:: Calm Before The Storm ::
I'm in the office now... and it's quiet. And calm. Very calm. *sits back and relaxes*

Yes... how I wish that it was this way at the Club all day, everyday. *takes deep breath* It's been a crazy day... with Jack-Net Travel's event finishing today... it was like being a one man octopus trying to co-ordinate the wakeboarding, banana boat, land games and luunch preparations... add churning out of certs to the mix, and you've got a fine brew for headaches!!! thank goodness school training was cancelled... *deep sigh of relief*

But I digress... (as I usually do... I know, I know... I can go on and on and on... rambling abt everything and nothing, and go way off point, but will still go on and on... a little something like what I'm doing now... oh, oops!) As I was saying... it's calm now. I like it.

The calm before the storm, they say. It's going to be a madhouse here tomorrow. It's the SAFYC Youth Championship... and the Club is gonna be swamped with kids... too much kids... *look of horror* and I'm more probably than not gonna be running ard like a headless chicken... *sigh* such is my life... no rest for the wicked!

Anyhoo... I'm tired now, so I'll stop here.

So that's me folks... from then till now... don't kill yourselves...

:: Birthday Photos... ::
Hi Kids! Party pictures are posted... click here to view 'em... Much thanks goes to Lewis and Dia's HK friend for the camera... and Diana for the captions... *rolls eyes* =P

:: Drinks again... ::

What Drink Are You?

:: The World is Small ::
Yes, it is. And I've got a few examples... but that'll come later... coz this is more important...

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!

Anyway... the party was set for Saturday... and it was great! Not so much the music blasting of music and drunk pple dancing the night away, but more the sit down with a bunch of friends, drinking (much thanks to all contributors!) and just having a blast!

It was a pretty quiet evening, and one I wouldn't change a bit... so here's to all who came *raises glass of vodka ribena*

Back to that bit abt the world being small... hmm... who would have guessed? it turns out that Lewis and Barry were ex-neighbours!!! For those who aren't in the loop, Lewis stays in Sembawang, and Barry in AMK/YCK (not too sure where)... who would have thought that 2 pple, from different circles of my life, were actually intertwined (albeit some time ago)... wow! and then i found out that Esther and James used to be neighbours, too!! heh... this is starting to get a wee bit freaky...

afetr a night of serious drinking, i actually managed to get out of bed and get to work on time the next morning... a little sleepy and totally smashed form the nigt before, but still on time and loaded with breakfast to boot! then Col Tang comes up to me and informs me that he managed to chance upon my online journel... namely, this Blog! I was like, wow! i mean, i never really expected pple to actually read this thing... more so if it was actually chanced upon... in fact, i didn't even think that this site would turn out on any results on search engines... so, yea... i actually had a point when i started writing this post... but now, i'm not too sure... *shrugz*

anyhoo... i think this should suffice for now... i've actually got lots to say, but not really in the mood to put it all into words... so this'll have to do for now...

so that's me folks... from then till now... don't kill yourselves!

:: Quote of the Day ::
"People often think that women who don't cry are emotionally strong."
~ Anonymous

:: This or That ::
1. Bacon or sausage?
hmmmm... tough one... i'd have to say sauaage, coz bacon can be so icky at times...

2. Eggs: scrambled or not?
scrambled. definately scrambled... not too wet, though...

3. French toast or regular toast?
Regular... with a dash of butter and homemade strawberry jam... yum!

4. Pancakes or waffles?
waffles!! but not the ones that are so crispy it's like eating biscuits!!

5. Mufins or bagels?
bagels bagels bagels!!

6. Coffee or tea?
hahaha... that's easy! anyone who knows me knows i'm a slave to my morning cuppa...

7. Juice: orange or grapefruit?
hahaha... another easy one... i have a glass of orange juice every other morning!

8. Hot or cold cereal?
is there such a thing as hot cereal? gimmiw my honey stars any day!

9. To put in cereal: bananas or strawberries (or some other fruit)?
any and all fruits... don't make me pick...

10. Eat breakfast at home or at a restaurant?
erm... this is a toughie... at work? hehe... if i had a choice, at a restaurent with someone close... just talking... great way to start the day! also, when i do break my fast at a restaurent, it's probably coz i'm away somewhere sailing... so yea... definately restaurant!!!

heh... you know i'm bored and am too brain dead to post a proper blog when i do something like this, aye? hahaha... but got this from Rina's blog, and decided to use it... simple, brainless, and its about me, me, me!!! =P

so anyhoo... that's me folks... from then till now... don't kill yourselves!

