keeping them pumped enables you to go further, better, faster, stronger.
have you pumped yours today?
Friday, July 31, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
My Climb
The peloton will be making their way towards the final climb for Le Tour de France 2009.
Mont Ventoux has a little bit of history that dates back to TDF 2000.
Exams coming up in a week.
Maybe it's time I start climbing really hard instead of waiting for things to be gifted.
Mont Ventoux has a little bit of history that dates back to TDF 2000.
Exams coming up in a week.
Maybe it's time I start climbing really hard instead of waiting for things to be gifted.
Monday, July 13, 2009
XK (6) Tired Tyre....
so i blew out old hag's rear tire. blew out as in totally gone. wasted. wiped out. shredded. annhilated. obliterated. whacked out. goner. finito. hasta la vista baby.
i was cycling and there was like this piercing shreak right behind me, almost as if a glass bottle had just landed two inches from where i was. i looked down and started wobbling like crazy. i got off, looked at the tire, and saw the webbing of the tire. as in the white stitching that was used to make the tire in the first place.
i went to get it replaced, and realised i had to change the entire wheel. there was an original problem with it in the first place - it was wobbling. i didn't really pay much attention, cos i could still cycle. turns out, i had 6 broken spokes, which caused the tyre to wobble, which (could have then) caused the constant grating of the tyre against the belt, which (could have then) resulted in the a/m incident.
so many lessons.
we are that tyre. going on day after day, trudging through life and routine. then we spot a problem. it seems small. we disregard it. it grows. and it explodes in our face, leaving us to pick up the pieces, when all this could've been avoided had we addressed the spokes first.
a simple lesson really. one that we've heard many times no doubt. yet we fail to heed. the thing is today, it's just a burst tyre. but what if that burst tyre had led to a burst head? sometimes, we do not value the worth of considering consequences.
then there's the issue of striving. putting in your best efforts. never slacking. 'WE ARE CALLED TO EXCEL'. but we are called to excel over the entire course of our lives. sure, you probably could've done better for this or for that. but had you, would you have been able to continue doing so? would you have been able to excel in the other areas that you did?
don't beat yourself up. value the power of rest. for the act of closing your eyes is not to say 'i give up', nor 'i shall live to fight another day', but really 'this is the secret to excelling.' by addressing each spoke as it breaks, that tyre would not have tired, that accident-waiting-to-happen would not have been a possibility, that life would not have been potentially destroyed.
watch your spokes. the time 'wasted' is worthwhile.
take a break. the time 'wasted' is wraught with beautiful tomorrows.
i was cycling and there was like this piercing shreak right behind me, almost as if a glass bottle had just landed two inches from where i was. i looked down and started wobbling like crazy. i got off, looked at the tire, and saw the webbing of the tire. as in the white stitching that was used to make the tire in the first place.
i went to get it replaced, and realised i had to change the entire wheel. there was an original problem with it in the first place - it was wobbling. i didn't really pay much attention, cos i could still cycle. turns out, i had 6 broken spokes, which caused the tyre to wobble, which (could have then) caused the constant grating of the tyre against the belt, which (could have then) resulted in the a/m incident.
so many lessons.
we are that tyre. going on day after day, trudging through life and routine. then we spot a problem. it seems small. we disregard it. it grows. and it explodes in our face, leaving us to pick up the pieces, when all this could've been avoided had we addressed the spokes first.
a simple lesson really. one that we've heard many times no doubt. yet we fail to heed. the thing is today, it's just a burst tyre. but what if that burst tyre had led to a burst head? sometimes, we do not value the worth of considering consequences.
then there's the issue of striving. putting in your best efforts. never slacking. 'WE ARE CALLED TO EXCEL'. but we are called to excel over the entire course of our lives. sure, you probably could've done better for this or for that. but had you, would you have been able to continue doing so? would you have been able to excel in the other areas that you did?
don't beat yourself up. value the power of rest. for the act of closing your eyes is not to say 'i give up', nor 'i shall live to fight another day', but really 'this is the secret to excelling.' by addressing each spoke as it breaks, that tyre would not have tired, that accident-waiting-to-happen would not have been a possibility, that life would not have been potentially destroyed.
watch your spokes. the time 'wasted' is worthwhile.
take a break. the time 'wasted' is wraught with beautiful tomorrows.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
XK (5) The right dude
this post was inspired by "My Mechanic".
so my bike broke down one day. this was some time back. actually, she's broken down more times than i care to remember, but let's just stick to this one.
i brought her in for my guy to look at. he's this dude who's like the only one within a 5km radius, so he's super convenient. but the problem is, after getting serviced, other problems popped up. which brings me to my point-which-i-get-to-in-a-roundabout-way.
you gotta get the right people.
the right dude, is what matters. don't be swayed by looks, charisma, or in the a/m case, convenience. you'll only suffer for it in the long run. effort is much better spent in the initial investment, the laying of the foundation, in order to avoid the heartbreak of future. this applies to virutally every aspect of life.
life partner. business partner. leader. follower. mentor. advisor. and also, friend.
i got some really 'right' people, and that includes you ;). bugandang eh.
