Friday morning

Really need to get to writing once a thought pops into my head, mostly when I have the time to just relax and let my mind wander... hmmm which is getting less these days, mostly just tired and wuzzy

Had something I wanted to write about last night, turned on my comp and got it loaded... quite a bit of waiting... oh wait, it's coming back what I wanted to write about. 

Yes, last night just realised how long it had been since I switched on my personal comp. Been so busy and tired mostly when I got home that I have hardly used my comp while at home
Frankly was quite appalled at how messy my desktop screen is... GoSH! Really needs some tidying up, as does my desk at work, though that desk top is slightly less messy now. 

Ah, was glad that my last update on here was in June, not too long ago then. 
For now, work beckons, gotta go.
Finally a dry morning too.

3am thoughts

Slept early... last night. Woke up and saw that it was 1am
Then proceeded to lie and laze around on my bed until it was 3am when I finally got up.

Went to bed early last night, with the thought that I might then wake up earlier this morning so I could be more awake to get some stuff done - clearing emails, and basically just consolidating my thoughts, to process working for the past week and to plan for the weeks ahead, and to record or note all of that down too. Yes, there is much to be done. But things are moving at such a fast pace lately.
Thankfully, I did really wake up earlier, though a bit too early actually.
Fitbit recorded 3hrs 45mins of Sleep Time.

For sure, so much has been happening in just my life lately that I haven't really been keeping up with world happenings. Really a little caught off guard when I come across any news while scrolling through social media. COVID(less news on that now), monkey-pox, Putin's War... and definitely much less updated on local news.

At work, the admin is back since yesterday so I didn't really have much to do yesterday at work. Met the Boss and all of us had lunch together. Am probably going to start getting more training done later at work today, so hopefully today will not be as boring. This also signals this one week assignment is coming to an end.

Just wanted to make a simple Note to Self: To go watch some movies by veteran actors. 
Hmmm... feels like that would be a nice change. And something of a different pace.

Still waiting on hearing from the HR on my request for a Permanent Position at my current job. Hope it will come within the next few days.
My last day in the current assignment. 
And also, I turn 29 today!

Ahh, and to end off, it seems that when waking up earlier, my mind is indeed more relaxed and more fresh to collect my thoughts enough for me to do some writing. I should remember this, and do this more often for sure! Really lots to catch up on:)

29 March 2022 - Unmask the faces

 29/03/2021 11:58am
Day of Start of optional mask wearing
Hmm maybe that's why got feels to head out
Thought of going out to swim since JL is having an off day today
First place I thought of was TPY SAFRA... haven't been there in ages...

Then saw on a Swimming Telegram group that benches are back out at TPY SAFRA.... Took a while to hit me... TANNING is BACKKK!!
Hmm feels kinda odd though, tanning in public pools Gosh the last time I did that was wayyyyy back in 2019
I guess it would take a while for the feels to sink in, and maybe take a few times of actually doing it to get used to the idea of tanning at public pools again
For so long now, tanning under the sun has only been at my condo pool and I only go to public pools to swim
Hmmm... sure would be nice to tan at public pools again Especially, TPY SAFRA.

Year is ending charged with Tachyons

 Okay. That was a reference from 'The Flash".

And indeed the year is speeding to a close. Today is just a day before New Year's Eve, and there is still so much left to finish before I can officially start on a new year that is 2022.

Early on in Nov I was thinking Dec is gonna be a busy one but that was just mostly about work Having quite a few events towards the end of the year

Personally, there is still much left for me to do before ending 2021

Yet to take stock of 2021

06:14am

Woke up with my pillow kinda soaked Didn’t realise it was that warm?? Must have been perspiring throughout the night and finally got woken up around 06:00am.

Back on the jogging routine

Just a quick update:
I definitely felt more lean yesterday, weighed myself and I was back at 57.0kg, hovering between 56.9- 57.0kg. That's down from the 59kg I was at. Feeling lean again this morning after I just woke up.

