take care of the wrist, else broken already, you will become like Yang Guo (杨郭) in the ancient HongKong martial arts drama 'Legend of the Condor Heros', where he lost one arm!"

EeJay: "Wow! If I am Yang Guo, then where is my Xiao Long Nu (小龙女)??? I have been waiting 16 years for her!! (that's according to the drama series). Has she become a 小笼包 already????"

Hmm... come to think of it.. maybe next time my future girlfriend's nickname will be called 小笼包! Read more on this article...

Yesterday I was on the phone with a friend. He's in NTU and busy preparing for his examinations which begins today. This is his first year in University studies and he's all pumped up and excited for his first exams after the past two years of jungle training (NS)...

He was jokingly lamenting to me over the phone, "Aiya... how I wish last time Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) would have burnt away all the books! So now we don't have to study nor take exams!" I am sure all of us would think the same way too each time we take our exams right? haha...

"HOW I WISH...." Wouldn't we sometimes just wish that alot of things in our lives could change for the better? To make our lives easier so that we wouldn't need to stress or worry so much about problems.

Well, if all of us get our wishes.. the world would be far worse off a place rather than a better place. Just imagine everyone becoming millionaires... everyone do not need to study.... everyone having the freedom to do whatever we want. Do you seriously think life will be better?

Our selfish hunger for more is insatiable. Life is not about hardships.. but rather a journey of learning experiences from which we learn to grow in Character and Depth.

[How I wish I was born in a rich family. Looking back, if I were to get my wish, I probably be a spoilt brat by now!] Read more on this article...

It has happened for the 3rd time in 2 weeks! I actually sprained my wrist while SMS-ing! Gosh! As freak as this accident may sound, it's so laughable that I wouldn't consider it a freak accident! Hmm... thinking back, I must have sent about 100 SMS within that 30 minutes span.. to and fro, replying and sending... No wonder I would sprain my wrist!

Sprained wrist or not.. I realised that a common trend amongst the youths nowadays is that they are highly becoming socially handicapped! They have become experts in online conversations, flowery words (both vulgarities and good words) & icons via the SMS and sharing all their emotions and ventilations on blogs and forums! Yet when engaging in real life conversation either in one-on-one or group settings, he/she becomes totally incapacitated, as if they have locked jaws!

Just imagine few years down from now, children will not be talking with their parents. They communicate online. One in the living room, the other in the bedroom. How sad is that?!?!

Internet and modern technology do offer us new ways of communication, but DO NOT let technology handicap us that we even lost our basic human touch and communication skills! Else we would become just like ROBOTS! Read more on this article...

Today while on the bus back home, I overheard a conversation by a bunch of JC students. What caught me wasn't the details of the conversations, but rather the language used in the conversation. I kept hearing.. "What the **** lah!"

I was shocked! Vulgarities seems to have become a norm for everyone! How come everyone is using it like nobody's business??

We may not see it as something big, probably just a way of destressing or ventilating our emotions. But BE CAREFUL! Today when you get angry, you let loose and vulgar words fly out.... In future, when we get so used to vulgarities and never exercise control and restrain, the thing that lets loose when we get angry would be our fists, throwing punches like a lunatic and getting into all sorts of trouble.

Funny? May not happen to you? Think again... check out some famous soccer celebrities whom didn't know how to exert self control or anger management...

Example A: WAYNE ROONEY punches a soccer player in the eye after a provocation about his girlfriend.

Example B: ZINEDE ZIDANE headbutted Marco Materazzi in the World Cup Finals 2006 and was red carded.

Example C: PAUL GASCOIGNE beating up his wife in the period when he was slumped in alcoholism.

CONSEQUENCES: Shame. Famous for the wrong reasons. Disgraceful.

The same thing can happen to us too. So think twice before you blurt out any vulgar words. Learn to exercise self control. It will do you alot of good in the long run.

You dun need vulgarities to have fun! Read more on this article...

2:16AM... After 18 hours 36 minutes 46 seconds and a gruelling trail of 70KM... It was finished. Our team decided not to continue with the 100KM walk any further. Soaked wet from rain, severe muscle cramps, spasms in the back, injuries and blisters forced us out of the walk. We decided it wasn't worth pushing ourselves further with risk of damaging our body further. So we dropped out....

