A Rainy Summer - A Rained out Independence Day...

The weekend is here!

The way I enter my blogs is especially DUH!!!.. Simply because I do alot of backdated entries... I mean, after a long day, all I want to do is just cosy up in bed to my four pillows.. Regardless, here's another backdated one..

I got another tour of Baltimore from Christina, we climbed too many steps up and very narrow and dizzy circle-ly - Washington Memorial (not the one in DC. its the one in baltimore) only to see grilled windows and a gloomy looking city. Had ice cream and cakes in a nice cafe with lotsa 'happy' people.

Taken in Christina's apartment, one of flat mate's creation.

1st floor - viewing gallery - Washington Memorial - From left - Ashley - Christina - MOI!

Nice to see some Singlish somewhere lah!

STROKE ME BABY!

Trying to mimick the painting. This place is pretty neat. Must try - Key Lime Pie ice cream! They have work by artists that you may buy.

In Short...

Its just plain bad karma.

I swear.

Saturday's race. It was blowing some 20 knots of wind. A slight drizzle did not thwart the wind's intention to make me work really hard. (I'm the only Laser and the rest, thistles, 470s' and mobjacks).

1st race, I worked really hard, brilliant tactic, I was more than half a leg ahead the first upwind leg by starting on the pin end. BUt I was worked so hard that my brain burnt and forgot to turn on the ratchet block, I was wondering why I was so weak, can't trim my sail at all. Alas, its the stupid ratched block. The boat was feeling really lethargic downwind and the final upwind. Nevermind, I still came in first.

2nd race, nice start, the wind has dropped some.. but my boat just dun seem to be responding to me... Starting to wonder about the not having sailed on a laser for the last 2 years... But, can't be that bad.. I sailed the other day, it din feel like this.. Came in 2nd on corrected time.

3rd race, good start, playing the wind shifts well, but the boat just dun seem to be responding!!!!! Prayed that the handicap is enough to cover the erm.. 7 min difference.. fat chance.. came in 3rd. effectively. Last, only three boats in my class...

Finally sailed the boat back to shore, was having quite abit of trouble heaving the boat up on land, thinking that I must have been really weak and quite tired from working the boat hard. Unplugged the drain plug.. and found the boat full of water!!! Had to let it drain for 10 mins or for it to be completely empty. Man.. it was a lousy feeling. I should have won the race if not for that stupid plug. Oh well.. my own fault for not changing it out.

The "Old well" look...

THE DAMN SAYING IS WRONG!

MY MOOD

Its blerdy wrong! WHen you are in the pits.... and when seemingly, the only way is up.. There's always gonna be a bird that will fly by and dump the shit on u! Either that, or some big feet will come stample you all over again!

Here's what I got when I came back from yet another day of "I forgot to bring my water and lunch out to sea" when I am the one who wants everybody to pack lunch and bring lotsa water on their boat.. smart ass..

That's my 320gb harddisk, in which, stores my entire year's work, my watever portfolio, my all. Now, I have nothing to show, 'cept for an empty bank account. and a relatively clean hard disk.

Well.. I guess its my own fault for not asking it to be couriered over. But I just need to sell that one picture and I din have space in my computer to bring it over cos I din have time to clear it. and also I did not have space in my handcarry for it too! But now. I am so totally regretting it. Shouldn't have asked a blerdy PC user to get stuff outta a hard disk that has been 'oh so attached' to a mac. Blerdy mistake. Oh. and there goes the sale. now i'm in deficit.

Sigh... I am speechless... a string of explicits hang precariously off the tip of my tongue... but alas..... it was done....

Its time to delete this chapter of my life and move on...

Tm is the 34th Annual Glenmar Sailing Association Small Boat Regatta... and i'll be competing in a laser. Having lost to Michael (my student) in corrected time yesterday evening.. I think I should be quite raring to go out there and prove a point... Let's see how it goes.... good nite all.....

When you are at the bottom, you can only go up!

I am beginning to like this saying quite abit, I mean, its brilliant! If you are at the bottom, the only way is up! By this, I must say I am quite spurred. Its not that bad after all... I mean. I have been too hard on myself and them. But then again. That's me. I always expect everybody else to be able to do stuff like I do them. It is a problem that my officer while I am in OCS very aptly pointed out. She fears my problem will be to expect my men to be able to do what I can do. Which shouldn't be the case, cos if they can do what I can do. They should be officers as well!

I am actually quite glad that she pointed that out. Cos I never really do realise that. I just blame it on my star sign, Virgo, perfectionist. heh.. But it is also because of that, that I always try to do my best when I start out on something, it is also a tumbling block, when I do not know how and when to call it quits and say its good enough, and I should just move on to the next thing.

