Andrew Oon

Silly things that I did when I was in Perth

2012-01-31T01:24:00.003+08:00

I had the privilege of being selected to be part of a coaching attachment program to Australia from 29th November 2010 to 7th January 2011 in Perth, Western Australia.

My stay there was an unforgettable one. The people were so friendly and accommodating, that to this day, I miss them deeply.

But I would like to share some incredibly silly things that I did during my stay in Perth:

1) Taking photos of the customs area

Apparently, this was a big no-no and cameras were not allowed in the area. I only saw the no-photography notice after I took the shot. But this was not as bad as what I did next ...

2) Petting the customs dog

As a dog lover, I couldn't help petting the cute doggie on the head and going, "Hey there boy, how are you? Are you a good dog?"

The stern-faced customs lady was kind enough to tell me off politely, "Excuse me sir, but that's not allowed. Kindly refrain from stroking the customs dog."

Fortunately, I didn't create an international incident on my first day in Perth.

3) Taking baths using hand washing lotion

Everything in Perth was incredibly expensive, especially to a Malaysian earning Ringgit Malaysia. So, the natural thing to do was to get the cheapest in everything available.

Since liquids were not allowed on Malaysia Airlines international flights, I had to buy my toothpaste, soap and everything else liquid upon my arrival in Perth. So, I bought what I thought was a cheap body soap.

For the record, I've never been very good at buying groceries as I've been known to not pay attention to the labels. It was only after two weeks that I discovered that the body soap that I had been using was actually hand washing lotion.

4) Sleeping without locking the door

My serviced apartment in Perth was located in Outram Street. It's a nice apartment in the upper class business district of West Perth. Although it's located in a business area, during weekends the neighbours can get rather rowdy and noisy.

For three weeks during my stay in Perth, I had turned the key in the lock anti-clockwise thinking that this would lock the door. It wasn't until the maintenance man came one day on opened the door without the use of a key when I learned that the proper way of locking the door was by turning the key clockwise.

Fortunately, nothing untoward happened during those three weeks.

5) Speeding

The speed limit on most roads in West Perth is 60 km/h. When I picked up my rental car on the second day of my stay in Perth, I was delighted of my new ride and as to how clear the roads were. So, I decided to floor the pedal of my 5-door Holden Barina when I came across a stretch of clear road.

But just as I reached 70 km/h, I saw an unusual figure squatting in the bushes along the side of the road. Too late I realized it was a traffic policeman with a speed camera.

Fortunately, I escaped a speeding ticket, but I still had much more to learn about driving in Australia ...

6) Taking photos while driving

Some things that we take for granted back home are not exactly the norm or acceptable in Australia. One such example is the use of mobile phones or mobile phone cameras while driving.

I wasn't aware of the seriousness of this matter until a swimmer in the City Of Perth Swim Team told me of the penalties of using my mobile phone or mobile phone camera while driving. Luckily, I didn't get a ticket or worse, get arrested.

7) Driving against traffic

For at least two weeks, I returned to my serviced apartment via a stretch of road that seemed free of traffic. The weird thing was, the few motorists that passed me would flash their lights at me repeatedly as they passed me. Some would wave, and I would wave back.

It wasn't until two weeks into my stay at Perth that a neighbour told me that I had been driving against traffic on a one-way street!

All this time, none of the motorists horned or showed me the finger. Everyone avoided me and regarded me as a "noob" driver. I avoided a ticket, and more importantly, I avoided getting into an accident.

My stay in Perth has been an unforgettable experience. Looking back at my blunders, I feel I'm truly fortunate that nothing untoward happened despite my silliness. I hope to return to this wonderful city and country someday. I miss the friendliness and the hospitality of the people there.

Pull up your pants

2012-01-30T15:02:00.003+08:00

We could sure use some of these signs here in Malaysia:

CNY potluck dinner

2012-01-29T03:16:00.000+08:00

Trident Swim Team held its CNY Potluck Dinner last evening. This was our first event for the year, and the first for Trident:

Group photo of the swimmers before dinner.

The kids digging in.

