Last month I started my attempt to get IT Diploma. That’s one resolution fulfilled.

Earlier this month I ran 25km. Two resolutions done! And I’m still on track to participate in a full 42k marathon this December.

As for the other two resolutions, one is to become better friend for my best friend, she’ll be the judge. I guess I didn’t score high mark there; but we’ve been having good times so far.

To read one book a week is still way too much for me. Heck, I read only two books since January!!! Two months remaining, perhaps I can read a couple more, so at least it’ll be closer a little to the target.

But barely an hour after I leave the bookshop, I would forget about that inspiration completely.

When I was in primary school, I would run out of reading material; so I read the same books, magazines, short stories over and over again. Fast forward to today, the amount of reading available is so overwhelming. I can’t even finish reading the day’s twitter posts. And that’s not even ‘actual reading’.

I have this poster that reads “READ every day. Even if you read books every day, you’ll still never finish reading all the books in the world. But do make it a ritual“. I see this everyday, hoping that by doing it will somehow engrave the desire to read in my deepest unconscious mind. So far it hasn’t worked.

I have tried to spark and re-spark my reading interest a thousand times; failing each time.I love to see books, it’s just that I don’t read them. Ha! Hence my favorite quote from Mark Twain, something like this: “Classics are books people praise but never read”.

Seriously, the way I see it, if we do something often enough, it’ll become a habit. Until two years ago I can barely run. Now it’s an activity that I look forward to each time.

By the way, let’s kick off the blogging habit again.

I have always been intimidated by super-sized chicken parts for meal. Which makes me twice about dining in at KFC.

Two weeks afterward, I’ll be participating in my first ever running event, The Northface 100 Trail Run. The 100 stands for 100km, but that category is only for select-few pro runners. I will try the 25km category. It’s actually 50km duo, so my running buddy and I will need to complete 25km each. Attributing to the ‘trail’ name, the route will include the challenging hilly trail at Bukit Timah, adding to the already difficult track at McRitchie Reservoir.

A while back my colleagues and I tried the 10km McRitchie round, and I almost fell sick after the run. Last weekend I tried around 5km going up-down-and-around Bukit Timah, and I still feel my stiff calves today. But it was sure fun in its own way.

As always the case with first time of everything, I’m so excited!

And today it’s confirmed. Sigh. Big SIGH.

It’s so discouraging. Now I need to start the recovery all over again. I guess all those legs exercises were still not enough.

The marathon is only four months away, and there’s a half marathon in just three month time. With the rate my knee is(not) progressing, I can’t help but feeling a little doubt inside. But just a little, my spirit is still up, still believing I can make it. Just need a little patience.

1. Be a better friend to my best friend; you know who you are.
   The year 2009 has miraculously brought me closer to a friend. She’s smart, beautiful, caring. She sings. She sings for hours; and that’s the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me.
   We share a lot of passions and dreams. When the time comes, I want to realize a dream or two with her. But until then, I hope I can be a better friend to her, for she’s making me a better person.
2. Enroll in a part time course. Degree, if I’m qualified. Otherwise, diploma.
   When I dropped out of uni a little over two years ago, I vowed that one day I’ll get myself back to classroom; but only after taking a good break from it all by working full time.
   Well, it’s time.
3. Run at least 15k a week. Do at least one half-marathon, although a marathon will be bestest!
   I started jogging in late 2008 and had high hope in 2009. But two reckless mistakes had kept me sidelined for months. Actually it’s one mistake: impatience. I ignored the common rule they all say about running: never increase your intensity/mileages by more than 10% weekly. I was stupid. But I shall not lose hope. I can overcome nagging shins and knees. So here’s to 2010!
4. Read a book a week.
   “A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.”, Mark Twain quoted as saying. That’s been certainly my case. And I intend to change it. Fifty-two books by year-end? It’ll be a challenge!

It was already dark when he woke up. He was half-awake when he felt something moving on top of his thigh, when he opened his eyes and raised his head and leg a little, a rat jumped and ran down the slope.

That was enough to fully wake him. Sitting down facing the sea he could barely tell whether the lights on the horizon were those of the ships or of faraway buildings. The surrounding noise was different now. People at a distance behind him chattering, he could only hear faint voices, but that didn’t matter because they spoke in languages he didn’t understand.  He turned around; families having barbecues, children playing hide and seek; all wearing black and white. No faces were visible because of they’re all sillhouttes, further in the background all the lights had been turned on in the restaurant, cafes and clubs.

He must had been napping for at least an hour. There’s no watch so he said to himself it must had been an hour for he remembered he was just lying around serenading himself under what’s left of the afternoon sunlight. I should’ve memorized the lyrics, so instead of humming them i can actually sing them and feed my mind a bit on trying to understand the words. Those are good songs. How many did I do?

He grabbed the cup and felt the straw feeling for some sand sticking to it. The sandwich was half finished; it was not as delicious as the ones he had many times before. Should’ve chosen my favourite fillings and toppings. But that doesn’t matter. In an hour or so I’ll be hungry and anything goes when you’re hungry. The cookies were cold and not crispy anymore.  He took a bite to pass the time. Too sweet.