P.S. heard about you and your mom E! congrats once again. the restoration of relationship is truly the rainbow after the storm. i totally geddit.
so my bike broke down one day. this was some time back. actually, she's broken down more times than i care to remember, but let's just stick to this one.
i brought her in for my guy to look at. he's this dude who's like the only one within a 5km radius, so he's super convenient. but the problem is, after getting serviced, other problems popped up. which brings me to my point-which-i-get-to-in-a-roundabout-way.
you gotta get the right people.
the right dude, is what matters. don't be swayed by looks, charisma, or in the a/m case, convenience. you'll only suffer for it in the long run. effort is much better spent in the initial investment, the laying of the foundation, in order to avoid the heartbreak of future. this applies to virutally every aspect of life.
life partner. business partner. leader. follower. mentor. advisor. and also, friend.
i got some really 'right' people, and that includes you ;). bugandang eh.
P.S. heard about you and your mom E! congrats once again. the restoration of relationship is truly the rainbow after the storm. i totally geddit.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
My Mechanic
Allow me to introduce my favourite bike mechanic.
This man has the best pair of hands for all situations. You can trust him with your bicycles. Be it a mis-aligned chain, messed up rear-deraileur, mucky brakes and mechanical failures, this is the man you want to see working on it.
Of course, that winning attitude of serving will make your (bicycle) troubles disappear.
Thankfully he's also my friend and buddy.
Thankyou E, for the countless times of support and listening to my (bike) problems. ;)
Ride safe guys. Remember who to look out for when you've got a problem with your bike.
This man has the best pair of hands for all situations. You can trust him with your bicycles. Be it a mis-aligned chain, messed up rear-deraileur, mucky brakes and mechanical failures, this is the man you want to see working on it.
Of course, that winning attitude of serving will make your (bicycle) troubles disappear.
Thankfully he's also my friend and buddy.
Thankyou E, for the countless times of support and listening to my (bike) problems. ;)
Ride safe guys. Remember who to look out for when you've got a problem with your bike.
Monday, May 4, 2009
E's random post
Saturdays are usually the busiest day of the week at work. All sorts of people stream in. Some come in flustered, unable to ride due to a flat caused by road shrapnels. Some come in to buy that first bicycle for their birthday boy/girl. Some come in ready to splurge on that lightest/most talked about racing mountain bike. Some come in to simply shield themselves from the heat outside.
3 out of 4 are usually expats. You learn to get accustomed to the different accents over time, like repeatedly asking the old indian lady whose buying a new bicycle and has a thick british accent:
"isitwordit?" (O.I.L.)
"sorry mdm?" (me)
"isitwordit?" (O.I.L.)
"hmmm...?" (me)
"is...it...word...it?" (O.I.L.)
"oh! heh yes its worth it" (me)
The best part or rather the part i always cross my fingers for is doing deliveries or short trips to the ware house. Its time away from work while still working. A trip out would usually lasts for at least 45 min. That is time for me to breathe and just enjoy the drive. Away from the busyness of the shop and the boss. just one of the perks working as part sales man, part delievery man, part store man.
Grad day is coming. It marks the halfway of this long break from school. 2 and a half months later it be time to hit the books again. The past months have not been the easiest of months at home, having endless arguements with mom over money issues. sigh. and now she is giving me the silent treatment. this is one thing i am powerless over. the principle of lacking one thing. *wink wink*
How will the next half of the year be like? Praying that the school weekly schedule will be favourable for me to continue working to finance myself. BX, Xiong Kun do pray for me.
sidenote: wicked new tri frame design from ceepo; the Viper. Dealer's in Changi. http://www.ceepo.com/frames_viper.html
Thursday, April 23, 2009
My Excuses
It's been very long since E and I rode in the morning.
On Tuesday, I could not wake up in time and E had to do ride by himself. Felt really bad so I scheduled to ride again this morning.