More than enough food to go around.

The swimmers' parents helping themselves to the food.

Everyone enjoying themselves.

We also held a belated birthday-do for Coach Esta.

The dinner was a complete success. We had fried bee hoon, cakes, fried chicken, KFC, chicken nuggets, keropok, pizza, curry chicken, sushi, more fried bee hoon, spaghetti, franks, new year kuih, nasi lemak, fruits, sandwiches, more cakes, cheese tarts, cream puffs, candy, soft drinks and ang pows.

The turn-out was far better than what I had expected. The food was fantastic and we had more than enough to go around. Swimmers, their parents and all those present mingled and enjoyed themselves. Everyone had a great time. I did too.

We should hold similar functions more often.

Happy Chinese New Year

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000+08:00

Eusoff's birthday

2012-01-21T10:30:00.000+08:00

We held an early birthday-do for Eusoff yesterday. Though it was nothing fancy, I hope he enjoyed it.

The swimmers posing with Eusoff with his birthday cake. The banner on the right shows Eusoff having his first swimming lessons ... in his nappies.

The birthday boy cutting his cake.

Happy birthday to TST

2012-01-16T23:30:00.000+08:00

This evening, Trident Swim Team was officially affiliated into the Penang Amateur Swimming Association during an Exco Meeting. A good start for us in 2012.

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T00:30:00.000+08:00

Mission Impossible 4 outing

2011-12-18T01:53:00.000+08:00

A few Trident swimmers and I held an outing this evening at Queensbay Mall. Those who attended were John, Joyce and Jess Lee, Eusoff and Elyas, Sean and Eunice, and a small kid, Shi Ken.

Everyone getting ready to dig into their steamboat dinners.

Shi Ken enjoying his chocolate milk shake.

We had our steamboat dinner at Johnny's Restaurant in Queensbay Mall. After dinner, we adjourned to the cineplex for "Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol".

The movie was great. It had the audience on the edge of their seats and was RM12.50 well spent. The only thing lacking perhaps was the continuity from MI3 and adequate character development. Apart from that, it was very entertaining and highly recommended.

I really enjoyed the time I spent with these kids this evening. Looking back at my PISA days, I dare say I have mellowed or changed a lot in terms of temperament and patience.

Looking at the present day, I dare say that these moments are the moments that I enjoy the most.

FML

2011-12-16T17:05:00.001+08:00

Farewell to Coach Kenneth

2011-12-01T01:30:00.001+08:00

Yesterday, 30th November 2011 marked the last working day for Coach Kenneth Lok with PISA Swimming Team and Trident Swim Team.

We held a farewell gathering for him on Sunday, 27th November:

I wish I had a better present to give him.

Kenneth has been working with me in PISA Swimming Team for the past four years. I dare say the team would not be what it is today if not for the invaluable contributions, sacrifices, hard work and dedication from Coach Kenneth.

We have been through good and bad times together. He has been my assistant coach, my sounding board, and the voice of reason and conscience for me. I shall miss his presence on the deck. I have never worked with a better coach before in my many years of coaching.

I wish Kenneth all the best in his future undertakings and his career. I hope someday our paths will cross again and that he will once again return to coaching. But more importantly, I hope he achieves great wealth and happiness in his pursuits.

Thanks Coach Kenneth, and all the best to you.

A new home?

2011-11-30T02:46:00.001+08:00

I left the National Squad after a few months of service. When I returned to Penang, PST was on the brink of extinction and most of its swimmers had left for greener pastures.

To ensure PST swimmers' survival, I had no choice but to merge PISA Swimming Team with Permata Swim Team. The end result from this was Trident Swim Team -- a name of my own choosing.

With the loss of PISA Aquatic Center as a training venue, we had to use Permata Sports Complex as our training center:

A panoramic view of Permata Sports Complex's 50-meter main swimming pool.

Not too shabby, but certainly not as properly equipped as what we were used to back at PISA Aquatic Center.

In any case, this is now our new home. But is it my new home?

