Great Eastern Run 2010

My buddy and I were on the run again!

The atmosphere at the starting point at around 6.50am was excellent but the flag off was delayed by 15mins for some reason. People started to get impatient and the whole carnival ambiance died down. It didn't help when we were all made to listen to the GE advertisement before the VIPs blasted the airhorns.

Nonetheless, we enjoyed the run! Some runners were dressed up since it's Halloween today. I couldn't overtake them even though they had hats and put on witches' nose while running! Wicked!

My finishing time: 1hour 6mins45 sec, according to my watch. I checked the official timing and ranking of the race and I am the 948th to finish the race!! Gosh!! The ranking sounds bad but I was happy with the timing! I didn't train for this run because I was ill for a while and when I was well, it's peak period at work. Yet, I made another improvement in my timing! It's a 6mins improvement from my Bay Run!! Quite impressed with myself... hahahaha!!!

Anyway, something unpleasant happened during the run. When we were into the final 100m or so, I felt a push on my back. It wasn't a strong push so I thought it might be HappyPig someone I knew. Instead, I saw a stranger behind me and she was saying things like "Don't block the way!". The music was blasting very loudly at the finishing area so I couldn't hear very clearly. I was flabbergasted before I felt really angry. I wanted to catch up with her to confront her but my legs couldn't carry me any faster. So I had to let the matter rest... hiaz!

Jaimie's First Window Artwork

After another satisfying dinner with my little princess, we walked around IMM and I decided that it's time for Jaimie to try out this window art thingy which many kids are addicted to. I asked if she was keen to try and Jaimie was overjoyed. She hopped into the enclosed area and took a while to decide that she wanted to paint Doraemon. So, I forked out $5.50 for her very first window artwork.

She always coloured the tongue first.
I took a while to convince her that Doraemon was light blue, NOT purple or dark blue. Then, I remembered that I should not interfere with her choices since this was her own work.

Spreading the paint to cover the corners.

So far so good~

She panted the hands pink and one of the feet violet. I have no objections until she started to choose another colour for the other foot.

Do you think I am too laissez-faire to allow a magenta-faced Doraemon???? Maybe Jaimie's idea was that Doraemon was flying on its Dragonfly until its face turned purple? Hmmmm..... you never know!

Done!!

Jaimie was so fascinated with the artwork and pleased with herself. She was admiring her masterpiece as she was walking until I threatened to confiscate her purple-faced Doraemon.

This was quite fun! No wonder my friend Pam (not her children!) was addicted to it!

Feasting With Jaimie

Jaimie has extra dance classes on Monday late afternoons to prepare her for her up-coming dance exam. Usually I will bring her there by public transport but since Clement is out of town and I get to drive the car, I drove today.

I don't drive that often so being a kiasu driver, I set off very early (the same time if I were to take a bus, that is). Needless to say, we were 1hr early for class. Hanging out in a fast food restaurant is the best way to wild away some time. Jaimie and I went to KFC, shared a chicky meal and played the soccer game which came along with it.

Then, we got a bit bored and decided to compete in doing silly faces. I did 10 silly faces and then it's her turn to do 10 too without repeating the expression. Silly game but it was fun for both of us. I hope nobody in the restaurant choked on their food when they saw us doing these...

Silly face #1

Silly Face #2

Silly Face #3

Silly Face #4

Silly Face #5

Silly Face #6

Silly Face #7

Silly Face #8

Silly Face #9

Silly Face #10
#7 is a repeat of #1! She lost!!!

While Jaimie was in the dance studio, I went around shopping and bought her some clothes. I got this set from a push cart and I let her tried the size in case I needed to do an exchange. It fitted nicely! Yeah! Forget about changing lah, let's go for a good dinner together.

We went to Sizzler. Jaimie has the "women's buffet spirit". She ate till she was super full and told me she needed to take a break and walk around to digest her food. Then, after 5mins, she downed 2 sundae and 3 waffle cones... you see, women always have a separate stomach for dessert.