::LooNie Bin::

Ok ... maybe it's not the most politically correct way of talking about people with psychiatric problems... but still .. it's true. I start psychiatry officially tomorrow as part of my rotations this year... i'm still a lil sore that ordinary uni courses haven't started yet and i've already been at uni for about 4 weeks. YOu'd expect that the older and more senior you are ... the more you get time off from your busy schedule.. but hey i guess at our age all we have is increasing intensity... i say this coz Nette works Full Time and studies On the side (YOU GO GIRLFRIEND!!! )... while i'm the direct opposite e.g study fulltime and work part time.... in between the both of us we suffer a syndrome called 'having no life'. This is a fairly serious syndrome consisting of monotony, lack of energy, lack of social contacts and an inability to actually live beyond the confines of school and work ... (there had better be some damn hell great rewards when we finish our lil' enterprises eh Nette???)

Oh yeah ... I just realised... if you guys don't know me... I'm nette's Soul mate (i wish)... we've been friends for yonks... and i really mean yonks.. since we were in sec school sitting outside classrooms during lunch times bitching about so and so (cheryl N in particular). I left SJC at the end of sec 3 and have been living in Perth for about 5 years and a bit.. which is quite some time so i do have a wee bit of an Australian accent... my name's frances... but you can call me fran, franny, franky spank, francy or whatever contorsion of my name you can come up with ... At the moment i'm doing 4th year med (i'm more than half way through my course... YAY!) with a view to taking surgery (which means suffering more of this 'no-life' syndrome). As it is i talk with medical jargon splattered through my sentences ... i live to diagnose the fungus on your foot and I'm really not surprised by most people in life anymore... Funky facts About me... i'm taller than most girls .. 1.75m to be exact .. so missing me in a crowd in singapore is impossible... I'm eurasian and i speak mandarin (nvm badly.. i still speak it damn it)... i've got tatts... which i love .. and i want more... (we must make more plans nette) ermmmm.... hmmm ... i love my car .. she's called wanita... nvm she's about 11 yrs old... she's still my baby... THe Main MAN in my life is my dog... KArzan (nette will tell you how WONDERFUL he is).. he is a black labrador and is abosolutely the best men a girl could ever ask for... :) ....... and yesh i'm on a mission to be single for six months... which is a long story in itself... anyways .. i think i've blabbered on enough about me ... gots to know me drugs so i'm off to study ... Nite all Spread the LOVe people!

:: I'm a Care Bear! ::

	Cheer Bear You're the Care Bear cheerleader! Your spunky personality and optimisim lifts everyone's spirit. Though you want everyone to be happy, you stand your ground on issues you feel strongly about and this can bring disunity among your friends. Despite this, you are a true believer in working together.
Take the Which Care Bear Are You? Quiz!

Thanks to Tracy, who sent the link! CARE BEAR STARE!

:: Ultimate Boredom... ::
sigh... I used to relish the thought of having off days on weekdays... no need to fight the crowds during the sales, especially the MNG ones... no need to queue up at restaurents and the likes... cheaper rates for the movies... and the list goes on... but then again... along with it comes the problem of finding someone to spend the day with!

Everyone works on weekdays... everyone I know, anyway... people in my social circle hold monday to friday, nine to five jobs... and of course, I have been known to coax them to actually take the day off to go shopping and the likes, they can't exactly be doing it every week! *sigh*

I guess I've only realised it today... how I've taken my weekends for granted... I miss hanging out with my friends, be it sailing, lunching, book club meetings, coffee, shopping, or just plain hanging... I've lost count of the number of times that I've had to rush through work on saturday, then call a cab to go down to the Changi bar to meet upwith Alasdair and the rest of the troupe. I'm sure the Uncles love me for my almost weekly contributions to the Cab Drivers Association of Singapore... and believe you me, it's a hefty contribution! and all that hassle for a few hours...