JBS learn-to-swim

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000+08:00

I conducted an examination for Jabatan Belia dan Sukan's (JBS) Learn-To-Swim program in May 2011.

The learn-to-swim kids doing their stretching exercises.

Although more than 20 swimmers were recruited to join Trident Swim Team in June, only 5 swimmers actually joined the team but only 3 swimmers remain in the team to this day.

Back @ Blogging

2011-11-26T10:50:00.000+08:00

After an eight-month hiatus, I've decided to resume blogging. So stay tuned!

What's wrong with this picture?

2011-03-23T10:44:00.000+08:00

Answer: the truck on the left has an awful colour scheme.

A new life

2011-02-27T16:24:00.001+08:00

Today is my 46th day of working at Bukit Jalil.

On 19th January 2011, I reported to Bukit Jalil as coach for the National Elite Squad. So officially, that makes me a National Coach.

Since I arrived in Bukit Jalil, I have gone through some challenging times. But I have no regrets in joining the national team at Bukit Jalil. Though it saddens me to leave PISA Swimming Team's deck, I feel that I've made the right decision.

Admittedly, my departure from PST has ruffled some feathers in the team. But I made a decision that was necessary for my career and future. Accepting this appointment is a step forward in my career, a step that no person in his right mind should blame me for taking.

Sure, my decision is self-serving. But whose isn't? Like the many swimmers who have come and gone in PST, I too have decided to move on.

I hope to return to PST someday, maybe when my stint with the national team is over. But some things back home are not going the way I had hoped it would, and I'm really uncertain of PST's future. But I guess we'll see. Que sera sera.

New Year Day's dinner

2011-01-01T19:38:00.001+08:00

This was my New Year Day's dinner:

Malaysian chicken curry with rice.

Corrections. Australian-made Malaysian chicken curry with rice.

After nearly 5 minutes of microwaving:

The end result.

I didn't like it.

One thing I've learned is that frozen food, no matter how good it appears on the box, never tastes good.

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-01T00:26:00.002+08:00

It's 1st January 2011. I'm sitting at a balcony in a serviced apartment at West Perth watching fireworks going off in the far distance. This is my first new year away from home. Happy New Year 2011 everybody.

Roo on the menu

2010-12-30T12:11:00.001+08:00

So far during my stay in Perth, I have yet to see a kangaroo. Today, I got as close to a kangaroo as I possibly could.

Australia's national symbol in a burger. I felt quite guilty eating Skippy.

Served with fresh lettuce, bacon, tomatoes on toasted bread, the meat was very lean and tasty. Quite pricey at AUS$16.50 (RM52).

Sunset at Fremantle

2010-12-28T20:51:00.000+08:00

Some pics taken with my Nokia N96 during a recent visit to Fremantle.

Christmas in Perth

2010-12-25T21:12:00.007+08:00

This is my first Christmas away from home. Usually, I spend it at home with family. But during my stay in Perth on this Christmas day, I had Christmas lunch with Coach Matt Magee and his family, and Christmas dinner with Peter and Christine Choo.

Needless to say, I had an awesome lunch and dinner today. Aussie hospitality is simply unbeatable.

Surprisingly for me, Perth was very quiet on Christmas day. It seems Christmas in Australia is somewhat similar to Chinese New Year back home. Everything just shuts down.

WA custom plates

2010-12-22T13:25:00.001+08:00

Some custom plates I wouldn't mind having:

WA state age meet

2010-12-19T20:34:00.006+08:00

Some pics taken during the Western Australia State Age Swimming Championship at Challenge Stadium today:

Toyota is obviously a big sponsor of the meet. Note the two Toyota CRVs in the background.

A view of the starting end of a 100-meter event. The diving pool is closed off with lanes for cool down, with the swimmers' marshalling area behind it. A coaches' corner has been set up in front of the swimmers' marshalling area.

The spectator gallery at Challenge Stadium during the meet.

Scarborough open-water swim

2010-12-18T22:22:00.005+08:00

I attended (as a spectator) my first open-water swim event this morning at Scarborough Beach.

Scarborough Beach early in the morning. Beautiful beach with soft sand.