When we reached home, I plucked up the courage to stand on the body fat scanner... WALAU. I told myself, I. SHALL. NOT. EAT. BUFFET. ANYMORE. if I want to keep this analyser.

It was a very enjoyable time with my daughter, though. :)

Bento #147

Since Clement is out of town for a week, I will pack myself some ultra simple lunch for a week. Alfafa sprout with cheese sandwiched with multi-grain and raisin bread, fruits and veg.

So healthy... until you read the next post.

Classroom Rules

Last week, after Jaimie's I Can Read class, her teacher came up to us and told us that Jaimie, although she was very bright and responsive in class, had not been able to sit down on her chair for a long time. Her teacher also commented that Jaimie was disruptive in class. She was either singing to herself or disturbing her classmates with the stuff toy she brought with her. She would also feel insecure and cried for us if the teacher corrected her behaviour.

Being a teacher myself, I always need to give feedback and comments to my students' parents. This was the first time I receive "negative" feedback about Jaimie. I must confess that it didn't feel good but I was very grateful for such frank comments. I must also admit that I was very embarrassed when I received the feedback. However, I suppressed my urge to scold Jaimie. Both Clement and I talked to her about rules and regulations in a classroom. I cut down on my internet time *guilty guilty* and spent 45mins sitting her down to get her to do activity sheets with me every night last week.

After her class today, I waited for her teacher to ask her if Jaimie had improved in her behaviour in class. Her teacher gave Jaimie a thumb's up and said that she was behaving SO MUCH better than last week. She was not walking around the classroom AS MUCH, and she was not disruptive. For the first time, she did not cry in class and she did not asked for daddy and mommy. Her teacher commented that she was behaving like a "big girl".

Jaimie and I were both very pleased to hear that. I thanked the teacher and bought Jaimie her favourite lunch (McDonald's, what else!) to reward her for obeying the classroom rules. I told her again and again I was so proud of her for being a good student in class and she had shown improvement. Jaimie was beaming happily too. I messaged Clement, who is out of town for a week, about the teacher's comments and he was so proud of the little girl too.

Well done, Jaimie!

Healthy Lifestyle Starts With Shopping

Clement bought the Karada Scan last evening. Since we are in the "health conscious" mode, we might as well be more comprehensive in our "healthy shopping".

This is what I got for myself, a Solus heart rate monitoring watch. It will help to pace me to exercise in my fat burning zone. $105.

This is what I "encouraged" Clement to buy: A limited edition of the Metal Gear Solid MP3 player! I asked him to buy a new one so that I can take over his not-very-old one. Also, MGS is one of his all time favourite game. It will be nice to have this MP3 player. For those who have played MGS, you would know who is "Solid Snake" and "Liquid Snake". Clement has a coded name too. He is "Eat Snake". Muhahahahaha!!!

Karada Scan

(picture taken from http://unco.cc/?p=143)

Clement bought this thing. It not only measures your weight, it measures your body fat at various part of your body, your vascular fat, your body age and your resting metabolic rate too.

To my very pleasant surprise, the fat content in various parts of my body is all within the healthy range, my vascular fat is only 3 (anything below 9 is good), body age is one year younger than my actual age (while Clement is 7 years older!).

Happy!!! I can continue to eat my char kwey teow! Hahahaha~~

No. Actually I am not a fan of char kwey teow.

I will continue to watch my diet and exercise regularly so that I can have a healthy body to look after my family, watch Jaimie grow up and grow old with my dear old hubby.

This scanner costs $238 if purchased online. I think it is a good investment so that we can check ourselves regularly.

Bento #146

Quite a heavy meal. Cheese and egg sandwich packed separately plus a lunchbox of fruits, veggies, simley potatoes and chicken nuggets.