Woke up with a terrible headache. I think it's because I closed most of my window and left a small gap. The wind last night was never seen before in Singapore. (since when do you 'see' wind?)
I had enough of excuses so I washed up and gave E a morning call. Turned out he was sleeping when I called. We decided to cancel again.
Thought about the kind of headwind cyclists faced. Tonight will be a good time to experience that, if the winds decide to blow again.
Hopefully, we're not going to blow this chance to cycle by giving excuses.
On Tuesday, I could not wake up in time and E had to do ride by himself. Felt really bad so I scheduled to ride again this morning.
Woke up with a terrible headache. I think it's because I closed most of my window and left a small gap. The wind last night was never seen before in Singapore. (since when do you 'see' wind?)
I had enough of excuses so I washed up and gave E a morning call. Turned out he was sleeping when I called. We decided to cancel again.
Thought about the kind of headwind cyclists faced. Tonight will be a good time to experience that, if the winds decide to blow again.
Hopefully, we're not going to blow this chance to cycle by giving excuses.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Xk(4) relationships
today on the mrt, a man asked me about old hag. i gave him the old spiel, but now updated with the patent expiry and slashed prices in the market (where exactly, i don't know). we continued talking cos i didn't wanna stop. and it turns out he's in publishing like my dad! then he said "tell you dad what he's doing is wonderful". well i smsed him, and i hope it put a smile on dad's face. hopefully taking that chance blessed my dad.
take (wise) chances when it comes to (potential) relationships. be really interested in people. for who they are, and not (just) what they can do for you. you never know where God might lead you.
take (wise) chances when it comes to (potential) relationships. be really interested in people. for who they are, and not (just) what they can do for you. you never know where God might lead you.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
XK (3) True love
i used to own a yellow bmx. it served me really well. especially with the training wheels. then one day, i decided enough was enough. i'm a kid no more! the wheels came off, and i was officially a cyclist.
soon my fingers started getting black and blue. they were being abused by my kneecaps. huh. so out went the yellow kid, in came the blue. bigger, better, faster. wow! totally fogot about the little guy.
then my parents bought mountain bikes themselves. WOW. biggerer, betterer, fasterer. blue? what blue?
and then came the silver bike. and another yellow bike. and you know where this is going right. in came da bike. and now, old hag.
my bikes kept getting replaced. i no longer appreciated them, cos they couldn't fit my needs, wants, desires. i had no loyalty to the bike - only to myself and what i required.
is that what love is today? why do we fall in love? "because you complete me". sure you do. but what happens when "do" becomes "did"? do we then throw them away, like some... bike?
the power of commitment - to have and to hold in sickness and in health, till death do us part - goes beyond the condition of the bike. it goes into the very heart of the bike. it goes into your own heart.
and therein lies the power of God's love. it is unconditional. U-N-C-O-N-D-I-T-I-O-N-A-L. it don't matter if you've got a BBB (broken bottom bracket :p), it don't matter if you're punctured, it don't matter if your spokes come off, it don't matter if your brakes don't squeeze, it don't matter if your gears can't work, it don't matter if your chain clinks and clanks, it don't matter if you're dirty, too old, too small. it don't matter.
it don't matter if you can't say what you mean, or mean what you say. it don't matter if your actions never fit your intentions. it don't matter when they do. it don't matter when your evil heart reigns above your super-ego. it don't matter when you've lost faith. it don't matter when you don't believe anymore. it don't matter when you find yourself in a dark place. it don't matter when you're stuck it a rut. it don't matter when you'd rather stay in the well than come up for air. it don't matter if you're drowning in unbelief, in sin. it don't matter if you've got low self-esteem. it don't matter if you're selfish and you know it. it don't matter if you're proud of being humble. it don't matter if nobody likes you as much as you'd like. it don't matter.
God still loves you.
the problem is, you gotta accept it.
will you?
soon my fingers started getting black and blue. they were being abused by my kneecaps. huh. so out went the yellow kid, in came the blue. bigger, better, faster. wow! totally fogot about the little guy.
then my parents bought mountain bikes themselves. WOW. biggerer, betterer, fasterer. blue? what blue?
and then came the silver bike. and another yellow bike. and you know where this is going right. in came da bike. and now, old hag.
my bikes kept getting replaced. i no longer appreciated them, cos they couldn't fit my needs, wants, desires. i had no loyalty to the bike - only to myself and what i required.
is that what love is today? why do we fall in love? "because you complete me". sure you do. but what happens when "do" becomes "did"? do we then throw them away, like some... bike?
