the talking zebra of uzbekistan

The Final Bray

2009-09-11T08:00:00.000+08:00

Jerome the verbose zebra takes his curtain call. He trudges along the chain of evolution (hopefully in the right direction) and transmutes into a talking monster on insectosaurus.blogspot.com.

I thank all who have been following this blog, and also apologise for the scant updates ever since work began in earnest. I am leaving this old site behind because talking in the form of a braying zebra gives me schizotypal tendencies, and I want to try something new, in the form of a talking monster, which most people attest I bear close resemblance to.

Besides making frequent references to my unmistakable overbite, I hope the new blog will be as refreshing to my readers as my recent life changes have been. As cliched as this may sound, but a new journey truly awaits, because my ORD date beckons, and I now begin life as an A&E trainee, amongst other exciting commitments. Quarter-life crisis hadn't been easy (everyone goes through this right?), and I guess the best way to go through this is to share my thoughts with my readers, hopefully learning a thing or two from you guys in the process!

Cheers, and see you guys at my new home. =)

WORK is a 4-letter word; and it rhymes a little... ahem

2008-10-27T09:01:00.004+08:00

close to 3 mths since the last post, only because work has been piling up and there is no time to clear it.

realised i hadn't really gotten even 1 day's break in 6 months, where i can wake up at 10am and lounge at home or walk around town for the day. even though i have taken 1/2 day off it still means work in the mornings, and often time work spills over and the 1/2 day off technically becomes 1/4 day off and therefore meaningless in offering any form of rest. life cycle now is pretty much work, train, work, train, more work, and more training.

had the opportunity to travel to 3 different countries, though it is all work-related, and frankly, travel can be quite stressful with all the packing and unpacking; even more so if you are there for serious business, with your boss. though my boss made it as pleasurable as possible.

then had to waste energy dealing with random fires and conniving egomaniacs who spread half-truths and do nothing but sow discord, for agendas that continue to baffle any human being with a sensible amount of maturity. wow. felt so good typing this out and lifting it off my chest.

work continues to increase and the recent or imminent changes to office and team only means more work and stress. i seriously need a break, but i don't see any opening where i can just take leave and have time to myself. still biting on tight and hopefully work can proceed smoothly.

ave Q and snow white coming up. let's see if i manage to get leave surrounding these events.

The silence of the zebra

2008-07-16T22:56:00.003+08:00

It's been 2 weeks since the last post.

1 word best describes what happened following the exhilaration of June race.

Busy.

Capital B.

Naturally there was no time to blog or even put a status update for Facebook.

Pardon me.

YAWP!!!

2008-06-30T20:12:00.013+08:00

Jerome had a fruitful weekend. Singapore Dragon Boat Festival was an incredible experience, and he believed his team-mates had similar sentiments. The race was intense, but it was only sweetness when we charged to the finish line through the heats, through the semis, and then the finals. The last charge gave an incredible high. It was a potent cocktail of endorphins and adrenaline.

"Ready for last charge!!!!"

"Ready!!!"

"3... 2... 1..., go now!!!!"

And who can forget the "Any sweat?! NO SWEAT!!" routine during one of our heats. Anyway, Jerome is glad that everyone in the team had a good time, judging from their smiles during the group photo. We took third in the finals, a powerful encouragement for us to do better in future races.

Short post. Cos too many emotions involved. Too difficult to put into words. So I'd rather keep it short and sweet.

(-_-)v

3-point turn

2008-06-26T21:57:00.004+08:00

ONE
Yesterday was the team's last gym training session at Kallang. On the glass door was a notice in a cheerful yellow hue, ironically emblazoned with a somewhat poignant message that suggested that gym entry will be free this week because it will close down for good on Sunday.

Many of us hold dear memories of the Grand Old Dame. She had her heydays when Singaporeans would descend in throngs to support the national soccer team and decorate the stands with shades of white and red. The Kallang Wave swept the entire stadium into ecstasy, and the Kallang Roar resonated with passion and pride. Today, the Old Dame takes her rest. The stands are cold, wet and silent. Drab grey walls are a far cry from the iridescent colours that lined the structure during National Day. Yet, this should not be a sad moment. Instead, we should look forward and herald a new era of our sporting arena, an era that will inject fresh, youthful energy to our burgeoning culture of active living.

It was the last chance to break my personal best on the ergo, but I messed it up and fell short. The team showed its playful traits again as we scrambled from station to station to take our parting shots in the gym after training, including crazy poses of various team mates tackling incredible weights or synchronising their ergo stances. Dinner again at Old Airport Road where discussion was naturally about the coming race and the race line-up. Jerome will need to start visualising his race sets so that he can focus better when the day arrives. He can already imagine the adrenaline-charged atmosphere at the start line, eyes focussed on paddle, are-you-ready, attention!, and the air horn... (to be continued)

TWO
Race issues aside, Anon (as the anonymous philosopher who leaves poetic comments calls himself) is now beginning to challenge Jerome. He has left a total of 8 messages thus far. The last message was particularly provocative:

brayed jerome the zebra,
"tell me who you are"
as he sought to make headway
against anon's wiles and ways
but poor jerome he did not get far.

Contrary to what Anon believes, Jerome has already gathered a few clues on his true identity.
1. Anon leaves messages in two main time frames: 11pm-12mn, and 4am-5am
- this suggests he is either a nocturnal animal or someone who is not in Singapore
- if he is not in Singapore, he is either Jerome's overseas friend or someone who happens to be overseas
2. He has quite a good command in English, using words like "wiles", "forlorn", and appears to rhyme pretty well in an effortless way
3. He said, in his seventh message, that "in case you forget, I ain't finished yet" and used one of Jerome's smilies (-_-)v which may be lifted from his post "Happy Feet" following his reference to a certain persona.