Hmm.. and I am not sure what caused the slight change. I have certainly been jogging more frequently, thanks to the resumption of the "Steps Challenge", though I am almost near to completion of the challenge. One thing I have noted is the MVPA really helps! I feel myself breaking a sweat more when I jog lately and that's even with my usual slow jogging pace or frequent stops. Only difference is I make sure to do at least 30- 40mins of moderate to vigorous physical activity(MVPA) each time I jog, keeping my heart rate above 125 bpm. And yes, like I had mentioned this has made my workouts more effective, making me perspire more. But I had not been feeling as lean until yesterday, still had quite a tummy previously. Maybe the workouts took some time to produce results? 
Or... I'm thinking if it might be the effect of a good night's sleep since I did sleep better the previous night?
Going for my morning jog now... ciaos

03:36

Wow... week just flew by

 It's 3am now
Just logged in to my comp to update my leave and food log, and realised most of the apps left open were last updated a week ago. Gosh, it's been a week since I last switched my comp on... 
Shall check the emails in the morning, on leave so it's going to be a long weekend! 
Nights 'O' yawns

Pitter patter..tea - 05:13

Raining outside. Just the right feels for some hot tea right now. And enjoying some banana Julie biscuits, and a bit of chocolates. Mmmmm... yes! 

Oh yea and not forgetting some music, after catching up on my drama Handsome Siblings. 
Right, nights!
Ahh.... the rain is so shiok!

Graduated!

 Am now wide awake! After having seen my results. Yes, my results have finally arrived and I've graduated! Yayy!!

Am just back home after MAF celebrations at JL's place, just some simple mooncake eating actually, and hot tea. After that, I was then really tired and sleepy, likely from the very full tummy of mine from all that eating earlier this evening. However, after seeing my results, or rather, I saw the email titled "Program successfully completed" first, I am now wide awake. Yes, I have been keeping a lookout for an email such as this one to confirm I have at least passed one module and have thus graduated. Relief...

Upon checking my results, I realised I had passed two of the three mods I had taken in the last academic year.. YAY! As I had mentioned in an earlier post( I think), I only need one more Pass to have fulfilled the requirements for graduation. And I probably also mentioned I was only confident of getting a Pass for one mod - Monetary Economics. And now, I see that I've passed two mods! Pretty decent grade for Monec, and scrapped a Pass for Industrial Economics. Ahh...

Actually my results were already out around 24 hours before, heh. But I haven't dared to look at it, at least until after MAF celebrations at JL's. So now the giddy with tiredness me mere moments ago is now wide awake and excitement coursing through me. 

It's late, past 1am... gonna go get some sleep anyways. Excited... when the sun rises, the world will learn that I... have GRADUATED. FINALLY.

Wanna stay in bed

Woke up to a chilly morning again. Not exactly freezing. Just chilly. 
It was still sunny when I woke up, but had a feeling it would rain. And rained it did. 
Days like this, really feel like lazing in bed. Just as well today's Sunday. but enough of lazing in bed already I guess.
Too cold... to get out of bed Ahh... bring back the sun, the heat! It's been too cold lately.

Cooling Cooling off Day

It's Cooling-off day for the elections today. Means no more campaigning, and also that means that tomorrow is election Day! 
Also it's again really cooling and chilly today... so it's a cooling- off day, and a cooling... day?

Sat Night

First Sat of July today. Am sitting in my room doing revision and it just started pouring heavily outside. Ahhhhh... such a "shiok" weather to sleep right now
After finish my chi cha Brown Sugar Milk with pearls, am still feeling really full now, so feeling like I could skip dinner actually. Not even sure if we're still gonna be having dinner(dabao 店小二 was supposed to be for dinner tonight but people are asleep in the house)... hmm

Still, feels like it's gonna be a nice night!

Reward for hard work

I'd mentioned earlier this week about me really putting in effort to focus on my revision. Well, I just really want to head out la...
Haiii.. I guess being cooped up at home is finally really getting to me. It’s been what… three months or more I’ve been good and stayed home? Even just to go back to school to do my revision would feel so great tbh 
So, the plan I had for this past week was to clear lots of revision so that I may take some time off some time this week or early next week to go out and just chill at a cafe or walk somewhere without crowd like I used to do on the weekends. However, we've reached the end of the week now, with me still trying to rush work.
Good news though, just arranged to meet JL up on Monday since he'll have an off day. Back to the hectic studying for these next two days of the weekend then!