the power of commitment - to have and to hold in sickness and in health, till death do us part - goes beyond the condition of the bike. it goes into the very heart of the bike. it goes into your own heart.
and therein lies the power of God's love. it is unconditional. U-N-C-O-N-D-I-T-I-O-N-A-L. it don't matter if you've got a BBB (broken bottom bracket :p), it don't matter if you're punctured, it don't matter if your spokes come off, it don't matter if your brakes don't squeeze, it don't matter if your gears can't work, it don't matter if your chain clinks and clanks, it don't matter if you're dirty, too old, too small. it don't matter.
it don't matter if you can't say what you mean, or mean what you say. it don't matter if your actions never fit your intentions. it don't matter when they do. it don't matter when your evil heart reigns above your super-ego. it don't matter when you've lost faith. it don't matter when you don't believe anymore. it don't matter when you find yourself in a dark place. it don't matter when you're stuck it a rut. it don't matter when you'd rather stay in the well than come up for air. it don't matter if you're drowning in unbelief, in sin. it don't matter if you've got low self-esteem. it don't matter if you're selfish and you know it. it don't matter if you're proud of being humble. it don't matter if nobody likes you as much as you'd like. it don't matter.
God still loves you.
the problem is, you gotta accept it.
will you?
Friday, April 10, 2009
E is nostalgic
the days of bar end shifters and bright orange bar tape. haha its hilarious looking at the pictures taken before we gave our steeds the make over. and recalling how bent on going fixie/single speed we were that we spent moolas over it. much wasted. but also derived the best memories. and now that we are going the way of the STIs and of HRMs, we are on to the new phase/season of cycling in our lives. training!!!
My Mechanical Problem
If there is a problem, fix it!
Things can still go on with problems. Yet, at the end of the day, I will inevitably think, what would it be if I actually tried to fix the problem?
Eventually, the hampering problem just causes other parts to fail.
---
I need to fix my bottom bracket.
Things can still go on with problems. Yet, at the end of the day, I will inevitably think, what would it be if I actually tried to fix the problem?
Eventually, the hampering problem just causes other parts to fail.
---
I need to fix my bottom bracket.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
My First Joyride
It's been some time since I last wrote here. Hopefully after the exams I'll get more to write about.
Here is something I wrote on Saturday:
First ride with the Joyriders(http://joyriders.sg/). Didn't really know what to expect.
I guess it's this uncertainty that made me hesitant to join them despite Victor's many invitation.
So since today everything seems to be aligned and my bike up and running, I decided to go and give group riding a try. It helps that Teck and Eugene are coming along too.
The ride was not much of a 'group riding' like being in a peloton. Victor later said that it was more like a warmup lap(30KM for a warmup lap!?) for most of the other riders to do their own pace. This is also more newbie friendly because they'll assign people to take care of the slower and newer riders.
I'm new but I'm not really slow so I rode off the front most of the time with Vic. I think I did push quite hard and was rather aggressive in overtaking. Hopefully I didnt step on anyone's toes.
I nearly did collide with a lady rider. We were passing by a group of riders named "Absolut"(vodka?), when I heard someone call my name. It was Eugene! He smsed me earlier saying that he was tired and won't be joining us. I replied "Ok :("
Yes I'm a terrible friend for making him feel guilty. But I'm pretty sure he enjoyed the ride :)
---
I had a serious mechanical problem during the last 5KM or so. My BB cup started to come off! I didnt realise it then and I thought it was my cleats giving me problems and causing my pedalling to become wobbly.
I couldnt hand tighten the BB back so I just rode back home slowly with Eugene and Teck.
On the way back I wondered what might have happened if I went with Victor for their 70K Changi ride. :/
---
The company was amazing and I met made a couple of new friends. The group leader is a pretty friendly lady. I really felt the joy. :D
Although I suspect it's also being able to view all the expensive bicycles around me.
I was staring at someone's Liquigas team issue Cannondale (Supersix?) and it's BB30 and SI cranks. I think that's when Blackie got jealous and started to worsen my BB problem.
---
Some EC analysis: The food and drinks at the Shell station seems to be a tad overpriced. If they charged this higher price because of the cycling group, then I'd say it's pretty smart. Same thing for the drinks at Longhouse.
Mars Bar - $1.90
100 Plus - $1.30
Riding with friends - Priceless.
Here is something I wrote on Saturday:
First ride with the Joyriders(http://joyriders.sg/). Didn't really know what to expect.
I guess it's this uncertainty that made me hesitant to join them despite Victor's many invitation.