and then there's the irregular off days which make it hard to arrange with friends for anything... i'm actually talking to Dia now... and we;ve just confirmed that we CANNOT meet this week! *sigh* i don't think I've seen her at all this year... considering I used to meet up with her at least once a week last time... *sigh*

so I guess you've figured that I'm in a whinging mood... but yar... that's how I feel now... frustrated... and bored... and alone... now that Alasdair has had to reutrn to reality, and his job... so that takes him out of the weekday list... *sigh* the list just gets shorter and shorter...

anyhooo... the MOB party was a smash! after finding out that I was terrified of sharks... John Potter actually bought me this giant inflatable shark (the ones that kids play with in the pool) *rolls eyes* but it was a great night, followed by round 2 of drinks at the Changi Bar... you don't have to be a genius to figure out that I was totally smashed and zonked out at work the next day!! =P

The SAFYC Laser Championship 2003 was a great success! Winds were good, and the whole regatta ran like clockwork ('cept the last part where we nearly didn't have a mike for the presentation)! Much thanks to a great team!

so that's me folks, from then till now, don't kill yourselves...

oh yah... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DARRYL!

:: MOB Party ::
Hi Kids! How's things with ya? doo-be-dooo... yes, yes, I'm bored at home now... it's my day off, and I've got nothing to do! *sigh*

Anyhoo... the MOB party is on! In case you didn't know, MOB stands for Man Overboard! *wry smile* I really wonder why that's the theme, you know... *glares at John Potter* but i digress... heh... a look at the invite as flws:-

///

Hi All Skippers/Sailors/MOBs...

Gong Xi Fa Cai, and a happy new year to all!! I'm sure everyone will agree that the last SSR was one of the best we've had.

So here's an invite to all of you for the 'MOB Party'! Details as flws:-

Date: 8th February
Time: 1830hrs till late! (or after the Monsoon Cup!)
Venue: RSYC Poolside/bar
Dress Code: Swim wear / PFD's

It doesn't matter if you're gonna be racing in the CSC Monsoon Cup, just head on down to RSYC after the race, as many sailors will be doing. Don't bring your electronic toys, handphone or any other communication device. Being thrown in the pool is a distinct possibility as we attempt to re-enact dramatic events. Fancy dress options for those uncomfortable in only swimwear include dressing up as an ultra-large crude carrier!

It's gonna be a blast, any reason to have a lager and mess ard! So do come on down! Kindly RSVP to me at your soonest!

///

so at least that's something to look forward to... and from what I've heard, its gonna be HUGE!! everyone at the VSSR is invited, everyone at the Monsoon Cup this weekend is invited, and all sailors who have heard of it are invited!! *big grin* I don't think the pool is big enough! but as John said, it's gonna be a blast! more updates after the party...

on another note, its the SAFYC Laser Championship this weekend... so it's gonna be another crazy week ahead... we've got regattas lined up back to back! all the way till end of March! *sigh* no rest for the wicked... but then again, that's just me whinging...

so that's me folks, from then till now, don't kill yourselves...

:: Post Moretem ::
Hi Kids! It's post moretem time! I've just completed the summary of the Volvo Singapore Straits Regatta for the Club's magazine, so I thought I'd just post it up so you guys can take a read...

///

Volvo Singapore Straits Regatta 2003

The Volvo Singapore Straights Regatta (VSSR), the 9th in the series, kicked off with great weather and fresh breezes in Tuas, just off Raffles Marina.

There were a total of 23 boats in the Regatta, with entries from the region including YO! from Malaysia, Karakoa from the Philippines and Pasaya from Thailand, just to name a few. Local boats like Pla Loma, Foxy Lady, Next Page and Jangan Main Main did not miss out on this great sailing opportunity either.

The first race of the regatta was round the cans, and the good winds proved to be excellent sailing compared to previous years. As far as I heard, there were no complaints. Boats made their way to RSYC after the day’s race, and were ferried to IndoChine Waterfront for the dinner and prize giving.

Day 2’s race was the passage to Nongsa Point Marina in Batam. With the North East Monsoon pushing 20 knots, coupled with the spring tides, it made for the fastest passage to the Riau Yacht Club any sailor can remember! Boats were wary of Buffalo Rock this year around, and nobody tested the water depth too closely, and once through the gate, was a nice reach to the finish. Even the J24s arrived in daylight, with more than enough time to have a soak at the pool, and indulge in the lovely golden brews!