Exciteddd!! Gonna be my first time meeting JL after a good three months. 

Good Morning: Rainy Days

Up early… sorta Woke up at 08:30am just now. There are days I end up waking up past 10:00am or even close to noon. Those times when I sleep really late the night(or morning) before.

Pouring heavily outside my window right now. Weather forecast on my phone says it’s going to be Thunderstorms today, and currently the temperature’s 25 deg celsius. Yessss feels like the aircon is on!
Actually, that has kinda been the weather much of last week(as I had mentioned in a previous post), and carried over to this week.
Rain throughout much of the afternoon, heavy at times… then down to a drizzle and back up to a downpour again. Washing and drying of clothes is so impossible.

It would be best if I could go out to town for a walk like I used to, really need some ME time. And I don't mean just going to nearby malls for walks.
Popular is open already though, I finally went to check yesterday. So that’s one little positive there, I can finally get ink for my pens.

To get some relaxation and chill from my hectic revision, I’ve gotten back on my Pokemon games, both the SM and USUM versions. Glad to say I’m at the end of the storyline for both, or at least really nearing the end. So that’s something to look forward to!

Seems like it is going to be yet another rainy day… not too sure that I want the weather outside like this though. As much as people were complaining that it was too hot when it was sunny, I was fine with it. At least that was better than the damp and cold on rainy days. Gloomy, nice to laze in bed and don’t feel like doing much at home, can’t go outside either. Even after the rain stops, going outside is still pretty irksome with everywhere being muddy and wet. Not to mention, the rain really kills the feels for working out and jogging. The lack of sun is just, well.. gloomy.

Been really trying to focus on revision the last two days, just rushing through trying to get as much done as possible, and trying to understand what I’m revising too of course. Hmm… to the point that I get so drained that studying late into the night isn’t really as productive. Hence. I've been going to sleep earlier instead of trying to push through the night. And… due to this, I haven’t really been playing much of PoGo the last couple of days too, no thanks to the weather too since it’s mostly raiding and hatching eggs now. But oh yes, NOTE TO SELF: Spotlight Hour later today!

Yay! Anddd... JL’s back to work since Friday. So things have been more quiet, with regards to our chats since he only chats during his breaks and that’s pretty much it. After work he’ll be tired and just laze at home. It's good, that at least things are becoming a bit more like before.

Summer downpours

Weather's been really wet in the afternoons recently. This being June though and I was expecting much more sun. Yup, it is mostly sunny in the mornings, until past noon. Then the sky turns gloomy.

Actually, what really bothers me about this wet weather, days on end, is that there has been lots of condensation on the floor, making the floor wet and it feels terrible walking about. Especially for me who gets very uncomfortable getting my feet wet, even slightly damp.

Heavy downpour right outside my window now
Jog’s gotta be cancelled. Guess it’s tea break time again!! 

50 KM

After like what… 7 weeks?? since the CB started I’VE FINALLY GOTTEN MY 50KM FOR POGO THIS WEEK!!!

Over the past few weeks, there were a couple of times I got close to hitting 50km, short of between 10-15km to be cleared over the weekend. But then, either I oversleep, get too lazy to jog or there’s bad weather( heavy downpour) in the early morning so couldn’t go jog.
Before CB, clocking 50km was a weekly thing, with all the walking to and fro places, and jogging on top of that. Now, I’m only able to clock distance by going for jogs since everywhere else is closed... (that is pretty much the only time I get some alone time outside also, other times when I do get to go out will be for getting meals, but the whole family tags along)
Hopefully I’ll be able to keep this up over the next few weeks, or at least as much as possible.

Hobbitathon

Oooooh hey! Guess what I am doing now?
Listening to the reading of The Hobbit - YouTube LIVE! Well, not exactly having my full attention on it, but it is playing in the background while I am just chilling and doing some stuff here and there. This is the first time I've heard about something like this, and probably the first time I've ever listened to the reading of a story online.
Hmm... just found out that "The Hobbit" is actually one book, and currently it is on Chapter 10. I sure wonder how many chapters there are in all. If I'm not wrong, the live reading started about 4pm earlier in the afternoon today, and right now it is past 7 hours already.
Having watched the three movies countless times, I am just running through the scenes as I am listening to the reading.