I finally tried the Australian strawberries. Hmmm... they are not sour but they are not as sweet as the Korean ones. Strawberries are always a good-to-have in your bento box. The presentation brightens up because of the nice colour!

Bento #145

It's the exam period now and school is busier than most people think.

Teachers do not shake leg during the exam period. We raced against time to complete our marking, write remarks for ALL our students, tabulate results, doing year end review, propose budget for 2011 etc etc etc. Yes, you read me correctly. If you have 160 students, you have to write 160 comments. On top of that, there's on-going intensive lessons for the graduating classes who have had their prelims earlier on. It's a lot to handle. The only consolation is we can count down the days to December vacation.

Due to the heavy workload during this time of the year, I haven't had much energy to make bento nor try out the lunch punch which I got earlier. :( However, the recent readings Clement obtained from a fat-measuring test kept were definitely not good numbers and I have to help him watch his diet more carefully. Making bento for him is one of the ways to a healthier body. Hence, no matter how tired I am, I will try to make bento as often as I can from now on. For that, dear, I deserve at least another LV bag. Heh heh heh.

Baked chicken wings and cheese tofu bento. Plus my usual favourites of the greens and fruits.

I found a new way to separate the food -- use thin slices of lemon!! First of all, it gives a nice fragrance. Secondly, it adds colour to the bento. Thirdly, it helps to stop my apple cubes from oxidising! I put lemon slices on the baked chicken wings and it gave the chicken wings a hint of citrus! Nice!

何止一包面？

我是五月天的歌迷。我为此感到骄傲。因为，五月天的歌迷都是一群不一样的人。

Idy是其中一个。我们从认识的时候就一起迷恋五月天。有好几次还是我们两对夫妻结伴出席五月天的演唱会。

Idy一家人最近到杭州去，她拖着一家四口的行李，还特地给我带回来这包面。

这何止是一包面？

所以我说，喜欢五月天的人，是与众不同的。

谢谢你，芬兰！

Jaimie's First Dance Performance

Whenever we saw children performing on stage, Clement and I always wondered when it would be Jaimie's turn to have her special moment. Finally, the day was here! The dance school which Jaimie is attending is conducting a little concert for the children. Needless to say, I was more excited and nervous than the super-excited Jaimie! I had her costume, hair accessories etc packed and checked the night before the big day.

Here's the program line up. Jaimie's item was number 5 on the list.

We were asked to arrive an hour and a half before the start of the concert. I thought I could use the time after their final rehearsal to make up for Jaimie but since every parent was already dolling her child up, I figured out that I better do so too! Tying the hair for Jaimie was a big challenge for me. I had to do it a few times and pulled her hair (literally) in the process. It was quite badly done but at least I know how to make it better during her exam. Anyway, I was wondering as I was putting on make up for Jaimie, how could they expect every parent to know how to tie the hair for her child? Or is it just my problem?

The girls did one last round of rehearsal with Ms Sarah. Every girl's dance was perfect but at the same time, none of them was perfect! You could very clearly see each and every one's strengths and weaknesses, as well as their character, from their movements. Maybe I am watching too much Criminal Minds. I was actually profiling them as I was watching them!!! WALIEW!!!

After the rehearsal, the girls ran to the studio next door to amuse themselves. We took photos for them. They all know how to pose for the camera!!! From left, Zoe, Lea, Isabelle and Jaimie. I could barely recognise them after they put on their costume and make up!!

Finally, the moment is here!!

Jaimie: "click to see the video...oops!"

Jaimie had a little blunder on stage and her moves were not at all perfect. However, she was confident, excited, happy and most of all, enjoying every single moment of the performance. When she came down from the stage, she kept telling me how much fun it was to go up to perform. She loved it so much.

There is no need to be the best dancer or be in the limelight. Jaimie dear, we want you to enjoy what you like to do, and enjoy it to the fullest. If you like dancing, just move your body~ nobody can stop you.

We are so proud of our little girl.

Now I know why parents shed tears when they watch their children on stage.