Interestingly Jerome has a strange feeling that not all 8 anonymous posts were from the same person, because some of them have glaringly different language styles.

In any case, with the clues above, Jeromes has generated a list of differential diagnosis involving 6 identities.

Jerome will now wait for Anon to strike again before he flashes his arrest warrant.

THREE
Talking about "arrest warrant", Jerome is naturally dismayed when he heard news about a Singaporean clearing our local customs with a wrong passport. It's the third mistake from the Home Team in 6 months, and the word "complacency" is now overused and turning somewhat vulgar in newspapers and radio alike. Considering thousands cross our customs everyday, and this being the first case of its kind, Jerome remains confident of the competence of our Home Team. He is glad the authorities are transparent about the matter, and he looks forward to process reviews and system improvements that will preserve the safety and security of our nation and her people.

Public announcement over.

Thank you all for reading this rather self-indulgent entry. (o_0)"

Happy Feet

2008-06-22T23:14:00.002+08:00

Jerome realizes that he has been blogging a lot lately, though many of his recent entries have been devoted to sorting out his career priorities. Of course there was that episode about the mysterious philosopher, and if you have no idea what Jerome is braying about, check this out. Anyway, the philosopher has quietly faded into the background, in the same insidious way he appeared from nowhere to leave his first poem.

The coming week will be a hectic one.
2 x PLAB calls
1 x RT cover
1 x appreciation dinner
1 x carbo-loading dinner
Possibly 3 x papers to table for next CSM
And of course, 1 x June race

Jerome hopes his small boss clears him for an OFF claim this Friday so he can rest and sort out various errands before the June race this weekend. If big boss is reading this, maybe he can leave an “ok” in the comments page also. (-_-)v

During this trying period Jerome finds an good avenue to channel his depression into positive energy by plunging himself into training and thinking of nothing but DGB. And this clip from Matt Harding, which Jerome has put on repeat for 5 times, lifted his spirits. He loves happy faces, happy places, and happy feet.

On a side note, Sis bought Lego Indiana Jones and the Original Adventures PC game during the PC show last weekend, but Jerome only had time to complete 2 levels. Admittedly this one seems a lot harder than Star Wars because characters are brand new and do not have special abilities that are as intuitive as the familiar galactic critters. Jerome will probably look into the game again next week when he has more time.

Otherwise, Jerome shall now head to bed and fantasise about his own round-the-world trip, leaving his mark with his very own quirky dance steps.

Go speed racer!

2008-06-22T00:18:00.007+08:00

Today was exciting. After training some stayed behind at Bedok Reservoir to catch Hydro Sapiens, though strangely the water body remained quietly vacant at 1930hrs and the show was expected to start in another 30 minutes.

Anyway Jerome went off to Tampines Mall with SS instead, and finally got his haversack and sandals! Hopefully the footwear doesn’t abrade his skin again. BW, who happens to be an army regular, came along for dinner at Fish and Co. Haha I remembered him for his original and self-deprecating humour last time at Bugis Junction’s Swensens. He was kind enough to give us a treat though it's only my second encounter with him. What’s more, I got a ride back home on his bike! Haha. Helmet on, paddle bag slung behind my back, and off we went! I was practically smiling the entire journey home. The rush of the wind on exposed skin, and the howling echoes in the helmet covered ears, were invigorating. And it was the first time I could experience what squeezing in between cars was like! Hair was still standing on end after the ride, not because of jitteriness, but because of the constant gusts of wind while on the road. A little uncomfortable, and this makes me want to get an Adidas windbreaker for Dad when his birthday comes up in a couple of months.

Catch me if you can!

After being through A&E, Jerome knows very well that biking is a dangerous way of travel. Yet, not everyone is able to afford a 4-wheel drive. More often than not, bikers are middle to lower class workers who pretty much just want an independent means of travel without busting the bank account. And biking is tough. The exhilaration from the cold winds will probably wear off after the 3rd journey down the same expressway. And they have to brave torrential downpours and negotiate slippery roads when the skies get angry. Jerome still remembers a time with COE for bikes is only $1, and now it is well above $1K. Owning a vehicle is getting prohibitively expensive these days. Rising fuel levels, agonizing jams, and exasperating ERP charges continue to burn motorists’ pockets and intimidate Jerome as he takes his first step towards car ownership. The onus is now on the relevant authorities to improve public transport and encourage more to adopt this environmentally friendly means of travel. Initiatives, such as Iris and increasing peak hour train frequencies, are a good start. Here’s looking forward to more improvements on our public transport system, and smoother traffic on the roads.

On a side note, Jerome doesn’t mind another bike trip to stimulate his senses again! (-_-)v

Paradigm shift

2008-06-21T00:01:00.006+08:00

Bro rented Pleasure Factory, a movie which generated quite a lot of talk when it came out with an R21 rating last year in Singapore. Inspired by true stories, Pleasure Factory gives a tender look at the reality behind the openly secret and suitably colourful world of prostitution in Geylang.

Jerome has always wondered why anyone would offer something so personal with such nonchalance along the streets. Every night, the red-light district bustles with a curious air of eroticism: ladies dress provocatively and flaunt themselves at beer-bellied, middle-aged uncles, and the latter return approving looks before both parties disappear into the dimly lit rooms of unnamed hotels in intimate pairs.