It was back to windward/leeward on Day 3, where fresh winds made for real sailing! With winds close to 30 knots in the squalls, one can almost understand the mistakes made, and the toll taken on the sails and sailing gear. Many were seen busy taping up torn sails and mending broken gears after the day’s races.

Day 4 started out wet and gloomy, but the winds were still going strong and another day of excellent racing was expected for the passage race back to Singapore and Changi Sailing Club. Although many a sailor was excited about the wind conditions, the real adventure for the day belonged to RSYC Satu (ex Temptest) and her crew! With a lost crew overboard, and more than 4 hours of Search and Rescue, it would take a very strong contender to claim tops, excitement wise, but that is another story for another day. Rest assured that lost crew was found, and the boat is in fine condition. As they say, ‘Alls well that ends well!’

The final day! Day 5’s weather seemed to mirror the moods of the day before, with too mych rain and very little breeze. The day’s race had the biggest number of boats retiring, with almost 7 from the ‘A’ and ‘B’ classes. Principal Race Officer Tony Lockett flew the Yankee flag at the start, deeming all sailors to done on personal buoyancy, and this made for a bit of a laugh amongst the sailors, and a few grumbles for the inconvenience while winching, although this author has it on good record that the lifejackets did keep them warm through the race!

Overall, Karakoa took top honors with 10 points in Racing Class A, with YO! coming in a close second with 11 points. Stella was in third with 14 points.

In Racing Class B, Xen@ came up tops on 9 points, followed closely by Shun Fung Too on 13 points, and Platu on 15 points.

Irvmiren, the luxurious Swan 68 won in the PY Class, with local darling Dondang Sayang in second. Antipodes, with James Tan at the helm, did the SAF Yacht Club proud by claiming third place!

All in all, a most excellent regatta! Much thanks to sponsors, Volvo, IndoChine, Heinekein and Neil Pryde! Kudos also goes to the VSSR Organizing Committee, all volunteers in the search and rescue (SAR) operation, the Republic of Singapore Navy, Coast Guard and Maritime Port Authorities.

On a last note, the VSSR has been full of fun, full of excitement, and definitely one with the best winds! Do come back next year!

///

It's a bit of a read... but it shoudl be pretty interesting... if you're really interested in more detailed reports, or if you're in need for a bit of a laugh, just hit the VSSR link to read the reports by Peter Dunlope, although there is a bit of sailing jargon in it...

Cheers to all the sailors in the Regatta... to all the fun and excitement, *raises glass of Heinekein* Do come back next year!

:: New Year... New Beginnings... ::
Hey kids! HAPPY NEW YEAR! *big grin* how's your ang pow collecting been? can't say it's been great for me, but I'm not complaining... glad to be even getting a single red packet, is what I'm thinking...

Anyhoo... it's been a boring new year's for me so far... went to zouk on friday night out of sheer boredom, and also to give Janson some support since he was spinning that night... I don't fancy his brand of music much, so all I did was sit there and try to drown out the noise with drinks and more drinks! *super big grin* between John and I, we must have finished at least three-quarter of that bottle of vodka! yep... the two of us were that bored! =P

Day 1 wasn't all that bad... seeing as I slept most of the day away afetr waking up briefly at 10... then roused from my sweet slumber by my not-so-sweet brother to go to Grandma's... the usual gambling ensued... *grin* all the kids were playing like there was no tomorrow! of course, they were using their parent's money... but I have to say... I nvr did believe in 'Beginners' Luck' till last night! My youngest cousin, Sharon, tried her first hand at the tables last night, and walked away tops! winning money from almost every bankers last night! She was getting 21 points at almost every single game... it was really kinda freaky! *grin* I have it on good record that Sharon actually won 9 bucks off of Ivan... and that's alot seeing as we were only playing a max of 20cents per game!

After that was the usual coffee session with Alicia, Barry, Ken and Gerard... and as usual, we had the most bizarre of conversations! which, once repeated, would make no sense at all! if it even made any bit of sense last night... but that's not the point! we always have a blast, and that's what counts! so here's to you... *raise glass of diluted teh terik* till the next one... (it is the day before Hari Raya, right?)

So that me folks, from then till now... don't kill yourselves!