The participants registering for the open-water swim. The number tripled within the next 10 minutes.

And they're off!

The participants were set off at different intervals. The ones with the white caps were the faster swimmers. Those were set off first. The kayaks in the foreground as well as the rubber boats in the background were used by the life-guards.

That's me with the Indian Ocean in the background. The water was cold.

Safety of the participants was taken very seriously.

The participants finishing the race at the other end of the beach.

Swimming Australia

2010-12-12T09:30:00.010+08:00

Today is my 14th day in Perth. So far, I've learned a lot of new things, seen many different styles of coaching and had the privilege of working with accomplished coaches such as Greg Hodges, Bernie Mulroy, Matt Magee, Ian Mills and Gary Shaw.

My two weeks here have shown me a new point of view in coaching methodology and how to plan and structure workouts. What I've seen has also answered a lot of "how to" questions that I've had.

Though the coaching science may be the same, what's particularly new to me is the interaction and communication with the swimmers as well as the management of the swimmers, some of whom are world-class swimmers. Giants in their field, in other words.

Here are some pics taken during my first two weeks:

The Western Australia Institute of Sport (WAIS) building at Challenge Stadium in Mount Claremont, Perth.

The 50-meter pool at Beatty Park Leisure Center in the town of Vincent at West Perth. A 25-meter pool is in the background and there is another 25-meter pool indoors. The pools here are heated at 26 to 31 degrees Celsius.

The indoor pools at Challenge Stadium. Though the indoor stadium itself is air-conditioned, the pools are heated.

Coach Matt Magee demonstrating stroke technique during a workout session at Challenge Stadium. Note the large flat screen TV behind. Underwater cameras capture the swimmers' strokes and the video is projected on the TV screen.

That's me, all wrapped up during a workout session at Beatty Park.

Workout sessions usually start at 5:30 AM. The temperature in the above picture shows 18.3 degrees Celcius. This is a good day. On some mornings, the temperature can drop to 16 degrees Celcius.

Taking photos at swimming pools are not permitted here, so it's quite difficult to post any photos of the workouts or swimmers. But more to come soon ...

Perth city

2010-12-11T22:37:00.006+08:00

During my time-off on weekends, I had the chance to drive around and explore Perth city. What's fascinating about Perth city is that it isn't a large city but it's spread over a large area.

Sunrise at West Perth. Notice the clear skyline.

The traffic in Perth city center is very smooth on weekends. Best of all, there aren't any motorcycles. High-rise buildings can only be found in the city center.

The Regal Theatre at Subiaco in West Perth. Classic architecture and beautiful. The crowd isn't lining up for tickets; there's a pub on the ground floor and they're waiting for "Happy Hour".

It's not unusual to find Asian restaurants in Perth. This is the Little Chutney's Indian Restaurant at Subiaco in West Perth. It's also not unusual to see stretched limos in Perth either.

Tree with a face carved into it at Kings Park.

In Australia, the crows are fat and huge.

I didn't cover as much ground as I had hoped to today, but hopefully my next drive around Perth will be more interesting.

To be continued ...

First home-cooked meal in Perth

2010-12-11T19:50:00.000+08:00

I cooked my first successful home-cooked meal in Perth yesterday.

Yummy!

It's home-made "yong tau foo" cooked in chicken stock. The ingredients were bought from Chinese provision shops at Newcastle Street in Perth city.

Thanks to Christine and Peter for taking me around.

Dive and try

2010-12-05T19:49:00.006+08:00

The City of Perth Swim Club held a "Dive and Try" talent i.d. session this morning at Beatty Park pool.

Talent i.d. session in progress. Behind the crowd at middle left, there's an oven for frying sausages and a table for drinks.

Some 26 kids aged from 7 to 12 years showed up for the recruitment drive in the blazing hot sun. National swimmers and Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Blair Evans also attended the function, the latter signing autographs for ~~the kids~~ everyone.

Me shamelessly posing with Blair Evans for a pic.

Overall, it was a fun experience for everyone. Even for me.

