Jul - A month with an ending and a new start

Jul is approaching the end again. I dont know how I spend it again.

Probably it is just an usual time passing by again. What is the main focus this months was back on track and workout. It has become routine for a weekly gym session with Hui Ying since she participate in the 2XU compression run in 2015. What make it different for me this year, I am going to join the Full Marathon again to challenge my limits and also to see how far I can go.

Marathon has become part of my life back in 2010 so that I will be continue watch out my stamina and also body health. This year, becoming 25 years old, I am thinking to go for some changes to life and thus 42.195 km has become one of the target again.

The month of July begins the painful training, I went to Mount Pulai twice in a week thought want to start make good friends with the uncles while enjoying the nature but it happens that I saw a news post that it is closed for public due to too many life threatening cases happened there. Thanks to my buddy Chian Yit for accompany and both of us got wet due to rain. And the second session with Sarah, Thong Thong and Leslie, a good weather.

Then Jia Yi has become actively call me for workout, whether gym or the route at Taman Merdeka. It is usually for me to run on a treadmill for about 30 min for  a distance of 3 km, but she motivates me to go for 5 km at least. of course, longer time needed. And yes, I need to make sure myself go further than that when the marathon gets nearer.

Birthday
Jul has become a month for PIZZA due to it is Debera's Birthday! Thanks to her I have try on 6 pizzas in a week.

There are a few of the important persons that are born in this month, firstly is my beloved daddy, which I used to call home on this day and wish him if I am not at home. I seldom call home but this is the day I usually does. Even it might be just a 5 to 10 minutes call.

The nearest to me now is Debera, one of the best buddy I met in Johor Bahru. So this is the only birthday celebration I had. The longest I can remember and still keep in touch is one of the Genting buddy back in 2008, my first job batch mate. Although I keep forgetting the date of his birthday. He used to put on FB is 31st Aug. One friend that I did not manage to wish is Sock Ting, this month I gets a little bit emo so more focusing on sports and also reading.

Reading
Thanks to the limited WiFi connection at my current house, whether it easily get disconnected or the 20 GB in a month, I finally back to my reading as well. It has been quite a long book list that I have bought back and the reading speed has been slow down due to me falling to the drama again and again and time wasted.

Back to reading. Recently my favorites are about foods and also how to make your life simpler. There are a few books that I have read and it opens my mind about the globalization of food supply, some reading about how the technology has change the way we eat today, and also how it has been influencing and impacting the whole economy. Interesting to read, something that I have never come across throughout my degree years while learning Food Technology.

The other topic is also related to my current situation. One of the author he try to simplified his stuff by control it under 100 things for a year. There is also book related to some Japanese lifestyle that encourage minimum stuff at home （极简生活）. It suits my taste, being a lazy person in life, I am looking forward that my house will be of minimum stuff so that it can be clean easily. Meanwhile, it makes you values all the stuff that you have.

Cooking
While trying to focus on workout and reading, cooking is also one of the tasks for the month. After a whole month of heavy meals, I am running out of money and there goes the cooking plan. Well, still the beginner in cooking and again, being the lazy one, I am proud to have my meal ready in 10 min!

Well, pretty simple time to go for my work-life balance target. August is coming, looking forward for a whole month of celebrations. Hint: My birthday is coming soon! But no more cakes please. Gift are most welcome, and... and... I like FOOD!

Jun Part 2: Being A Lucky Person

Finally got back my WiFi at home, after five days. What a good timing!

Jun has been really a month full with fun and activities!

After return from Perak/Penang Trip, the following week I have a date with senior, Lee Hoon for a promise that I have made some time ago, which is to find a place to jog or so called training in Singapore. The marathon run registration fee is becoming more expensive when the popularity goes up and not mentioning those in Singapore which is three times Malaysian Ringgit!

She asked me if the thought is going for real and then there goes the weekend on Jun 25, 26! Although not much time to plan on the schedule, I did end up really enjoy the trip. Smooth traffic on the Saturday and meet up with my buddy, Andrew to catch up for a brunch. Then meet up with Lee Hoon, she bring me to all the places that I wanna to go. Hehe. We made it to the the second hand book heaven, Bras Basah Complex to search for 2nd hand magazine for my training the following week. At the same time, we found a lot of interesting shop located in this complex and have fun exploring it! Then go to International Music Day at Alliance Francaise le Singapour. The first thing fun is back to old school time to enjoy our music and performance, secondly, it is the first time I am so near to a French environment! I had a Level 1 study in university, hardly understand French language, but long before that it is one of the bucket list travel to France to witness the Eiffel Tower in real!

Then, followed by Sun, go to the Macrithie National Park for the jogging. Another reservoir that I see in Singapore, after the Lower Seletar Reservoir and this is a real place for some training, it is a 11 km trail with most of the places cover under the tree, so not hot at all! Having fun looking at other handsome running at the same time! The place is almost flat, so we have quite some running except for some place the rock is slippery which we have to slow down to avoid injured.

Macritchie Reservoir

The Tree Top Walk - 250 m of one way walk 

on top of all the tall trees and nature. 

Initially I thought it is not scary at all. 

Keep back my words after 50 m walk. 

Start walking fast before my leg start shaking.

After that, had a great shower and then meet up with ShuChen for lunch before heading back to where I come from. Back to Johor, the traffic was smooth as well.

Come to end of Jun, I had the APAC Early Career Training Program Part 2. Unlike the first part, this time we are meeting up the same group of people, more familiar faces, although less people. More learning come in for the three days of training, communication skills, presentation skills, and this time we had a finance workshop plus a megatrend presentation.

Meet back MiniUN Team in part 1 on the first day! 

Then they changed the team so that we are better mixing around.

This is my team no 2, Malindo, 

originally from Malaysia and Indonesia.

I made a promise at the beginning check-in time, to be ready to practice more of my presentation skills and build my confidence. Throughout these three days, I did enjoy it although not so much night outing and drinking session like what seniors told us. Well, my drinking ability is still a toddler, better not to drink so much too.

Team photo 2, after we won the presentation.

A good ending for part 2.

Soon after the training, bring one of my colleague from Thai to go visit my hometown, Melaka. Well, not much to travel, only that her travel plan is to go to place with good food, and I think Melaka fit it well. But it is a hot weather and we really feel exhausted in the afternoon.

I hope she did enjoy Melaka and the food. Happy when she commented "A-roy!" (HoChiak in Thai)

Finally, end of Jun and there come the Raya holiday. To be continue...