Oddly enough Jerome had such a conversation with Coach a couple of weeks back when Coach drove the zebra through Geylang to get to the nearest MRT station after gym training. Jerome pointed at the scantily clad ladies and asked, with probably an over-righteous tone, why anyone would demean themselves with such a job. The consensus of this brief discussion was that most of them must have heart-wrenching stories to tell; stories that explain why they were forced into this unpleasant predicament. Those who sell their dignities for the sake of branded apparel probably make up only an insignificant minority.

Indeed, Pleasure Factory looks beyond sleaze as a commodity and exposes the raw emotions behind 3 of such “pleasure providers”. These people do not derive enjoyment from their brief encounters with strangers from the streets. It is, but only, a means of living. They are after all still human, and they seek true love, a relationship based on mutual trust and understanding, and not one motivated by lust or shameless lechery.

What made Jerome weep was the story of a prostitute mother and her daughter, the latter whom was initiated reluctantly into the shady business because of unfavourable family circumstances. As a busker croons the heartrending lyrics from月亮代表我的心, the mother looks forlornly at her daughter. She didn’t have to speak. All her emotions have been rightfully represented by the lyrics.

你问我爱你有多深，我爱你有几分。
我的情也真，我的爱也真。
月亮代表我的心。

They hugged, with tears in their eyes. A simple scene carried by an old song, but demonstrating the powerful, fundamental emotions of true love.

True love comes in many forms. Besides the affection between a mother and her child, Pleasure Factory delves into the emotions between an uncertain teenage army boy and his fellow buddy, a scene that was unfortunately removed from the DVD so that it can be distributed with a sanitised M18 rating. (Found out about this after checking out some forums.) Jerome shall not gripe too much about censorship here for it will warrant a separate post in itself.

Jerome now understands the industry along the streets of Geylang better. The next time he heads down for 豆花, he shall not scoff at the lonely figures loitering at hotel lobbies anymore. Instead, he will try to empathise. Jerome is using “try” here because, after all, it is a paradigm shift for him.

Truth be told, after the movie, what puts Jerome off are the ah peks with alcohol breaths who saunter down the streets with lustful smirks on their wrinkled faces, and hang around Yangtze cinema to fantasise on movie posters of meaningless R21 screenings.

Yet, ironically, they are the ones who drive the industry.

This world, if you hadn't realised, is full of contradictions.

Turtle power

2008-06-19T00:01:00.003+08:00

He-who-should-be-named-but-unfortunately-still-doesn't-have-a-name continues to taunt the herbivorous zebra, who, without fangs and claws, is unable to issue any threatening stance on this matter. There is a "Da Vinci Code", "National Treasure" feel to this recent development, and Jerome will continue to monitor this closely with his trusty sidekick, known to many as the Laughing Hyena of Tanzania.

Back in the Seregenti, Jerome is getting progressively anhedonic for reasons he is unable to fathom. Too many events have happened around here, and the verdant plains that used to reflect a brilliant emerald sheen is now overcast in a depressing grey. Eclipsed by billowy clouds that portend a thunderstorm, the sun fails to spread its cheerful glow to those who inhabit the plains. As Jerome munches on his leaves, he feels the piercing cold of a merciless gale.

The downpour began.

Cold and wet, Jerome stands motionless, with precipitation beating forcefully on his striped back. He wonders if things can get any worse.

As Jerome ponders amidst the howling wind and pattering rain, he experiences an epiphany. Without rain, the grass will not grow, and the river will not flow. Without wind, the plants will not pollinate, and winged fruits will not fly. Pain is sometimes necessary, and can be a rite of passage.

Trudging along the muddy landscape, Jerome releases a lazy bray. He is thankful for all the kindly advice and concerned messages he has received in recent weeks. His depression now is probably just a phase of grief. If all goes well, the next step would be acceptance.

Didn't mean to spread the despondency. The zebra is merely trying to rationalise his thoughts in words and see the meaning behind all this.

As Master Oogway wisely opined, "There is no coincidence. There is no accident."

Jerome just has to believe in himself.

Curious-er, curious-er

2008-06-17T20:19:00.007+08:00

In a move that may have been lifted entirely from an episode of CSI, Jerome seeks the identity of a mysterious person who listens to the talking Uzbeki zebra.

He left a comment in Jerome's article "In short", saying:

"Jerome may have found his home..or he's already home? or looking for another?
He likes adrenaline, who doesn't?
Bang, whoosh, yippee...by a herd of sweaty zebras sending iron birds into the sky..
Tom, tom, splash splash, yippee.. by another herd, in cool shades and cooler gear
is it adrenaline? or is it the need to feel belong..
Jerome is looking for his herd...a herd where he can make the difference.."

Iron birds.
Cool shades and cooler gear.
Jerome understands what this mysterious poet has to say.
It resonates in simple harmonic motion.
The zebra brayed, urging the artist to reveal his true self.
Yet, after the Master Oogway quote from yesterday's article, the elusive listener left another stealthy note:

"mystery is as mystery be..
mysterious as tomorrow will be,
not yesterday, and not today,
the present...is history.."

Curious indeed.
He has gathered several clues in the process, yet all his confirmations have been unceremoniously disproven.
Jerome wonders if this mysterious listener (who shall now be referred to as He-who-should-be-named) will leave another mark tonight, ala Zorro or Puss-in-boots.

The zebra awaits his Eureka moment...

Expressions

2008-06-16T21:15:00.008+08:00

Jerome had a long day yesterday. Small race at Bedok, and we made a clean sweep in all 3 events. Honestly this is nothing to shout about, since the other teams were recreational. Interestingly we were accused of fielding students. Considering we were a team made up largely of working adults (one of them even has a son already), we were naturally flattered by their accusation.