Slow news day

2010-12-04T20:20:00.004+08:00

I'm surprised to learn that my stint in Australia is even being reported in the local media:

Source: Bernama Online

Getting around in Perth

2010-12-04T10:33:00.005+08:00

Here's my rented car in Perth:

My parking lot is on the top level of the elevator lot behind.

It's a 5-door Holden Barina 1.6. It's small and easy to get around in. Even comes with airbags but no reverse sensor.

Driving in Australia has been a rather pleasant experience for me. There are road signs everywhere and the roads are well-marked.

Traffic is not a problem either.

Aussie drivers are the most courteous drivers I have ever met. They signal before changing lanes and they don't zip in and out of traffic. At pedestrian crossings, Aussie motorists wait for the pedestrians to finish crossing before they zoom on.

A welcome change from what I'm used to back home.

Cars actually slow down from 60kmh to 40kmh at school zones.

The only downside to driving in Perth is the parking. Parking in the city is a whopping AUS$3.30 per hour. That's more than RM10 for one hour's parking.

Ouch!

Maybe that's one reason why there aren't a lot of cars in the city.

Food, expensive food

2010-12-03T16:00:00.006+08:00

One thing I've noticed about food in Australia is that it is expensive. Almost everything from croissants, sandwiches and lunches cost from AUS$8.

That's why every since I arrived in Perth, I've been living on cup noodles.

Five days of this stuff is enough to drive someone nuts. So today, I thought I'd try cooking my first meal in Perth:

Ok, so that's not exactly "cooking".

It tasted horrible. If cup noodles tasted like gummy noodles in icky gravy, this tasted like gummy noodles in dish water.

Ok, so it's back to cup noodles for me. But tonight ...

McD's "Legend Chicken Burger".

I guess it wouldn't hurt to indulge once in a while.

Coaching placement in Perth

2010-12-02T22:01:00.012+08:00

On Sunday, 28th November 2010, I arrived at Perth International Airport.

Welcome to Perth.

The Aussie customs officers were very thorough. I must have gone through at least three layers of security screening before being allowed into the Arrival Hall. Meeting the customs officers and having them ask me questions made me feel like I was in an episode of "Border Security".

From the airport, I was met by Alan, who drove me in a limo to my serviced apartment at Outram Street in West Perth.

48 Outram Street. My apartment's on the second floor.

It's a nice apartment in the upper class business district of West Perth. The apartment comes fully furnished with a washing machine and dryer, stove, refrigerator, microwave oven ...

My home for the next 6 weeks.

... and even a flat screen TV and free Wifi.

Don't ask me what's that on the TV screen. It's just some commercial that was on when I snapped the photo.

More to come. Stay tuned.

Light at the end of the tunnel

2010-10-31T20:20:00.003+08:00

Finally.

Cloud formation

2010-09-28T15:37:00.004+08:00

Took this picture with my Nokia N96 a few days ago:

2012 ?

Speck in your friend's eye

2010-07-10T00:47:00.004+08:00

We tend to see the faults of others more often than the failures in ourselves.

So who are we to judge our fellow man? Are we faultless? Have we not sinned before the eyes of the Lord? Are we worthy to cast the first stone?

The answer is, ... NO.

Romans 3.23 says:

... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

So please, before you judge me based on your negative perceptions and incomplete knowledge, judge yourselves first.

And if you find a one-sided coin anytime soon, let me know.

Sukma Mascot = RM50, Swimmer Gratitude = Priceless

2010-07-07T02:05:00.002+08:00

I came across this post in my Facebook page recently:

I sent four swimmers from PST to represent the State of Penang in the recent Sukma Games. From the first day they attended centralized training with another coach (from China), till the day they departed for Sukma on 6th June, not one of them said "Thank You" to me for bringing them to the level that they are today

It's not that I crave gratitude, but a little less whining and less griping would be nice. Being conceited and having a swollen-head isn't nice.

We may have gone through some rough times, but we have gone through some good times too. And it's a combination of these good and bad times that has brought us all to where we are today.

Coach Peh has the right formula. His swimmers seem to love him no matter what. I hope to learn Coach Peh's formula some day.

