Do Not Be Alarmed.

My alarm has finally arrived! And just after I sent an email off to Kate/Ducharme asking what happened.

But on the way home after lunch -- btw I clocked



today -- anyhoo I saw the mail-lady, and thought, perhaps she left me a wittle-bittle gift. Sure enough:




(Aside: I truly love how corny I get to be here. Even though my boss encourages this sort of thing, we do draw the line, sometimes. Sometimes it's a competition to see who can ge cornier. Sometimes she wins, sometimes I do.)

Anyway, before I carry on, I nearly died in the hills today. I was tired but I didn't know how tired. I virtually pushed the Moose-stang up ALL the damn slopes.

Note to Self: Do not bring lights up to the hill, and lose the mirror too. And new tires don't mean they are better. Larsen TT 1.9 tires are not suitable for local weather, as well. Uninspiring tire choice.

And now back to the alarm:














Colour scheme is blue and grey. Goes totally with Moose-stang's blue and XTR grey. :D

I Am Awesome.

There WORK were no entries WORK yesterday.

Because I finished a WORK whopping 7 assignments at work over these last 2 days.

Slept with the WORK lights on. The alarm went off from 5 till 8 WORK when i finally got up and went to work early to continue work.

At some point, I also WORK got drunk, but WORK not rip-roaringly so. And because my USB hub went on the fritz and I was so high, I completely thought that I was being haunted by a spirit.

It's happened before, but that's a story for another time.

I did get a case WORK of the runs in the morning though.

And everytime it happens, I promise never to WORK drink again.

I think I've got WORK sex on my mind. I'm drained but not sleepy.

Where the hell is that exit ramp?

And oh, Lin? It's not flattering to be hit on a guy who happens to look like Yanni and spent 12 years in jail.

Got a good laugh out of it though.

My life is so interesting. Let me take the chance to spell out my life's philosophy/tagline. Every copywriter should have one. Mine is :

'Because Every Day Is Exciting.' TM

Sometimes you just got to fake it.

I Have Happy Feet.

But where did I put them?

I clocked 81 kilometers today, must be a record for just one day. That's more than I did last weekend. Rode to West Coast then to 6th Avenue, then to Zion Road. Funny... I don't remember what route I took from 6th Avenue to Zion Road.

Then after dinner I rode back to West Coast, and then to National Stadium by way of park connecters at Zion Road. Came back home via Orchard Road, and had an ice cream at Ngee Ann City. Da-yum, I've not had ice-cream in YONKS.

The seat is not holding up well. I'll have to change seatpost. Bugger. Perhaps a Thomson.

In other news, I have taken up a new hobby.

Drawing.


Always wanted to draw a 3 panel comic strip. Will get to that in a while.

Also, I have launched a new blog.
Where's Ramly?

This is devoted to the wonderful Ramly Burger, sold only in pasar malams around Singapore. Because one never knows where the pasar malams are at, one cannot eat Ramly Burger whenever one feels like it.

In case you are slow, 'one' would be me.

Please, anyone who knows where I can find Ramly Burgers, please tell me, via the blog.

In other other news, I got hit on by a man today. Long story.

I do not know if I should be flattered or alarmed.

Something Is Going To Break.

Stuff has already been broken.

This was my ride to work this morning.



Because I stripped my seat post screw last night. But Dad, being the miracle worker that he is, replaced it with a longer one and a nut that's made of steel. Dad is, I say again, awesome.

I hope it holds.

I also broke my headlight mount, which I will fix with epoxy tomorrow.


I Am Going To Die.

I am, of late, going through a great amount of dis-ease. Call it existential angst, or whatever you like. The point is ... I am feeling lousy. It's getting harder to keep the spirits up.

I got mail in the post today. This is who I used to be.




Can the urge to create be why I am writing this diary? Maybe I am just stifling myself and need an outlet, even if I don't have an audience anymore. My ex used to say I could never be happy doing anything else.

But the thing is, I've burned all my bridges. There can be no going back.

Perhaps, it's all because I'm turning 30 in a few months time.

To negate that inner anxiety, or at least to take my mind off things, I have been taking trips on my bicycle to revisit the past. This is a record of what I saw over the weekend.



That's how many kilometers I clocked.

Applied Research Corporation.

This is where I used to work, when I was in the university.




