The back of my neck is muscularly the weakest part of my body. I pulled it pretty badly as a child after I landed on my head attempting some cool-looking rolling stunts and had to spend a week with my head cocked to one side. Years later, I pulled it again after trying to politely keep a sneeze in; that resulted in 4 days of painful spasms following any head movement.
Inconvenient, to say the least.
Nowadays, I'm wary of any neck stiffness because it can quickly escalate to several days worth of discomforting throbbing soreness. Sometimes this is brought about by sleeping inadvertently with my chin snugly on my shoulder or staring enthralled at the computer screen when at work AND at home. Other times, a sudden quick twist or even holding an awkward position for more than a few seconds (like checking the rear of the car while reversing) can cause a stab of pain that dulls to a persistantly irritating ache.
Yesterday I woke up with one of these beloved neck aches that occur every so often just to remind me they're there. Throughout the day it got progressively worse despite the constant massaging and by dinner time I knew I had to lay down to rest it. So I was in bed by 7pm... good thing it's always easy to sleep after a meal :)
This morning, I can still feel the lingering remnants of muscle soreness. Hopefully I get to stay up a little longer today.
I'm in the midst of hair-ripping over the excruciating process of redesigning this blog. The past 2 months of alternating between badly written entries and badly taken pictures have left me with a slight identity crisis as well as a general tone of dissatisfaction. Am I Somerset Maugham or Gary Larson? Well, this blog has not been doing a very good job of deciphering those vital clues to my strange madness.
So surfaces the recent decision to split these two aspects of writing and picture-taking into two blogs. Rui is helping me with the complicated coding..., no wait, Rui is doing all the easy coding, er, thingy, while I'm saddled with the thankless, convoluted and back breaking task of, er, everything else in order to get the new format off the ground.
So those of you who enjoy novels can read my entries without the distraction of scrolling past uninspiring pictures; and the rest of you with a penchant for visual stimulation will be able to gawk without the boring words in the way.
Or maybe not. We'll have to see.
The problem with not having a regular sleeping schedule is that you end up never sleeping properly at all.
After a couple of weeks of inexplicable insomnia, I finally succumbed to exhaustion last night after dinner. Much to my surprise, I actually woke up late today and had to sneak sheepishly into the office this morning admist some very snide grins. Looks like even a 14 hr downtime couldn't make up for what has been lost.
The past week has left me with a niggling awkwardness like an ill-fitting shirt made from steel wool. There was frustration on the work front, elation on V-day, desperation come bedtime and a death wish every morning. Oh, and since I'm so gladly cruising along on gripe-mode let's not forget the persistant rash from 3 weeks ago and a spanking new pimple surfacing.
However, even though it seems like I'm being an ungrateful and psychotic brat, I'm not really grumbling so much as jotting down the highlights of the past week in a sarcastic sort of way. I mean, this is life, isn't it? The reality of the full package is that it includes the good and the... not-so-good.
So yeah, I'm fine. Really. I just needed to get that off my chest. Now I also need to run the darn extra pounds off (which reminds me, add 'I'm fat' to the list above!).
I have unbridled admiration for (and fascination with) people who are able to effectively juggle multiple interests and passions between the grinding drudge of daily existance. There's so much that life offers; I'm sure everyone enjoys several vastly different things. But the key here is how effectively can one pursue them all?
I've realized, over the past few months, that I'm not one of those focused and disciplined individuals who can deftly glide between hobbies without getting jaded and blasé.
Before I even knew what a blog was, my primary extra-curricular activity was rooted in the exciting world of video-gaming, particularly role-playing games. Hours would be spent online reading up on game strategies, battle tips and ensuring I don't miss any secrets. Then there's also the matter of staying glued to the television screen as blissful hour after hour whizzed by in a gaming blur. Ah, memories...
Then came the thrill of blogging which pounced upon me last May. A write-up in the papers on this latest online fad stoked my curiosity. Well, I reasoned, I have always enjoyed writing, so blogging would be a great way to keep a personal electronic journal of sorts; it would keep my writing skills sharp (highly debatable, I know) and allow me a record of my lifes' highlights (and, er, lowlights).
So I took a deep breath and poured myself into this new endeavour. My once-beloved Playstation 2 sat in abject misery while choking in accumulated dust as I pounded madly away on the crackling keys of my laptop, racking my mind for the perfect way to frame my warped thoughts.
But before I could really get anywhere with blogging, as all of you know very well, the current fascination with photography overwhelmed me in a tidal wave of glorious color. I've spent the last 2 months trying to learn more about it, becoming a pesky fixture on photography forums, pretending to look like a pro shutterbug with my nerdy oblong camera bag attached to my hip, scouring online for deals on used lenses... and neglecting this blog in the interim.
Well, you know the rest of this tragic tale, don't you? Now I'm riddled with guilt for not blogging enough the past several weeks, so I guess it's time to make drastic amends. Oh, and not to mention the unplayed and unfinished games stewing forlornly by the PS2; I simply can't leave them alone any longer. But I really want to mosey down to some exotic parts of Singapore for a shoot, too...
Argh! Stop it. One thing at a time, right?
*exhales slowly*
Just being with you.
Step in step;
meandering through the crowds
and with candid thoughts.
A laugh never rang so pure
with ease and comfort;
step in step.
I wished the day would never end.
The lack of posts lately is not because of a scorching dry spell; in fact, there have been many instances when I could have posted had I been actually inspired to do so.
The truth is I’ve actually been somewhat lost in the dreaded and dreary town of Doldrums, unable to find my own way out. There’s almost nothing I hate more than wallowing and yet, there’s also that undeniably masochistic pleasure in being a somber and moody blue.
I’m not sure how I even got here in the first place. There wasn’t really any specific event which dragged me into this crowded town. Maybe it was the lethal combination of post-holiday depression and some issues at work which led me here. Whatever the case, I need to dig/claw/climb out. And fast!
This post is nothing of real significance; just a little tribute to the calming presence of these cute Japanese toys. I don't know what they're officially called, so I shall just refer to them as Noddy. I'm sure you get the reference.
The great thing about macro lenses is that almost anything can become a work of art(I use the term 'art' exceedingly liberally here so please be kind):
Have a great day!
I do have CNY pics of oranges, home-made goodies and relatives but I'm pretty sure everyone has had their fill of all that already!
So instead, here are some snaps of a few kids playing at the outdoor fountain at Bugis Junction today. 
Go ahead. Enjoy the moment vicariously!