Storm passed

2010-07-02T00:54:00.000+08:00

A storm has just passed. There are casualties, and there are damages. But more importantly, there are survivors.

There is a rainbow overhead, with a hint of clear skies.

Now is the time to pick up the pieces, rebuild, and move on.

Nasty

2010-06-28T16:28:00.001+08:00

Ouch!

It's coming

2010-06-25T01:21:00.003+08:00

You can't see it ...

... but it's out there.

A storm is coming. And it will be upon us soon.

Beyond dark waters lie calm seas. May the wind always be on our backs, and the sun upon our faces.

ASUM Learn To Swim Program

2010-06-07T17:45:00.001+08:00

I examined my first batch of swimmers for the ASUM Learn To Swim program yesterday. It went quite well, except that is was really difficult to do any testing of swimmers in a crowded pool.

I'll be examining my next batch of swimmers this Saturday.

It's not whether, but when

2010-05-26T16:53:00.002+08:00

Great wall of China

2010-05-15T16:27:00.003+08:00

Our quest to bring back the Thomas Cup to Malaysian soil came to an anti-climatic end when the Malaysian team went down 0-3 to the Chinese team.

Pwned. Chong Wei after his defeat to Lin Dan.

According to Lee Chong Wei:

It suddenly felt like the court was too small and I could not see any space to hit the shuttle. I was demoralised when he retrieved all my attacking shots.

Coach Rashid Sidek said that China also had the better strategy - by targeting only the major tournaments.

This is perhaps one of the better examples of how sports psychology, planning and strategy can be used to win the game.

The world's a stage

2010-05-13T04:12:00.006+08:00

Shakespeare wrote in his pastoral comedy, "As You Like It":

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.

There's where I am it seems, on a stage where my words and actions are subject to scrutiny and critique, where people strive to find fault with me whilst ignoring their own failures.

That's something I've come to expect from those around me. People always think that it's easier to look at the faults of others rather than their own mistakes. It's easier because it makes their own faults look less obvious.

To them it's a means of escape ... a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card in other words. And they'll use this card to conjure whatever excuses they need to find whatever fault they can with me.

I feel that there's a storm coming. It's inevitable, it's unavoidable. I'm not there yet, but I'm sailing right into it. And as usual, I'm alone.

But I'm ready for it.

It doesn't matter ...

2010-05-10T23:23:00.006+08:00

t doesn't matter how many good words you say, but say one thing wrong and you're screwed.

It doesn't matter how many good deeds you do, but make a mistake and yes, you guessed it ... you're screwed.

It doesn't matter how many times people screw up, but if YOU screw up once ... well, I'm sure you know the rest.

That's the position that I'm in now.

It seems that people are much happier to look at the faults of others rather than deeds. It seems that I'm expected to be perfect while everyone around me can be jerks, liars, manipulators, etc. The list is too long to mention. But I'm sure you get the picture.

This is life for me, and the people whom I've described are supposed to be my friends and allies.

Some deal huh?

Everyone lies

2010-05-05T23:46:00.002+08:00

That statement holds its only truth.

I've always taught my swimmers about the importance of honesty and always telling the truth.

But I've learned today that everyone, and I mean everyone, lies. People are selfish in nature, including friends or so-called friends..

In troubled waters

2010-04-03T23:45:00.007+08:00

Nowadays, it feels like we're swimming in choppy waters and the finish line is not in sight ...

I hope we swim in calmer waters soon.

Saddest book. Ever

2010-03-28T12:58:00.002+08:00

Here's what a reviewer wrote in Amazon.com:

Only purchase and read this book if you are a sad, lonely, and depressed person or want to become one. I can think of no other book in the history of the English language that can so quickly melt the spirits of even the most jovial care-free soul. This book is nothing but a downer. Just look at the cover. Doesn't it make you want to weep or perhaps it makes you feel a bit cold and sad inside? Sad, sad, sad. Oh the humanity!

By the way, the front cover appears to show a milkshake and pudding. How do you make that with a microwave?

