Updates X 5!!

Tuesday

A casual talk led to us going for dinner at Daen's Mum's Eatery. Well.. Good food cannot be missed and Daen's Mum ate with us. A plump lady like my mother and she looked really amicable. Haha.. After dinner and we had durians bought by Daen's Dad. Really nice durians. =D I'm a sucker for durians.. Hee.. After that, we went separate ways back home.

Wednesday and Thursday

IPPT was not conducted on both days as it was raining. Had a workout at the Gym to prepare for IPPT next Wednesday. Dinner was at Botak Jones on BOTH days with the Raggers. And yes.. Both days!! Haha.. But well, the food was nice and the portion was big too. Got to know a few more peeps and Kdriam sent us to tanah merah MRT station for those who stayed in the East. Thanks bro. =D

Friday

10km run in the morning with Derek and we holland-ed. Haha.. Ran for about 11km due to the wrong route that we took. Went off early from work today to go to HDB Hub with Daen. Got to meet his mum again and had a good chat with her while waiting for their queue number to be called. Met his sister, Celine, too and know a lot more about Daen after accompanying him through the HDB flat application. Jia Jia You Ben Nan Nian De Jing... Took a lift from his mum back home and got to know about Celine's occupation. Motorcar dealer so if anyone who would like to buy car, contact me so that I can contact Celine about it. Parallel Imports so it is cheaper. Went to TIMBRE with Daen, Ben, Sally and Jack @ around 1900 for chill out session. Ate the Kebabs and Thin Crust Pizza.. Superb! Really very nice. Saw Hui Fang and also Kai Men at TIMBRE. Really a good place to catch up with friends, have a drink or two, enjoy the food and with nice live music bands playing. Shall bring Lynn here for a chill out sometime soon. =D

After food and drinks, we went to Shenton Way's party world to sing our hearts out. All the way till 0330 before we go back home. Bed never felt so nice before.. LOL..

Saturday

Slept from 0400 and woke up at 0800 to prepare for the meet up with Alicia, Stanley and Lynn at Jurong Point for Lunch. Met up at 1200 and had lunch at KFC. Went to Alicia's house started to share modules planning skills with Stanley. Had dinner with them at somewhere near Lakeside and thereafter we went to look at Loyang Dua Beh Gong's tour at Jurong. Met up with Lynn for dinner and it was DURIANS!! Bought 3 Durians and had them at one of the void decks. Haha.. Durian lovers... Literally.. =D Went home after the durian dinner and then once I hit the bed, I fell asleep immediately again. Too tired.. =X

MIZUNO Wave Run @ Bedok + Lynn Day

Joel came over to my place to sleep so that we can go and run MIZUNO Wave Run together at Bedok. Had to sleep very cautiously so that I won't give him a kick or a slap in the face.. LOL.. We woke up at 0600 and left my house at around 0630. Took a bus to Temasek Poly and followed the crowd to the start point. As it was drizzling in the morning and I guess it causes some logistics problem to the organisers.

However, we felt that the contingency plan was not well planned for and the registration booth was quite redundant. It should have been in the field and not at the grand stand. Moreover, there was no championship chip issued to take timing and there was totally no crowd control. The baggage deposit was not well planned for too. When the run started, there was 2 choke points at the start of the route and that really dampen the running mood of many of the runners. It was definitely not well planned for and that gave a lot of negative publicity for Mizuno rather than positive ones for organising the event. And when the event ended, another horror was awaiting for us. Our baggage was thrown on the wet road and there was only one staff there to help with the baggage. Eventually, it was a total free for all situation when runners just find their own baggage and some helpful runners helped with issuing of the baggages. If that's the case, then what's the point of having baggage deposit? Besides that, there was no security at all for the baggages and many bags were lost in the process. To add on to that, the goodie bag counter had only one entry and only one person can collect at one time. There was more than 10000 runners and if it were to take 6 seconds per pax, it will take nearly 16 hrs to collect all the goodie bags. I wonder what was the organisers thinking. It was really a badly conducted run with poor organisation and the logistics sucks to the core. It leave every runner a bad impression of the run and I overheard many conversation starting with 'Are you going to participate in the run next year?' If any organisers of the MIZUNO Wave Run is reading this, please reflect on the organisation of the run and evaluate if the run should be organised again next year. Think and plan. Don't rush into it. Looking forward to the upcoming 3 runs. AHM on the 26 Aug, New Balance Real Run on the 28 Oct and Stan-Chart on the 2nd Dec.