While law undergrads were driving their daddy's BMWs to school, I was riding to school everyday on my bicycle.

The bicycle was also practical because I had to buy lunch for my mother between 12 to 1. She can't walk, you see.

So I had to keep 12-1 free for lunch, and as much as I could I scheduled all my classes for 4 (yes, it's possible). And in between I was riding over to ARC to do data entry for pocket money.

It's got a new name now.







This is where I parked Moose-stang.















This is where I parked my bike in Uni.






This is West Coast Park. It's perfectly fine, except for the lack of a beach.

Nothing ever happened for me here, except that I never knew it had such a beautiful pond.




When you cycle further, you get to see the ocean.








It's the Month of Hungry Ghosts.

I hope some of mine have been fed.

I am tired now.

Of everything.

Obligatory existential angst entry, you all.

Are They All Stupid?

Part I:Stupid Numbnuts & Fuckfarts

I'm talking about BMW drivers, and Mercedes Benz drivers.

Yesterday, one of them tried to cream me. This was along Ulu Pandan road.

It is broad daylight.

My bike and I cannot possibly be more obvious.

There I was spinning merrily along, this BMW is trying to turn in from the opposite side of the road.

Does he see me?

Yes.

Should he have given way?

Yes.

Does he think it's worth testing to see if I'm a spirit, this being the 7th month and all?

Yes.

So this BLOODY FUCKING IDIOT steps on the gas and I'm headed for a Volkswagen-BMW Dagwood sandwich, with Mr Special as the stuffing of the day. (note: that is cheese with ham. I am always cheese with ham. Love ham. Loves it.)

On go the V-brakes, which being marvellously grippy (new Kool-stop pads & fresh new rims + too little modulation from the bike mechanic) makes me do a nose wheelie.

The BMW driver waves sorry as he passes through.

I mouth 'fucker' back at him, making sure the other drivers waiting to pass through the same turn take note of what could happen to them.


Part II:Stupid pinch flats.

It's ALWAYS the BMW and the Mercedes drivers.

My friend says they pay through their nose for their atas cars, so they have to behave like Kings and Queens.



Stupid x-tra lite tubes.

It's only been 2 days, but I already have a pinch flat.

Never had a pinch flat before on my old wheels and ah pek tires.

Methinks I should have gone for 2.2 rear tires instead of 1.9.

But I ran 1.95 ah pek rear tires with no problem.

As it is, I felt the tires were overinflated. And yet... pinch flat.

Luckily I had already arrived at the office by then. I dare not think what will happen in the hills this weekend.

Anyway, combined installation of my beautiful rear dee and replaced tube. And got a schrader/presta adaptor so I can pump up my tires at any old petrol kiosk. And got it to fit into my toolkit:



My new beautiful XTR rear-dee.




If this was porn, you would all be heading to the bathroom right now.

Every Sperm Is Sacred Lyrics
Artist: Monty Python
Album: The Meaning Of Life



DAD:
There are Jews in the world.
There are Buddhists.
There are Hindus and Mormons, and then
There are those that follow Mohammed, but
I've never been one of them.

I'm a Roman Catholic,
And have been since before I was born,
And the one thing they say about Catholics is:
They'll take you as soon as you're warm.

You don't have to be a six-footer.
You don't have to have a great brain.
You don't have to have any clothes on. You're
A Catholic the moment Dad came,

Because

Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.

CHILDREN:
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.


(EVERYBODY!!!)

GIRL:
Let the heathen spill theirs
On the dusty ground.
God shall make them pay for
Each sperm that can't be found.

CHILDREN:
Every sperm is wanted.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.

MUM:
Hindu, Taoist, Mormon,
Spill theirs just anywhere,
But God loves those who treat their
Semen with more care.

MEN:
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
WOMEN:
If a sperm is wasted,...
CHILDREN:
...God get quite irate.

PRIEST:
Every sperm is sacred.
BRIDE and GROOM:
Every sperm is good.
NANNIES:
Every sperm is needed...
CARDINALS:
...In your neighbourhood!

CHILDREN:
Every sperm is useful.
Every sperm is fine.
FUNERAL CORTEGE:
God needs everybody's.
MOURNER #1:
Mine!
MOURNER #2:
And mine!
CORPSE:
And mine!

NUN:
Let the Pagan spill theirs
O'er mountain, hill, and plain.
HOLY STATUES:
God shall strike them down for
Each sperm that's spilt in vain.