But I was really proud of my entire team! Considering we were totally unprepared both in terms of knowledge, equipments and training for this walk... conquering a massive 70KM on foot is already an amazing feat!! No joke man! But we will TRY AGAIN next year and conquer it!

That's the attitude of a conqueror, demostrating perseverance right? NEVER giving up in anything until we succeed! A hero lives to fight another day!

Up next... Swissotel Vertical Marathon this coming Sunday. 73 storeys and 1336 steps... HERE I COME!!!

[Photos are in the midst of compilation and coming soon! Stay tuned!] Read more on this article...

In 5 hours time, me and 4 of my friends will begin on our crazy journey of 100KM! Our survivor kit: Water, snacks, sunblock, umbrella and our mouths geared up for whole lot of crapping and talking along the way to motivate us!

Sembawang => Kranji War Memorial => Bukit Batok Nature Park => Kent Ridge Park Carpark => Delta Sports Hall => Singapore Indoor Stadium => Bedok Reservior Park => Serangoon Secondary School => Seletar Camp Gate => Sembawang

If you are free, drop by any of these check points to support us! But do give us a call to check on our location first! 100-Plus, Chicken Rice, Bubble Tea..... We welcome them all too!

Will we give up and drop out halfway? Or will we defy all odds and conquer this 100KM? Watch out for more broadcast on Sunday night... Read more on this article...

[Reported LIVE from Bukit Merah...]

Did I get to try out CounterStrike today? => Yes

How long did I play? => 5 minutes

Huh? Why so short? => Because I kept getting killed!

Experience with CS today? => The pistol is lousy. It's hard to simultaneously control the mouse and direction pad. I get dizzy by looking at the computer screen. And how come the enemy doesn't die when shot all my rounds aimed directly at him?!?!?

Conclusion? => Maybe I should just stick to MapleStory.......... Read more on this article...

Today I was on a recce trip in Pulau Ubin, to check out a hiking route for an upcoming youth adventure in a month's time. Guess what? This must have been my 10th trip to Ubin this year! Think I only came once to Ubin in the past 26 years of my life! Well, cycling, hiking, camping... I have conquered almost everything in Ubin just this year... except swimming in the quarry! keke..

Just when I thought I had seen it all in Ubin... check out this spectacular shot I took on a high cliff overseeing one of the quarries! I have never been to this place before, but thanks to my buddy Chriz whom was with me on today's trip... Beautiful right?

My strangest encounter in Ubin today was when me and Chriz slept at the jetty together with wild dogs while waiting for the bum boat ride back to mainland! It was late morning and there weren't many people wanting to leave Ubin. And the bum boat driver insistently would not leave unless there were 12 passengers! Bored and with the Z-monster catching up with us, all we could do was to stare blankly at the three wild dogs having their afternoon nap! Gosh! Dogs are having a better life than us! We joined in the nap for almost 45minutes before leaving Ubin. (When you can't beat them, you join them! haha.. *joking joking*)

Simple lifestyle and relaxed pace in Pulau Ubin... A total contrast from our daily lives back home, in school and workplace. Today's trip was not really an adventure quest, but it did help me appreciate life, nature and creation much more. Life is beautiful! Woohoo!!! Read more on this article...

Well... so much talking in the past months about wanting to learn how to play computer games, daring to try new things...etc Today I finally get my hands down to trying to play a computer game........... MAPLESTORY!!!!!

So now I understand a few things.... "Z" = Pick up item; "C" = Attack; "Spacebar" = Jump. Armed with these basic keys and of course the direction pad, I stepped forth on my virgin encounter into the Maple World. After 5 minutes of walking to and fro, slashing some snails.... I managed to UP 3 LEVELS! And just when I was basking in my mini achievement, I saw a youth whose MS character is LEVEL 70!! (check out her sharing at cwcexperience.blogspot.com) Diaoz....

Am happy with myself that I tried something new today... "Noob" or "Newbie" as I may be, but it's ok. My sense of achievement comes from the fact that I stepped out to try something new.. and NOT about gaining higher level in virtual character.

Now that I have killed snails and stomped on mushrooms... What's next? Maybe next round I should learn how to play COUNTERSTRIKE or even D.O.T.A! Those games sound more exciting!