*blush*

Kungfu Panda in the afternoon at Grand Cathay, and met JL who is now back from Taiwan. Movie is slapstick but entirely enjoyable, although the Monkey (Jackie Chan) hardly spoke. I wonder why. Next movie outing is for Get Smart. Ironically I will probably leave my brain at the box office for this.

*grin*

GSS. Jerome needs a haversack, a pair of sandals, and to save up for a Taipei trip. LK has expressed interest in joining the excursion. Cool.

*ka-ching*

Jerome has made his career decision known to his boss, and he is glad his boss made him feel comfortable about it. Yet while Jerome thinks he has bravely placed his right foot forward, he couldn't help but feel uneasy while reading the latest issue of Pioneer, which carried a showcase of 3 regular officers and their careers. Will the step he has just taken lead him to where he wants to go?

*frown*

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.
That is why it is called the present." - Master Oogway, Kungfu Panda

I wonder.

*zen*

Silent but effective

2008-06-14T23:40:00.004+08:00

a little frustrated during training today.
unable to perform to my expectations. and obviously not to coach's.
心有余而力不足。
very much want to better my game.
need to train much harder.
june race is coming.
focus...

had a hearty dinner with team mates.
a bunch of fun-loving individuals.
always sincere, always helpful.
glad to have known them.
role models to learn from.

need to tidy up my office.
messy.
descriptors from colleagues include:
"your table looks busy"
"your room looks like a cyclone just went through it"
thanks. but at least I will not deny help.

need to tidy up my room.
messier.
can hardly see my table top.
can hardly see the floor.
looks like jerome needs to learn more from last month's core value.
DISCIPLINE.

spoke about scrabble with EK today.
actually went through the 2-letter list from memory.
only to realise we can't remember certain combinations already.
nonetheless real cool to find a 志同道合friend.

oakley.
cool!
need to get contacts first before buying the shades.

nike.
wow!
need to get backpack cos sling bags are killing my shoulders.

fortunately GSS still happening.
but still broke after last month's income tax payment.
goodness.

pc show.
probably will miss it.
no time, as usual.
small race tmr.
have to clinch it.
maybe kungfu panda will lift my spirits.

jerome realises this lazy way of blogging is, in a certain way, good.
short.
succinct.
efficient.

this is my fastest post ever.

let's see if this trend continues.

Loss

2008-06-12T21:52:00.002+08:00

Jerome looked at the picture posted on ST Online.
A pilot trainee, lost.
Why? You may ask.
But often, there is no reason.
Loss is always painful, especially if they were young with hope gleaming in their eyes.
It reminds us, that life is ephemeral, and to cherish the now.
Who knows what tomorrow brings?

Jerome offers his deepest condolences to the family and friends of Clifton and Andrew.

In short

2008-06-09T12:37:00.010+08:00

the trip is coming to an end.
jerome is heading home soon.
now in Taipei waiting for his flight home.
managed to spend a day in Kaohsiung.
witnessed dragonboat racing, which made him miss his team.
sad. didn't bring camera. didn't take pictures.
watched narnia here; theatres are not too shabby.
ticket costs NT230 = S$11.50, quite ex huh.
show ended late. returned hotel at 0030hrs.
tired. that's why jerome's writing in this lazy way.
the transit here (also called MRT) is new and ultra-clean.
people are generally warm here, though some can be grouchy and impatient.
food galore along the streets, but jerome doesn't want to risk GE and miss more training sessions.
thinks he will come back again. but this time to go taipei city itself and not get stuck in the airport!

there are many stray dogs along the streets.
jerome had a harrowing experience with one.
happily munching his mcnuggets away while walking along the quiet streets at 2345hrs after his movie.
saw a dog lying on the pavement and he actually smiled at it cos it looked adorable while reclining.
the canine obviously saw my bite-sized chicken chunks cos he followed me.
walked behind me silently, no barking, no growling.
and he followed.
and followed.
for a good 500m.
my hair was literally standing.
i grabbed my macs paper bag and folded it shut so the dog can't detect my crispy supper.
fortunately it did not pounce on me.
was half contemplating throwing a nugget at it but i fear more hungry dogs will emerge from the unlit alleys.
i only have 6 nuggets for goodness sake.
so, keep a lookout. either that, or buy a 20-nugget pack.

these 8 days have been eventful.
had a taste of squadron life and made friends in the process.
had a chance to think through career options.
was inspired to better my game after seeing dragonboaters on the river bank.
visualising. going through strokes. crowd screaming. 20-40 starts. long pull. last charge. all-so-familiar.
jerome has a better idea now.
what tickles him.
what turns him on.
what excites him.
the zebra may have found his home.

it's time to move on.

The geriatric zebra, who plays Scrabble

2008-06-02T15:45:00.001+08:00

This entry was started some time back but was never completed because Jerome had too many things in mind. Now that he is slacking off in a Taiwan airport and walked through her 12 souvenir shops with one solid hour to spare, he couldn't help but sit down to complete his post.

Word Play evoked many thoughts. Several posts earlier Jerome alluded to the documentary that described the crossword puzzle culture in the States, through the eyes of top-notch puzzle solvers who complete one in less than 5 minutes and wonder "what's up with you people" if you admit you took a whole afternoon to finish half the puzzle.

Jerome is a word freak since his Scrabble and Literati days. He can easily rattle off obscure 2-letter words like OE (a whirlwind off the Faeroe Islands) and KA (the spiritual self of a human being in Egyptian religion), and tell you the Scrabble ruling differences between USA and Singapore (QI, CH allowed here, but not across the Pacific). He can show off some "Q" words that come without "U", like QAT (a white-flowered evergreen shrub), as well as words containing no consonants at all, e.g. GLYCYLS (a radical derived from glycine).

