run Zo run

Distance: 10km
Time: 47 min and 51 sec
Position: 52/232

At first, I did it only for fun, not caring about placement. But once I figured that I actually run as a representative of the school, I decided to run as quickly as I can.

The 1st proper run was just few weeks back, after I got back from the brief Cro visit. Though I swim basically every day, I haven't run at all in the few months before the run. And so it was rather crazy to set a goal of keeping up with marathon running colleague, even though he said that the run was only a recovery run for him as he just ran a half-marathon few days earlier.

First 5kms was nice and easy; the last couple was a real struggle accompanied with a, now funny, in-between-ear conversations about stop-cannot stop... I give credit to the ego for not letting me stop, and finish 25sec behind my marathon colleague. As far as I can remember, this was the most exhausting physical thing I ever did... - nothing left in the tank - nice...!

From NP running

Paid holiday - ctd

It still feels like a paid holiday, I (still) like it...

My new contact kicked in from the start of this month. When I got back from Thailand holiday, it was nice to see the bank account balance after the 4 pay-checks have been payed in at once (including 3 months of gratuity at the end of the first contract).


CONTRACT NEGOTIATION

For all that negotiation fuss, I got the new mattress, and a choice to fly to Croatia instead of to Australia. Also, few hours of 'scolding' by the school Director and 'black listed' myself, so that, IMO, there is higher possibility of snowing in Spora, then me receiving an anther contract extension come next February/March.


LIVING ARRANGEMENT

I got news that I would be getting two flat-mates. One would have been ok, two - not acceptable. Having been accustom to the freedom and comfort of living in the huge 3-bedroom apartment by myself, and having an opportunity to host visitors, I didn't like the idea of having to share it with two fresh Princeton graduates. Though we might become the best of friends, I still prefer if they live the next door. So I'll probably end up moving out into an apartment in which an air-conditioning does not work, and a possibility of having to share it with students - it's about possibility vs certainty: a student/s might come for a semester, roommates are confirmed for one year.


NEW LAPTOP

Couple of months back, as though Santa heard me, I got one of those two-core, w/ 1G of ram (most ppl got the newer model with 2G of ram - so much for Director's favorite slogan during 'scolding' of 'we are all equal'). Though, I was pissed at times with the slowness of this current machine (which I am still using in the office, as I haven't registered the new one which I am now using at home) ...all of a sudden, since I got the new one, I got much more patient with the old one - guess convenience/choice of having two machines must of had something to do with it.


CURRENT TASK

Currently, I have some tasks in preparation of the teaching materials for the next semester.

Though most time (should be) is spend on the RFID project for the coming 'Open House'. Projects objectives are: tracking the movement of potential students around the facilities, and correlating students' showing at the Open House with the eventual student enrollments. Also, to enhance students' experience and help with the management of the event.

In addition to this, I am exploring the possibility of using Second Life to teach OO concepts.


NEXT SEMESTER

-Teaching
It starts on 15th October. I'll be again teaching OOAD2 (Object Oriented Analysis and Design 2) and a new subject for me, Project Management - both of them have over lapping content, also they share the dryness of Sahara.

-Competition
Together with Patrice, a colleague, leading a team of three students to a Java programming/strategy competition at NTU - virtualXgame; and problem solving by writing an algorithm at NUS - algoMania. Team name is Machinegun; with a motto, coined by JackKee: 'for truth and love, justice and hope; for the future' ...!

BS Father

Here Napoleon Hill summarizes his lessons in 7 minutes. No need to spend time and money on all that other hippie-happy BS materials as they are all - mainly just - repackaging the same ideas that he 1st published back in 1937.

You like it, but it's still bit confusing. No worries, here's the elaboration of the main points from the book - bullet format, simple...!

Ps: As I have mentioned before when writing about The Secret, I would not be surprised if my religious friends out there might say that they know of an other book(s) which far out dates Napoleon Hill's one - I would love to hear your comment on it - again, this is (only) a personal perspective.

Pessimism to Opptimism - in seconds

Last night, the net connection was not working down here in the lobby. System message was that my lap top's IP was not registered - thought they changed some settings while I was in Thailand, and that reason is behind the fact that I have not registered my new lap top yet.

Now, got back from dinner, and this is my in-between-ear conversation:

- [picked up the laptop] going down only for a while to check the mail/news
- no point going, the net doesn't work down there
- only one way to find out
- if it didn't work last night, it's not going to work tonight
- what's the point of NOT going?
- Pessimism...!

Mama visit

Mum got paid out at work (i.e. fired) so she decided to pay a visit to a family and friends back home in Croatia, including a stop over visit on the way there, and back, to her precious (i.e. moe).

Back in mid July when she first got here I gave her my - now, a very custom and routine - tour of Spora. And for her way back, I decided on something lazy, somewhere in SE Asia. Since she broke her leg on her second day back home, the resort on Lanta Yai, near by Krabi, in Thailand, turned out to be a perfect place for a week of rehab - pool exercises.

Unlike first time in Thailand, when I travelled around with my sister, this was a great week of resting: lots of sleeping, having chats with Mum and reading the book. Looking back at it, my Mum's attitude and spirit during the holiday was very impressive, not just because of the double fracture on her right ankle - one of the worst broken-bones type of injuries that have rather long and uncertain recovery; but even more, when taking into consideration the attitude of the environment in which she was brought up , and her own history with it.

zivilaDraga...!


Ps: I meant to say '...visit to one of her precious' but it just didn't sound as good - sorry Yogic :)

Sunny skies

I like the mix of tasks that currently take up my time:
To learn and balance them better - to schedule better - is still a work in progress...

every day in every way...!

Beautiful Ours...

Croatia...!
-by Hrvi:


Summer in Croatia, 2007