And wow... he is actually reading the dialogues in the voice of the actors. That's really cool, exactly the same!

Actually, it was earlier today that JL had sent me the link to watch this. Didn't take much notice about it then since I was just starting my day. Then later on in the day, in my dad's car, I heard about it again on the radio. So it was the voice of Gollum, Andy Serkis, who would be doing the reading.
Mmm... mmhmm... I think I might just be able to finish the whole book actually, with me just doing my stuff, with it just playing in the background.

Edit: 4am here now... 9th of May. Just finished the whole story.. Yay! Oh, and the book has 19 chapters.

Lectures online

Yup, with the start of this week, lectures will progressively be pre-recorded and uploaded online on the Portal, or be done through discussion forums. Hence, physical classes at school are officially off. This is following the continued rise in cases here, and the government's closing of entertainment venues like pubs and karaoke venues to limit the spread of the virus.

Ahh... this means a lot of discipline needed on my part, to self study and keep up with my own revision. Not to mention, I'll also have to make it a habit to check on my emails for updates and to check the Portal and discussion forums to keep up with things.

Classes cancelled

Amid the escalating COVID-19 pandemic (WHO declared the COVID situation a pandemic just a week ago(11/03)), so far I've received cancellation of both my weekday classes this week. At first I thought Tuesday's class cancellation was a one-off, due to a recent Case having gone to school and thus the need to clean and disinfect the school premises. However, now this seems like classes may be stopped and moved online, revision classes as well. At least, I am pretty sure revision classes will not be conducted by the UK lecturers. I have yet to receive information on Saturday's class though, but given the feels now of the whole situation, am still two minds about attending the lecture. It might be better to just visit the recorded lecture anyways.

Around the world, things are looking pretty bleak too. Nearby across the Causeway, numbers of infected are skyrocketing and the situation is worse in the West, with numbers growing exponentially day by day! Places where the virus seems out of control include Italy and Spain, with the situation rather bad in the UK and the US as well. The spread of the virus is quite scary at this point, considering how I had initially thought the virus would be contained within Asia since the western region was distancing themselves from countries hit by the virus. Or so I thought.

Back where I am, the number of cases has so far been on the rise, though still relatively low numbers. It seems the virus has inevitably reached somewhere near me though, with one recent case quite close to where I reside. Argh... people really ought to take more care and precautions, and heed the advice to stay home if unwell.

Virus madness

So the Wuhan virus (official name 2019-nCoV) is around right now. Already there are several confirmed cases locally (33 thus far) and human to human transmissions had been confirmed since a while back. Virus was first detected on 21st Jan.
Just today DORSCON level was increased to Orange and there was already panic buying of food supplies, masks and even daily neccessities with supermarkets cleaned out literally. Images online of shopping trolleys full of bags of rice are so many that it is crazy... Really think people are overreacting and overdoing things Wonder how many are actually really going to lock themselves up at home and not leave house *roll eyes*
Just hoping all those food won't go to waste. Especially since food is not something you can keep over a long time, and we are simply heightening measures to be taken so as to minimise the spread of the virus. At least for now, supermarkets and malls will still be open for people to get supplies, if needed, and we are not made to stay at home anyways.

For us now, individually, we ought to just avoid anyone who is coughing or sneezing around and just stay home if we have any of the flu- like symptoms. That is crucial to reduce chances of catching the virus, since the virus is air-bourne.

Measures to minimise the spread of the virus have also been updated since January, For instance, all visitors from China are now not allowed here, an increased scope from just passengers from Hubei province previously.
Furthermore, huge gatherings or events are to be cancelled but classes in schools are still ongoing it seems. People are still going to work too, but temperature checks and certain distancing measures are to be in place.

Oh and of course, with the rising paranoia and panic stocking up, face masks, and N95 masks even, have run out in retail outlets here. Not surprising tbh...
Households have now also been issued masks, four to each household, which hopefully will reduce the massive stocking up of surgical face masks by households.

Till the next update on this situation.