You might wonder why anyone would accumulate such useless knowledge - like when did you ever see the word SYZYGY (the configuration of the earth, moon, and sun lying in a straight line) - written or spoken? Yet Jerome finds thrill trouncing his uninitated opponents by 300 points in a friendly match. Yup. This zebra has a gargantuan ego that needs constant massaging.

In fact he was so hot about it he start reading tip books and anagramming words around him, like SEMINAR ROOM = REMAINS MOOR. Yes. That's where we all study. And rot in the process.

His penchant in exotic words spilled over to other games, and he was pleased he could complete Bookworm Adventures in one sitting. Then, medical school started to cram up Jerome's feeble mind, and word games came to a grinding halt. Grinding indeed. Imagine the screech and the sparks coming off the wheels.

So now Jerome is sad. He cannot be sure if he still can remember the 96 2-letter words (by USA standard rules; Singapore has 110). He has been losing games to other people. His ego is deflated.

Maybe Jerome is old. He has no more drive. Yet he valiantly logged onto NY Times and challenged a Monday puzzle. He cracked his head so hard, he had to lie down in bed for the rest of the day. And he finished less than 1/3 of the puzzle.

Jerome needs to find his passion back. Maybe he will start with EK, who has admitted she is also a Scrabble freak. Of course there's always GC, who is game for a challenge anytime of the day.

Time to dig out the dictionary!

Touchdown!

2008-06-02T14:42:00.004+08:00

Jerome gives an emphatic "Hi!" to all from Taipei!

Transit flight is going to take another couple of hours, which is why Jerome has time to lounge at an internet terminal and blog.

The day started early at 6am, and it was off on a flight that served raisin rice for breakfast. Argh. Anyway, they were showing Spiderwick Chronicles so Jerome had a chance to re-experience the strange but funny ending.

After touchdown Jerome saw Subway and Starbucks. Boy was he pleased. As he has always alluded to, Jerome's a simple man with simple needs. So a toasted chicken breast sandwich with a cup of hot chocolate pleases his soul like a Happy Meal would to a kid.

Gloomy day here I must say, cos it was drizzling outside and the sky's a piece of drab grey. Anyway this is Jerome's first time in Taiwan and he's going to see for himself what this place is all about, since all that he know is but only from the mass media, which can oversensationalise things a bit.

The airport is pretty boring. Perhaps he should just pick up a tabloid magazine and lounge somewhere else. Hope to blog again soon.

At the same time, Jerome wonders how many souvenir shops one can squeeze into an airport terminal. So far his count is 12. And they all sell the same things. Bleah.

Leaving on a jet plane

2008-06-01T22:41:00.004+08:00

Jerome's exhausted. Last week was a mad rush to clear work before he leaves for overseas exercise tomorrow. Plus he finally got back to training after missing it last week. And he did Sundown! Haha... mad zebra.

Sundown was fun, and literally, cool. Running with a big crowd, and your friends, in the evening breeze along Changi Beach is one great enjoyment. Hopefully Sundown comes back next year (with a better goodie bag please... haha) so Jerome can do it again and better his timing!

Writer's block. Cos Jerome is too tired to lift his fingers and type. He had wanted to talk about today's feature on kids busy during hols with more schoolwork. But he's not in the mood to formulate arguments properly. The zebra apologises.

*Bray*

The week has become a blur. Spent some time talking to A&E consultants to find out more about career options. He is grateful for all advice given by his bosses, colleagues, friends and senior doctors.

Jerome will, on the advice of CH, face the Pacific Ocean when he's up in Taiwan and zen. Hopefully a decision can be made so he can focus better on his tasks. And one of them is preparing for June race. Everyone else on left is so powerful Jerome have to train hard and match up.

Will miss Narnia and Sex in the City cos of Taiwan. Darn. Just when the summer movie season begins! Looks like Kung Fu Panda's next.

Bomb scare

2008-05-25T23:00:00.010+08:00

As described, I had to drag myself out to Millenia Walk to collect my race pack. Booked tickets to catch Indiana Jones so as not to waste my trip downtown.

The movie was bad. I just had to say it. Maybe "bad" is too mild a word. I guess with Steven Spielberg (ET) and Geroge Lucas (Star Wars) helming both director and producer positions, you cannot blame the ending for being strange, weird, and absolutely uncalled for.

Ok obviously I'm holding off the storyline here lest I'm accused of spoiling it. If you really want to know you can contact me, somehow. But you will understand what I'm saying if you have watched it and suffered the 122 minutes like me.

The bright side of this is perhaps my anticipation for the Lego: Indiana Jones, The Original Adventures computer game. Can totally imagine running my Lego figurines through the action sequences. Had a great time with Lego: Star Wars I and II, so I hope Indiana Jones wouldn't be too bad. The preview shots looked great!

The MRT trip home was hilarious. I almost went ROFL. This guy sat down but left his bag of vegetables about 5m from him so as not to block the standing passengers. This pair of teenagers stood next to the bag, thinking it belongs to a Bangla who was squatting in a corner. Well... the Bangla got up and left, and the pair of teenagers kindly pointed out to him: "Hi, your bag." The Bangla motioned "no" and walked away.

Then one of the punky teenager said, to incredible comical effect: "A vegetable bomb!"

Haha... I swear, I almost laughed out loud. But what was amazing he actually started asking the people around him if the bag belonged to them. This, I must say, is the kind of public spirit we need in this stifling climate of fear and terrorism.

Mom was right. Shouldn't have gone out for so long and take in all the "cold air". My myalgia returned, and my nose started to drip again. But maybe it's just because my meds are wearing off. Time for another dose!