Watch out for my next blog series.... "Chronicles of EeJay: Mis-Firing in CounterStrike"!!! Read more on this article...

I was sharing a session on "Dangers of Online Strangers" with some youths today. And I shared one of the best kept secrets of my life with them. I bet this secret even most of my close friends never knew..... *eerie music playing in background*

In my secondary school days...I used to have an "online girlfriend" via the mIRc (Internet Relay Chat) and we "dated" for a month. Every night we would have our scheduled "date" at 8PM and we would chat for almost 2 hours, sometimes stretching to 4 hours! However, my fantasy turned to disaster after that when my "online girlfriend" became an "online shark" that would keep pestering me to lend her money because of some family problems. After some advice from friends, I "broke up" with her. I never chatted with strangers anymore. Gosh! Now as I look back, I would never know if this "online girlfriend" was a HIM or HER?!?!?!

So be careful with whom you chat with online... DO NOT chat with strangers and DO NOT disclose any personal particulars. By disclosing your school, level and class... You have just allowed this stranger to narrow down from 4 million people to 40 people.

So think twice before you accept any strange conversation with strangers online. He/She may just be wolf in sheep's clothings. Read more on this article...

"My dream is that I will become the Prime Minister!"

This was just one of the many similar answers which the Thai students gave when I asked them what was their dream job in the future. I almost choked on my water when I heard this answer, because my first impression was that "It's impossible!". But soon I realised that out of a class of 24, almost half of them wanted to be the future Prime Minister or some influential person in Thailand! This is no joke already man!

There may be many various political reasons for these 15 year old youths to want to dream such adventures. But one thing that struck me was that they were not afriad to dream big! When I analyzed their behavioural profile using DISC and shared with them some insights on how to tap on their strengths to pursue their dreams, they were captivated.. as if this was the first time somebody actually believe in their dreams and told them it was achievable! I could vaguely see tears welling up in some eyes...

How about us? Do we also dare to dream big? Or have we allowed logical thinking, past failures or overwhelming life circumstances to shatter our dreams?

Successful Entreprenuer... Doctor.... Lawyer... Engineer... Teacher... What do we dream to be in future? The road may not be easy, but it is not impossible. Dare to dream BIG!! Read more on this article...

"Sawasdee-krup...." *Courteous hand gesture similar to the picture, and a sweet smile*

Comparing that with the "Oei!!!!", "What's up Brudder!!" kind of greetings that I always use in Singapore... I was a total 180 degrees change in Bangkok man! All of a sudden, I have transformed into a gentle and mild toned mr nice nice guy! I was struggling and half laughing at myself during the short cultural immersion briefing conducted during my first day in Bangkok, thinking to myself.. "This is so NOT me!" But I flowed along and as the days went by, I got accustomed to the gentle culture, greeting the Thai friends and students in such gentle gestures.

Strangely I thought to myself.. how come I am not as gentle or courteous back in Singapore? Many times I can just "Oei!" at my parents, or even hang up on phonecalls without saying bye... Courteous and polite when with friends, yet at home I give my parents quite a cold and nonchalent attitude, taking for granted that just because they are my parents, it's ok to treat them with lesser courtesy and politeness.

Wrong! I feel like a two-faced monster! Am determined to improve on my relational attitude with my parents. Family should be a place of warmth and security, not cold and loneliness.

PS: Maybe I should try doing the Thai greeting to my parents and stun them! =P Read more on this article...

This is the usual traffic flow in Bangkok, near the service apartment where I was staying. When we travelled to the school, this would be the typical traffic that we had to "conquered"!

I remembered on our first trip to the Assumption School for orientation, the driver told us the distance was an estimated of about 5 minutes away. And guess what? For the next 45 minutes, we were stuck in this crazy traffic. There was nothing I could do but just shut my eyes and take a nap.....zzzz....

Through this experience, I really appreciated our transport system back home alot. At least we don't have to get caught in crazy traffic jams everyday where 5 minutes became eternity.

Indeed, human are such strange creatures. We only learn to appreciate what we have when we experience or see things which are far worse than our current situations.

Let's learn to cherish and appreciate whatever we have today.. be it family, friendships, things that we have...etc. Don't take things for granted! Read more on this article...