After the run, I went home with Joel and thereafter met up with Lynn. She came to accompany me while I cut the stacks of newspapers that my mum was grumbling about for years.. haha.. For dinner, we went to 85 @ Bedok for the famous Ba Chor Mee. =D Nothing much but we spent quality time talking about the updates and about anything under the sun. hee.. Thanks dear!

A decade since we left Primary School.. Outing with Primary School Mates

Saturday
Slept till 11am today and had my brunch at 12pm. Went to meet my Primary school friends at Marina Square's Swensens and I had another meal!! Damn.. I need to workout more.. Haha.. Anyway, the turnout for the gathering was great! 15 people came for the gathering, namely, Ernest, Qi Min, Clement, Kwan Shen, Hao Xiang, Jun Zhang, Choon Kit, Rebecca, Effie, Ereen, Doreen, Marie, Fadilah, Azriana and Bibiana! And that's not all.. Angela, Xueting, Gary, Ai Jia, Ningsih, Omar and a few others couldn't make it or it will be nearly the whole class le.. Haha.. Glad to meet up with these old friends and had loads of updates from them too. Doreen was so emotional that she cried before she left as she is leaving for USA to finish her studies le. All thanks to Rebecca for organising this outing and it was really good to have so many people attending the outing. We shall organise at least once a year to meet up and update each other. =D

After the outing, I went to meet up with Daen and Sally for dinner at Daen's Parent's Eatery. Great food and a good round of talk-cock session.. haha.. and yes.. Durians for dessert.. haha.. Then Sally had to leave to meet her friend for movie while Daen came to my house to take 'a look' and that look lasted another 2 hours.. Listen to songs, see photos on my laptop and share some more about each other. Haha.. A really metrosexual Daen.. lol..

New Vela VIRGIN Outing!!

Friday
New VELA first outing to eat some cheap and good food at Bugis Street. Most recommended dish.. 'PAHD THAI'.. haha.. Really cheap and good. Saw Dawn and Xu Wen too as they were there for 'PAHD THAI' at the same place. After dinner, we went to Ah Chew dessert and that was where I realise that the OG is getting more and more chatty, and I concluded with Lily that they have achieved the 'Zi-High' standard. LOL.. Nice desserts with more updates about each other.

Thereafter, we went to the Intercontinental Hotel's lobby for a chat and played with the piano which was placed at the lobby. And all of a sudden, the security guard started to scold us and told us not to touch other people's belongings when they doesn't belong to you. In the first place, if you do not want people to play, put a sign there and we won't play it. Secondly, if it was not meant to be played, then what's the point of placing the piano there? IDIOTS... Following which, one of the staff came out and said, 'this place is for tour guides to hold their tourists while checking in so please GET OUT!!' What attitude was that? Is that the standard of hospitality that we are talking about in Singapore's service industry. I believe if he said, 'Can you please leave the lobby as this is a holding area for the tourists?' we will definitely leave the place without feeling pissed with them. I am totally disgusted with the way they handled us and perhaps that explains their worth. So friends, please do not engage in their services and do spread the word around.

Anyway, we did a 'VELA WOOSH' right outside the place and that can really explain their level of 'Zi-High'.. LOL.. Looking forward to the next outing which will be going to NIGHT SAFARI.. haha..

Sally's XXth Birthday

Thursday
Thursday was meant to be only free day this week but just nice, it was my colleague, Sally's birthday hence we went out for dinner with Daen and Benjamin at Railway mall's HOOKED. Not bad and the portion was quite big but the Sashimi was not worth the money. Afterwhich, we went for dessert and sat down for nearly a good 2 hours talking cock and getting to know each other better. Happy xxth Birthday to Sally once again.. [Lady's age is a secret.. haha.. =X]

Old Sec Sch Mates Outing

Wednesday
Another happening evening with the Raggers. Got to know a few more freshies. Namely, Candy [the one who says that my name is weird while thinking that hers is not.. hahaha], Nadia [the one who is laughing all the way], Jonathan [the one who is just like Sydney, wanting to order pork for the whole table when Nadia is a muslim] and also some others whom I only know by name, Tony, Albert, Tracy, Vance, and 2 others that I can't remember.. =X haha.. But well, this batch of freshies are really energetic.. GOOD!