So since today everything seems to be aligned and my bike up and running, I decided to go and give group riding a try. It helps that Teck and Eugene are coming along too.
The ride was not much of a 'group riding' like being in a peloton. Victor later said that it was more like a warmup lap(30KM for a warmup lap!?) for most of the other riders to do their own pace. This is also more newbie friendly because they'll assign people to take care of the slower and newer riders.
I'm new but I'm not really slow so I rode off the front most of the time with Vic. I think I did push quite hard and was rather aggressive in overtaking. Hopefully I didnt step on anyone's toes.
I nearly did collide with a lady rider. We were passing by a group of riders named "Absolut"(vodka?), when I heard someone call my name. It was Eugene! He smsed me earlier saying that he was tired and won't be joining us. I replied "Ok :("
Yes I'm a terrible friend for making him feel guilty. But I'm pretty sure he enjoyed the ride :)
---
I had a serious mechanical problem during the last 5KM or so. My BB cup started to come off! I didnt realise it then and I thought it was my cleats giving me problems and causing my pedalling to become wobbly.
I couldnt hand tighten the BB back so I just rode back home slowly with Eugene and Teck.
On the way back I wondered what might have happened if I went with Victor for their 70K Changi ride. :/
---
The company was amazing and I met made a couple of new friends. The group leader is a pretty friendly lady. I really felt the joy. :D
Although I suspect it's also being able to view all the expensive bicycles around me.
I was staring at someone's Liquigas team issue Cannondale (Supersix?) and it's BB30 and SI cranks. I think that's when Blackie got jealous and started to worsen my BB problem.
---
Some EC analysis: The food and drinks at the Shell station seems to be a tad overpriced. If they charged this higher price because of the cycling group, then I'd say it's pretty smart. Same thing for the drinks at Longhouse.
Mars Bar - $1.90
100 Plus - $1.30
Riding with friends - Priceless.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
E's day filled with Grace
lao ban niang forgot about time off for me today. and was apologetic. let me have the van after the last delivery and allowed me to drive to DG. really really thankful and appreciative. lao ban playfully threatened to charge me for the use of the van and said to learn from the bible to be shrewd with money. *question mark* and he gave me discount for my cycling secret weapon. woohoo. Serfas Podium Road Shoe. SPPS. emily got the NTU letter lo. super proud of her. lunch on her man. tmr first ride with the church people. super excited. hehe.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
E's living the dream
this post is about me living the dream. not of an astronaut nor pilot nor successful head hunting businessman, but as a delivery man in a bicycle shop. how i got started living the dream is a story for another time.
its been two weeks exact since i've started working and its been amazing how God brought me to a deeper albeit still blurry understanding of why i am here in i had a conversation with the lady boss yesterday in the shop. i asked about my time off on alternate saturdays for cell group. and that led to us talking about her past as a christian for over a decade with the boss. how they were baptised, how she had been scarred spiritually and how she confessed she's backslided. that incident kept me thinking and its a funny imagining my boss being baptised. usually that would entail kneeling before the pastor while he sprinkles water that has been prayed over or full water baptisim. and i compare that to the boss he is now. hmmm.
amazing cos its a wonder how the employers share such a past with an employee like me whose just started working barely a month. living the dream cos its probably beyond my imagination wat God wants to do through me in my stint at the shop.
for now im doing abit of everything. delivery, repair, sales and storeman. to be faithful with the little things God has blessed with. and to be ready for the huge ones that are to come. will remember BX saying that God has in plan a ideal job this hols.
electric foldable bike anyone?
its been two weeks exact since i've started working and its been amazing how God brought me to a deeper albeit still blurry understanding of why i am here in i had a conversation with the lady boss yesterday in the shop. i asked about my time off on alternate saturdays for cell group. and that led to us talking about her past as a christian for over a decade with the boss. how they were baptised, how she had been scarred spiritually and how she confessed she's backslided. that incident kept me thinking and its a funny imagining my boss being baptised. usually that would entail kneeling before the pastor while he sprinkles water that has been prayed over or full water baptisim. and i compare that to the boss he is now. hmmm.
amazing cos its a wonder how the employers share such a past with an employee like me whose just started working barely a month. living the dream cos its probably beyond my imagination wat God wants to do through me in my stint at the shop.
for now im doing abit of everything. delivery, repair, sales and storeman. to be faithful with the little things God has blessed with. and to be ready for the huge ones that are to come. will remember BX saying that God has in plan a ideal job this hols.
electric foldable bike anyone?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)