EVERYONE:
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is good.
Every sperm is needed
In your neighbourhood.

Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite iraaaaaate!

Have fun.

I Have Never Been So Happy.

Trust God, But Buy XTR.

This is it. I seem to have a knack for scoring XTR components without the associated price tag. XTR RD-M952 will be a phenomenal increase in performance over my current STX deraileur. I am officially one component away from a race-ready rig: my front derailleurs are the last.

I'm not going to say how much this beautifully sculpted grey beauty costs, except that the condition is damn near brand new and that you can't buy 1/3 of this new, for what I paid for it.

And in other news... or perhaps the main news... someone very important to me is finally meeting me for lunch. After 1 and a half years.

This is beyond surreal.

I feel like I have been given a new lease of life.

I promise to behave.

Moose-stang's New Shoes.

Why I had to rush off after work today.

I'll let this story tell itself in pictures.



"I have cold feet"


"Is that mine?"


"Holy moose-burgers! Are those mine?!!"



"Yes! They ARE MINE! And that is ticklish! Make him stop!"


"OH! Just what every Moose-stang dreams of. What, did I say something wrong?"


"Yes... please tuck that in properly. Do you need a shoe horn? Can't help you there... Mr Special de-horned me."


"Ah... who wouldn't lean back after such a great foot massage?"

Note: Moose-stang sounds a lot like Kermit the Frog.


The new wheels are fantastic. The bike really rolls super smoothly now. I had no idea Deore hubs were so lousy.


And, I didn't eat all day and lost about 3 pounds. Riding home was kind of dangerous. I could feel the energy levels bombing.

But now I weigh about 138.6 pounds which is 63 kilos. I'm 4 kilos to my ideal weight (put back 1kg for dinner and water) before I start intensive weight training to bulk back up.

As for Moose-stang, thanks to these beauties ---





-- the Moose-stang lost about 3 pounds too. He now weighs in at about 11 kg, or around 24 pounds, possibly lighter. That's a race-ready weight, by the way.

I know he can get lighter. 10kg isn't going to be a problem for this baby. The seat and tires can stand to lose some 500 grams. The seat post about 30 grams. Carbon stems and handlebars and seat posts, plus lighter BB, hollowtech cranks and XTR derailleurs will drop the weight to 10, possibly below.

But what for?



I don't need a bike that can fly or that costs the sky. I just need one that belongs to me.

I may not drive a BMW or own a condo or have 12 different types of credit cards.

But everything I own belongs to me. I don't owe anything to anyone.

That said... I still want the lightest bike I can make. It's my new hobby now.(kerching!)

When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like A Big Pizza Pie, It's AMORE!

Mileage for the week: 142 kilometers.



In other news, I'm in love.


From : Ducharme Alarm System
Sent : Friday, July 28, 2006 4:00 PM
To : "'Mr Special'"
Subject : RE: Confirmation: CARD Transaction ID: 183016167 - Ducharme Bicycle Alarm

| | | Inbox


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Attachment : image001.gif (0.10 MB)

Hi Mr Special,



We sent it air mail. Due to the length of time I think we can assume that the parcel may be lost.



Yesterday I asked our warehouse to send you another alarm. You should receive it in 5-7 working days.



Please let me know when it arrives.



Kind regards

Kate Grant



Aint' she a sweetheart? I can't wait. Maybe I'll get 2 alarms.

My friend's box from UK arrived after something like 3 months. Or more. So she got her ferragamo pumps back. She's so happy. It's her one and only pair of ferragamos.

Not that there was nothing else in the box, but apparently that's all I can remember.


In other other news, I can't decide which of these wheels to get.

MSRP: 345 bucks. PLus: Sealed bearings, cool looks, light, popular (high resale value). Minuses: Servicing will be a bitch.





MSRP: 400 bucks, but I can get one set at 260. Plus: bladed spokes for more aerodynamics, spoke nipples located at the hub to reduce rotational inertia, shimano hubs, cheap.

Minuses: heavier than the above. No sealed bearings. Bladed spokes are expensive. Shimano hubs.



Which of the above look best on the Moose-stang?





I kind of think the first set goes better with the overall blue and grey of my bike.

But black goes with everything.

All it's coming down to is a choice of colours.

I am shallow.