After finishing dinner with them, I went over to TIMBRE located near City Hall MRT station to meet up with my Sec School Mates and had a good chat over some drinks and pizza. Really nice to meet up with old friends and update each other about things here and there. Attendance? Chia, Clarence, Wen Li, Ernest, Eugene, Alfred, Yueze, Weichieh and Sydney. Left early with Clarence and along the way back home, we met with a traffic police stop as predicted while we were chatting with the rest.. haha.. Ho-seh.. what good luck we have sia.. Anyway, Chia just left for overseas studies on Friday and I wish him all the best.

Old Vela Outing

Gosh.. A really packed week but I loved that!! Haha.. so let's start with Tuesday since I have blogged about the lovely Monday which Lynn cleared the Monday Blues away with her Ai Xin Zao Can.. =D

Tuesday
Great Tuesday with an outing with OLD VELANIANS and the 2-HEADED Serpens, SLUT KENNY, who loves Serpens more than he loves VELA. **Stir SHIT** Haha.. It was an evening with those crazy people from my FOC last year and it was to celebrate our 1st Year Anniversary. Whee!! Dinner at the Glass House Fish 'n' Co and we literally sat at that place to catch up for almost 2-3 hours, gossipping about everything under the sun. Still as crazy a group as before and still feel as close to them as ever. Attendance? Erritating Ernest, Lovable Lynn, Crazy Cheryl, Lovely Lily, Jovial Jia Wei, Jubilant Joyce, Slutty and KINKY Kenny.. =D Nice meet-up.. Love you guys man!!

Wonderful Breakfast!!!

Today was a good day though I was needed to return to office early in the morning. Lynn made bread with Ham and Egg for me and it was 'Hmmm.. YUMMY!!'. A good breakfast to start the day once again, all thanks to my dear dear. =D Thanks!!!

BREAKID VELA Team Analysis

Apologies for the late analysis of our team VELA, as I was busy for the past week. It is very much a good lesson for everyone who is going to read this entry as I am using a real-life example to illustrate a soft skill that is going to be important in time to come for everyone.

The first time I met up with the team, I had a strong gut feeling that the team lacks a strong leader but still, I decided to have a go at trying to have a freshies-led team than an OGL-led team. It all started with learning of cheers, playing of games on the 1st day and thereafter the cluedo day games and there was still no prominient leaders amongst the pack. There was no one to strongly dictate and lead the team which causes the team to be very scathered and that was not a very good feeling.

While the Loreal talk was on, I deliberately skipped it and had a conversation with a few other OGLs and they gave me their feedback on the team and that prompted me to take actions. I came to realise and convinced myself that the team's make-up is one that is lacking of a dominant leader and full of great followers. In a tool called the DISC (Dominance, Influence, Stability and Compliance) test, I presumed that my team lacks a 'D' character and my team is filled with 'S' and 'C'. In an ideal situation, there will always be a good mix of the 4 characteristics and in my team, I recognised that we are missing a 'D' amongst the 12 of them. So now what?

The OGLs, namely, Joel, Cheryl, Lily and Me had a discussion at the back of the LT that we shall kick in and behave like freshies leading the freshies and that will most probably help to lift up the situation and make the camp a more enjoyable one for the 'real' freshies. Hence, the OGL-led team came into play on the 2nd half of the 2nd day. =D

The results of an OGL-led team?? Hmm.. I'd say that it salvaged the situation and it made the team enjoy the camp more though it was taxing on my fellow OGLs. Thanks to Joel, Cheryl and Lily.

On the whole, VELA was a strong team but lacks a strong leader and in recognition of that, I think the OGLs deserves a pat on the back for making VELA so high and fun on day 3 and day 4. VELA was a team that warms up very slowly unlike O'VELA which is easily warmed up and performed. The only wish I have for VELA is to stay connected and stay strong as a team and if there is any problems in your uni or personal life, U have got 4 lovely OGLs to hear u out and help you. My take-away from this experience that I'd like to share is that everyone will be a leader in a way or another and to be successful in whatever you do in future will be to lead in a managerial or executive role. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and every team is different. As a leader or even as a member of a team, you will have to observe how is the dynamics of the team and think about how can you contribute to team to make it stronger. Some members or leaders may not know their strength and weaknesses while others may know but do not know what to do with the knowledge of it.