Getting sick this weekend is bad timing. There are loads of important work to rush before I head off to Taiwan next week, and Sundown is happening on Saturday. Don't think I have trained enough. Haha.

So boss, er, IF you are reading this (notice that's a BIG if), can I claim Friday off? Hehez... (-_-)v

Sick, miserable, and totally random

2008-05-25T15:00:00.001+08:00

Porridge - the perennial favourite of a sick man.

*Bleah*

Anyway this weekend has been suitably miserable. My head spins, my nose runs, my back hurts. Fortunately there was no rash, petechiae or islands of sparing. Spent the time fixing up my newly-acquired toy, the camera-less Nokia E51, appropriately labelled on the box as a phone for "security-sensitive professionals". Finally. I can ditch the 6510, which by the way has a monochromatic display and is, accurately, so last century. Now Jerome can blog on the move with E51's wi-fi capabilities!

After transferring his entire phonebook into E51 and setting up the MAC filter, Jerome headed down to Video Ezy, only to find that no exciting movies were getting released. He rented Word Play, which turned out to be an interesting documentary on the crossword puzzle culture in the States, pretty much along the same line as Spellbound. It got Jerome excited a bit, and he went online to try out one NY Times puzzle, only to give up after facing such obscurities as "7 down: table scrap = ORT, 56 down: stewpot = OLLA".

And I thought knowing "AA: a basaltic lava", "EL: an elevated railroad" for my Scrabble was nerdy enough... (o_0)"

Well, despite his illness, Jerome will need to drag himself out to Millenia Walk later to collect his race pack for Sundown. Fortunately he got a little better after self-medicating. Paracetamol works wonders, seriously. And since he's heading down to town, he'll be catching Indiana Jones with GC, who politely mentioned that she didn't mind going out with a sick man because she "deals with them everyday". Hmm... a little morbid if you think about it.

Talking about morbid, I removed the foot ulcer/abrasion pic from the last entry because I thought it looked inappropriate and, well, repulsive. I really should refrain from taking pictures of my body parts and posting them online. Hehez. Oh boy am I pandering to my voyueristic self.

Urban legends: the grandmother chapter

2008-05-23T23:26:00.006+08:00

You probably heard about the good ol’ grandmother tale about biting your new shoes before they bite back at you. Well Jerome being the lazy, defiant bugger put on his new slippers last weekend after snapping his sandals during DragonTug. Obviously he did not bite them beforehand. So off he went into the waters of Bedok and Kallang, only to find himself reeling in pain with abrasions over both his feet. As he has previously attested, salt water + broken skin = pain many many.

Even more exciting is the fact that his abrasions were never given a chance to heal as he had to wrap them up in smelly socks as part of his working uniform. Sounds like a hotbed for bugs to grow. Fortunately no maggots were found but his abrasion has sort of evolved into a 1x1cm shallow ulcer with a granulating base.

The weekend is here once again and he stupidly put on the same pair of slippers to head out for supper just moments ago. What the fish! He thinks he scrapped off all granulation tissue already. So Jerome is back to square one with a freaking ulcer and a lousy pair of slippers. Oh boy when can he get his Overland sandals man…

What a fascinating post. Bleah. (o_0)”

Anyway to fulfill the public service nature of his blog, Jerome reminds all to bite their new shoes before wearing them. Real hard. And another thing: believe your grandmother, always.

Do you have other grandmother advice to share?

Sigh. Boring post. Jerome is down with URTI. No energy to think. Otherwise he will be talking about Pedra Branca already. Middle Rocks to M’sia. Hmm… We need to redraw some lines on our side. But RSAF’s access to South China Sea should be ok ba… since Prof Tommy Koh says Singapore Strait is an international waterway.

*Bray*

Hope has a place

2008-05-15T22:11:00.009+08:00

The world is saddened by 2 natural disasters that struck Asia in the span of 1 week.

In Myanmar, more than 38,500 found themselves resting in watery graves. Many more remain thirsty, hungry and homeless as foreign aid - controlled by the iron fists of the military junta - fail to reach the most desolate corners of Yangon.

Thousands of miles north of these flooded plains, Sichuan struggles to extricate her people, and more than 50,000 are feared to have been entombed under slabs of cold, merciless concrete.

Every day the newspapers declare new death tolls and publish photos of bloodied casualties with their grieving relatives. What wrenches the heart most are stories of children lost to the relentless rains, and students crushed to instant death.

On the MRT Jerome saw headlines of heroic tales emblazoned across the pages of our local tabloid. There were teachers who shielded students from tumbling bricks, and a grandfather who continue to smile and cheer on his sole surviving grandson, while at the same time holding back tears from the loss of his dear ones.

Jerome closed his eyes, and allowed thoughts to race through his mind.

Jerome has been living in the sheltered quarters of his island, and the closest he has ever come to a natural disaster was the tremors in his flat during one of Indonesia’s worst earthquake 2 years ago. He counts his blessings, and empathizes with the plight of the survivors. At the same time, Jerome applauds the strength of the human spirit. Heroic tales aside, Jerome is encouraged when survivors overcome their grief and continue with their lives with a smile on their faces.

He remembers vividly a picture he saw on the papers several years back. It was months after the tsunami disaster, and Indonesia has begun to pick herself up and move on from the unprecedented calamity. There it was, right at the top of the page, the most adorable child with a fish in his hands.

(Yes. Jerome cut the picture out and kept the clipping.)

His eyes were gleaming with an innocent glee. He may not fully realize the devastation around him, but he has hope in his eyes. And it is this hope that will carry him forward and overcome unproductive feelings of depression and élan.