My tumbling blocks? Being a perfectionist??

Anyway.. today's classes wasn't too bad. I spent the entire morning sorting out boats and stuff, and after lunch, we got some solid water time with the wind blowing quite abit, and yet, not too badly that they can't sail at all. It looks promising, but I couldn't really tell just yet, if their attitude will hold out. But I see some delighted faces on the water doing the new drills I just showed them... pray....

Taking small steps each day into the unknown..

My truck! As I have promised. hehe.. A picture of it. a 1988 Toyota, I think the tyres not too good ah.. Drove it all the way into Annapolis yesterday for a regatta, a first long distance drive, and a first time towing a trailer behind.. I think I'm quite mad.... it was quite crazy, it takes quite a while to stop when i'm towing stuff, and it won't really go more than 60mph when i'm on the 5th gear.. I floored the darn accelerator and it still wont' go. Have to lower the gear to get it moving up slops... But.. no choice la. I guess its the only one. too bad. suck it up. heh.

Do I really have to????

My mood in the morning....





I've decided that its gonna be cool posting pics of my mood in the mornings. haha... That's the aircon thingy outside my window, dun really hear it most times, but i'm ok with that lil bit more noise. It gets too quiet around here sometimes, maybe that's why they say silence is deafening.. That SUV in the background is the family's car, it takes us to church! and that's me on my nice queen size bed!

The race today went pretty decently, in a certain sense, there's certainly alot of rooms for improvement, but I think it is quite encouraging to see some of the kids trying, and willing to do stuff when I ask them to. But still, I cannot show that I'm a nice dude.. not just yet. I got them some books to read, not sure when I'm gonnna give it to them or how I am gonna give it to them, dun wanna give it away too cheaply, I want them to earn it. Any suggestions anybody?

Some shots from today..

Well it looked like a decent shot, but from a sailor's point of view, its horrible! What's the sailor doing, taking a knee on the deck during a tack????

That's Alex Brylske's younger bro, he has a big heart! check out that funky hat!

My fellow colleague was quite anal about going too close to the course, and the longest lens I have is a 70-200mm lens, sometimes, I like my 1.6 crop. I'll be cursing and swearing when I don't get that kinda reach when I go full frame or 1.3 crop.

Man, I knew it was gonna be bad.. I din know it was SO BAD..

I guess the title said it all.

Once again, I amaze myself at how unmotivated these kids are. I know they need a lil pushing, but it is getting silly. Mind you, this is only the first day. Oh mama.. It is gonna be a long season.

This picture depicts how I feel right now....Kids nowadays..

Yes.. its complaining time!!!

I have one kid turn up, signed up for the optimist. No boats, no arrangements for a boat. And too blerdy big for an optimist. Hell, I dun even know if he can sail! And I'm suppose to take him for a race tm???????????? Man... i think I must be insane.

All their rigging is !@_)%*!@#)@@! but its fine, I expected it, so I got everybody, and got them to point out each other's mistake. So we got everything down. I had to go back home to pick up the other laser cos the new kid din have a boat. WhenI came back, nothing was done! And they were playing frisbee with my assistant! Got them all together, and gave them a big dressing down. Oh well.. we shall see what happens tomorrow at the regatta..

Its starting.....

In a little more than 10 hours, I will be facing anxious parents and excited, well, maybe not so excited kids. I'll be heading the whole program this time around.. and in a certain way, its kinda stressful cos of expectations... and all the yadeh yadeh.. apparently, people arnd here knows or heard of me, even thou I have not met them! Its crazy, it feels good to know that my work is appreciated and people like it. But wow.. I'll have to start pushing that pressuring thought behind!
Anyway... I just witness a true blue american mass orgy.. check it out. I've got pictures to prove.

Like how many pairs of beetles are there man? Dude.. its frigging awesome! There's even spectators! Far out man!

This is the building that I finally go get my finger printing done @ 5 dollars a card. and there's two card! its crazy!

Its another Issac thing again.. playing in the pool.. n that's when water leaked into my casing and it actually flooded.. i'm surprise the camera is still alive. there's water in the battery compartment, CF card slots and whole lens is soaked.. blerdy helll.. I need my 1Dmk3!! CANON!! HURRY UP!!

Oh well..I had better go get some thing called S-L-E-E-P done else i'll be a stoner tm. heh. Wish me luck! Oh.. Btw.. i just saw my 1988 toyota truck.. its not too bad! got some pics. will post later.