As a saying goes 'knowledge is power', I'd beg to differ and say that 'useful knowledge is power'. Many of us know what are we good at and what are we 'not-so-good' at but we do not know what to do with this set of new found knowledge. Like in the teamVELA, some of them know that they are high 'S' and high 'C' but when in a team with no 'D', they did not realise that they can actually adapt to it and 'transform' themselves into a 'D' so as to make the team more well-balanced. Another example is when the team is full of 'Ds' and no 'Cs', those who are able to recognise this will have to be more of a 'C' so as to let only 1 or 2 'Ds' lead the team or there will be conflict of instructions and ideas. This is a critical skill that all of us will need to know so that we can value add to a team next time when we are working.

For those who are interested to know ur personal DISC test, do approach me. I can help you do a simple and easy one for u to know yourself better.

SDE FOC 2007 - BREAKID Collages

Big Head Collage of VELA

Blind VELA Freshies

Last Day Collage with BREAKID Shirt

Photos with Lynn during the Camp

SDE FOC 2007 - BREAKID DAY 4

Main activity for the last day of the camp is at SENTOSA!! The sun, sand, sea and the freshies!! A very enjoyable day out playing games. Had a team bonding game with VERMIES while waiting for the rest and it definitely shows that 'The chain is as weak as its weakest link'. Well done Vermies for maintaining the stance and did a cheer while playing the game. =D




As the end of the camp is nearing, VELA gets stronger and more hyper. This team of Velanians are slow warmers. If this camp last longer, they will definitely be the strongest OG in the whole camp. But well, as long as you guys know the team's strengths and weaknesses, I'm glad enough.

VELA.. You'll be missed.

SDE FOC 2007 - BREAKID DAY 3

FOC Camp Day 3! Yes yes.. That's me in every single photo. Well, we had Loreal to sponser us for the camp so we had some freebies for the freshies and we had to take photos of the freshies receiving the gift so 'ta-da'!! The 1st photo update about the camp on day 3.

After the 'Loreal Presentation', we went to SDE for our lunch and sad to say, Rebecca had to leave us for another camp of hers and we bade her farewell. Last group photo with the full team is the 1st three photos of the collage with our day 3 identity of a red cloth with the words 'bi-sheng' written on it.

After lunch was a talk and after the talk it is the start of the games and the highlight of today is the pool games!! We had our fun and we had our winnings coming one after another. The feeling of winning is always a very powerful tool to bond a team and day 3 was the day that I felt that VELA is starting to bond and performing as a team. Spirit was getting high and I bet day 4 will be even higher. Good Job VELANIANS!

SDE FOC 2007 - BREAKID DAY 2

Finally.. The blogger team released my blog from being suspected as a spam blog. So here it goes. BREAKID Day 2!

Day 2 started with Lynn's 'ai xin mian bao' for old VELA as it marks our 1 year anniversary as Velanians. (Photo 1-3). Afterwhich, CLUEDO day started and for day 2's identity, we had stick-on tattoos. First game was with Chuan Xin and it is to make a 5 level pyramid with the cards and VELA did it. Well DONE!! =D

As for our last station in CLUEDO, we went to John and Matthew's station and I was very glad that VELA was asked to play a team building game with requires the whole team to stand on a piece and newspaper. It helped to build their team bonding and it also surfaced an issue to me about my team and that is the fact that there is no leader amongst the freshies. An issue which me and my fellow OGLs tackled as we discuss about our team. And of course.. OGL and a 2-man bonding session too with Joel carrying the 39kg Cheryl.. =D

SDE FOC 2007 - BREAKID DAY 1

Woo-hoo.. Long and tired day with the OG.

Some photos updates before I sleep.

Night!

SDE FOC 2007 - BREAKID DAY 0

Today is the pre-camp preparation for SDE's FOC 2007. A very hectic day with program packed back to back. Went for MILKRUN, a 8.4km run, prior to the pre-camp.

Attached is the photos that will be used for the CLUEDO game that is going to be played by the freshies. Nice face-making by the actors. (^_^)

Looking forward to meeting my OG and looking forward to the camp too. Stay tuned for the daily updates about the camp. =D