"If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jerome wants to give hope to all in Myanmar and Sichuan. Yet, it takes 2 to clap.

Are you ready to hold hands with Jerome?

Yellow submarine

2008-05-12T20:26:00.013+08:00

There is A LOT to say about DragonTug. Fortunately, equipped with his JC skills of summarising entire paragraphs into less than 100 words for 25 marks, Jerome will now begin to tell you, in a calm, stately and succinct manner, what happened last Saturday.

IT WAS THE MOST EXCITING, THRILLING, EXHILARATING AND ELECTRIFYING SATURDAY HE EVER HAD!!! WOO HOO!!! *roll around floor kicking leg in air for 1 minute… wait a minute, this sounds familiar*

The day started off interesting enough.

Instruction: meet at Big Bird Statue.
Result: went to Big Bird Statue.
Observation: nobody, no boats; no music, no crowd. How can this be DragonTug?!

Haha then EK called, apologizing profusely (she’s such a nice Captain…) and directed us to the spitting lion that has a fish tail. And there we were. Music, crowd, tourists, and Starbucks!

First race started our DragonTug experience with one big resounding SPLASH, literally. We trumped Okinawa before you can recount the 12 cranial nerves, and in our euphoria, headed straight for the lion’s spit and ended the wrong way up!

Haha this was the first capsize experience I had ever had and everyone remained all smiles, despite losing a few slippers here and there. After this we got so paranoid of the spit and boat Yellow One that the cox steered way clear of the lion for all subsequent races.

Despite a lull during the afternoon we had great fun with ice, beer, more beer, and ergo, which RG missed the best time by a mere 1 second! Argh… the pain…

(We interrupt this entry with a public service announcement. All athletes are kindly reminded that consuming alcohol of any form is strongly discouraged before strenuous exercise, because it increases dehydration and the risk of heat injuries. Thank you.)

After winning 2 out of 3 races for the Mixed Corporate, we advanced to the semi-finals against USA. The British team cheered us on right next to us and off we went, ahead of USA after 90 seconds!

With endorphins and adrenaline circulating at a HR of >120, we psyched ourselves for the finals. THIS WOULD PROVE TO BE THE MOST MEMORABLE RACE EVER.

The air-horn went off, both boats headed out. Screams and shouts all around. EK encouraging us on as drummer. We whacked the sea water. We sprayed. We splashed. Despite trailing at the start, we inched forward. Then we got close to their boat. Paddles started whacking one another. I was sure I whacked a hand or two (oops…). We pulled away, stroke by stroke. SS stumped side to side to gain balance of the boat. With all the energy and swing our boat was collecting water like a faithful rain gauge would in a thunderstorm. But we were now ahead!!!

And then, the moment came.

I remember vivdly, the sides of the boat going underwater. The edge of RG’s seat pad was floating already. But we continued to paddle. We were sinking. But we only had one thing in mind. The bloody FLAG.

Yet the steeliness of our mind could not overcome the laws of physics, and we capsized… AGAIN!!!

Obviously we were DQ. When the umpire announced MND as the winner the crowd jeered. They were cheering us on!!! What a gratifying experience. We lost but this was a fantastic race. Our team lost a few more slippers and seat pads, but we were treated to VIP seats on the pontoon, experiencing first-hand the tug boats exerted when surging forward.

Late dinner at Lau Pa Sat, everyone obviously still high from the experience.

Went home and nursed injuries on my leg and my paddle. But I was one happy man.

This is the first time I got so high without breaking any law. =)

Taxi driver banter

2008-05-07T21:00:00.001+08:00

Jerome has taken enough cab rides to tell you that there are 3 types of cab drivers.

The first is the quiet, dutiful chauffeur who asks you where you’re headed, what road you want to take, and says thank you after you reach your destination. Silent but effective. Here’s a typical conversation:

“Where you going?”
“Er, Toa Payoh MRT station please.”
“Go by PIE or CTE?”
“Er, the one without the jam.”
“Both sure jam now one, but you can take this road then through that road, can miss ERP and jam one.”
“Roger. Let’s press on.”
“Thank you, $12.20 please, 20 cents no need la.”
“No la, need. You making a living, uncle.”
“It’s ok la young man.”

Mm… How nice. He calls me a young man. =P

The second is the interviewer who pries at your personal life and even go as much as ask how much you earn every month. Strangely, Jerome has been asked at least 4 times by different cab drivers to sign on when he boarded the vehicle in his uniform:

“Are you a regular?”
“Nope.”
“You intend to sign on?”
“Er, no?”
“Why not?”
“Er…”
“How much do you get as an NSF now?”
“Mm…”
“Sign on la, it’s not bad you know. My son is also in the Air Force!”
“Okay…”

Obviously Jerome is shy. (-_-)v

The third is an aspiring member of parliament who addresses the “Cab” with a tireless rant on how the government should not have lost a wanted man with 7 toilet rolls in 49 seconds. Or he will tell you that Bedok Reservoir is created after a bomb exploded and created a crater near his great grandaunt’s kampong where pigs were reared (this theory may actually have merit because, according to Wikipedia, the reservoir was originally a rock quarry! Goodness, what can you NOT find on Wikipedia man!!)

Yet sometimes, Jerome engages in hearty talks with cab drivers, esp. those who share their life stories with him. Interesting fellas whom Jerome has chatted with include graduates, teachers, a retired army major and a CDO NSman.

No doubt there has been recent flak on cab drivers, what with exorbitant 35% surcharges, the strange 1-day-old rule about illegal CBD stops, and insufficient change for a $50 note. However, Jerome thinks driving a cab all day is one tiring job. Imagine sitting down for 8hrs, negotiating heavy traffic, dealing with difficult passengers (“why you take long long way uncle?! I don’t want to pay you ah!”), and risking getting mugged by boisterous hooligans, or even molested by confused, and obviously desperate fellas.

Jerome pays his respect to these cab drivers, without whom many of us will be late, and without whom many of us will not know how Bedok Reservoir came about.

Bangla talk

2008-05-04T21:42:00.003+08:00

(This entry is very strange. There are awkward switches from first person to third person accounts, suggesting that this Uzbekistan zebra will need risperidone soon.)

After the decidedly serious entry about his dilemmas with the future, Jerome sits down and pens the lighter moments he had over the weekend with his friends.

He will begin with a simple formula, which he calls “the common sense law”.

It states: Training + Night cycling + Training = Pain many many

For some reason, Jerome entertained the crazy idea of heading for night cycling with his friends after his training on Saturday afternoon at Bedok Reservoir. So what happened was a mad rush as he came out of TP at 7pm, took about 15mins to find a cab (Murphy is always right, you know), then find himself stuck in a ECP jam before reaching Macs at 8pm (Murphy is also omnipresent, you know).

Our originally planned meeting time was 7.30pm.

Anyway, fortunately some other members of the group were also late. After grabbing a footlong sandwich from Subway (yum!), some Milo and a Snickers bar, we set off with high spirits, and a full stomach. No, we didn’t have to take prophylactic maxalon.

In any case, I was riding this bike from JC that had a seat too high for comfort. I’m not too good at biking, so the start-stop sequence with this "tall bike" was often jarring, painful and disturbing. This was exacerbated by the fact that our first leg of the journey involves tight (and illegal) 90 degree turns on overhead bridges and tricky negotiations across paths filled with people that obviously do not have spidey-senses to feel your approach and give way.

Anyway, MF graciously exchanged bikes with me, and JC unceremoniously announced that I have turned down his $10K prized bike for a $200 market bike. The difference was obvious. Although I could now put my feet firmly on the ground, this 7-gears-only market bike could hardly give me the high when I charged down the stretch beside Changi Runway. Yet Jerome finds solace in the fact that he can protect his family jewels from unnecessary trauma. Yes, Jerome always gets his priorities right.

Rolling down the Changi stretch was particularly exciting because it was the exact same route we took for our 24km route march, and I could still remember the field packs on our shoulders, blisters on our feet, and CT twisting his ankle without warning to leave me as the sole rear scout for the rest of the journey.

We completed the whole 42km route close to 2am, if I’m not mistaken. In between we had a hearty supper at Changi Village, where each of us, on top of the “main course”, took 2 x dessert servings to rehydrate and replenish glucose stores.

Jerome is grateful that JC offered to send him back. He reached home around 2.30am, showered, and realized in the usual “water touch raw skin = pain” way that he has two abrasions on his feet, strategically placed under the strap of his sandals so that the maximum pain can be inflicted every step he takes. Yes, Murphy, you win ok.

Next morning, training at 9am. Jerome is obviously mad. He woke up, eyes not quite connected to his brain yet, and dragged himself to Kallang at a cost of $17. (Honestly Jerome has never doubted the fact that time = money. This means for the extra hour of sleep he is getting by not taking MRT, he comes to the conclusion that each minute costs 28 cents. Peak hour, 35% more thank you).

Jerome sat on the boat, under the freaking sun. Race sets x 7 was no joke. Blister on hand is not funny. Salt water on blister is also not funny. But Jerome survived.

All in all, he has 2 x blisters on his hand, 2 x abrasions on his feet, 1 x large scratch on his left calf, 1 x painful butt, 1 x super sleepy head.

Training + Night cycling + Training = Pain many many (proven)

And work starts tomorrow, with call, RT cover and ad-hoc cover.

Oh pain many many many!

The dotted line

2008-05-03T09:50:00.003+08:00

Jerome moved to the Seregenti recently to fit in with other non-talking zebras. Yet, besides grazing, drinking, and hearing Circle of Life play in his head as he grieves his friend who found a new home in the innards of a Pepsi-drinking bad cheetah, Jerome does little more than bray at the occasional National Geographic crew that comes too close for comfort. Bottom line is, Jerome loves to write, and he likes to show off his peculiar sense of humour. This has formed the impetus for him to return to Uzbekistan and start talking to people again.

Jerome likes new experiences. As he has alluded in past entries, he is one animal that cannot stay still. He would rather be chased by a Pepsi-drinking bad cheetah than stay under the shade to munch on his greens. And he is grateful to have found himself personified as Marty in Madagascar. That aside, zebras also have dreams; not the “monster under the bed” kind, but dreams about the future, or what some people will term, aspirations.

Jerome is, arguably, still young. He is barely a quarter of a century old, and there are crossroads on his way back to Uzbekistan that he need to ponder upon before taking his next step.

In fact, Jerome is at a crossroad now, and he is uncertain of the direction to place his hooves on. He blames the weather for creating the haze ahead of him, for he cannot tell what lies ahead. Yet, interestingly, he has a map. A map that started off as a blank sheet of papyrus but is gradually getting filled up with advice from wise men he met along his way.

Should Jerome continue in the direction he is at, or attempt to change course? One of the wise man left a parting message: “Do not be afraid to change (course).”

Jerome now stands in the middle of the crossroad, map held in hand, thoughts racing in mind. He has to set off soon before dusk arrives. Jerome is grateful to the wise men who wrote on his papyrus and shared their experiences.

For those who have read the above and is beginning to get annoyed by zebra-esque metaphors, Jerome rephrases himself in human English.

Should he sign on?