Everyone wants to be a nice guy

2010-03-27T21:50:00.004+08:00

It seems that whenever someone has to get his hands dirty, it has to be me. That's the role I'm expected to play nowadays while everyone else plays the role of the "nice guy".

Nuts!

Well, that's exactly what my friends expect me to do: get my hands dirty and end up with a bad reputation while they stay safe.

Not anymore. If I'm going down, they're coming with me.

Tough week

2010-03-17T08:18:00.000+08:00

My family and I went through one of the toughest times of our lives last week. Hopefully it's really behind us now.

NAG has come and gone and the results are out. Not quite what I had expected as I was expecting better results. The kids are now away for the MSSM. I wonder how that will turn out.

NAG 2010

2010-03-10T23:18:00.001+08:00

The 46th Malaysia Age Group Swimming Championship 2010 (also known as the National Juniors 2010) will commence tomorrow. Good luck to all Penang swimmers for this very important championship.

What goes around ...

2010-03-07T23:37:00.007+08:00

I met one of my arrogant sh*thead friends yesterday. This guy had always pretended that I didn't exist. He comes from a rich family, and he thinks that everyone else is scum or inferior. I remember driving him around in my ancient Honda Civic without getting a word of thanks from him. Well, here's how our recent conversation turned out:

Me: Hi XX, how are you doing?
XX: I'm doing fine. Are you still in the same dead-end job as you were before?
Me: Errr ... What do you mean? I'm coaching PISA Swimming Team.
XX: I see. So you're still in the same dead-end job. *laughs*

I grit my teeth at this point, knowing that he was still the same assh*le that I had known many years ago.

Me: So, what are you doing at the moment?
XX: I'm a supplier for the top GPs and hospitals in Penang. I provide them with all essential medicines and pharmaceutical aids.

At this point, I realize that his reply has been well-rehearsed. Perhaps too well-rehearsed. I decide to probe further.

Me: Oh ... so, you're a pharmacist?
XX: No, but I cater for the GPs', pharmacists' and hospitals' individual and respective needs, I provide them with the essential drugs and equipment in order for them to fulfill their duties.

Ok, I know bullsh*t when I hear it. This was very good bullsh*t.

Me: So you're a salesman?
XX: My job is more than just sales. I promote goods and recommend drugs and medicines which are better than that proposed by my competitors.

There was a long pause here. So I pressed on with my previous question.

Me: So you're a salesman.
XX: Yes.

Bingo.

Just a friendly reminder to all those reading this: today, you could be at the top, but tomorrow, you could be skimming the bottom. So be humble. It doesn't hurt to be so.

Imported goods vs local products

2010-03-07T23:08:00.008+08:00

"I'd rather spend my money on two Volkswagen than one Perdana".

That's what a friend of mine said when comparing foreign cars and local cars. (A Volkswagen costs more than RM200k while a Perdana costs less than RM100k.)

This is a classic misconception that foreign goods and services are better than their local alternatives. Personally, I prefer local goods and services compared to their foreign alternatives.

I drive a 2001 Proton Waja 16A and despite its problems, I'm quite happy with it. I wouldn't change my Waja for a Toyota Vios or any other continental car.

Reason? Proton parts are cheap, readily available and easy to maintain compared to foreign car parts.

I guess the same goes for local labour versus foreign labour.

In the case of foreign labour, the employer needs to provide: 1) accommodation (a home), 2) transport (the means to travel to and fro the work area), and 3) salary.

On the other hand, local labour is readily available at lower cost and requires less maintenance, with no accommodation or transport costs required.

Bottom line is, local labour and expertise is cheaper and not necessarily inferior to their foreign counterparts.

So why are we relying so much on foreign labour and expertise? Why are we so keen to spend that extra Ringgit on foreign methods and technique which may be untested, unproven and even questionable?

Wouldn't it be more beneficial to us as a State or Nation to educate and develop our current expertise and at the same time, improve and increase our spectrum of services without relying on foreign sources?

It seems to me that we spend too much to be "mouth-fed" and invest too little on feeding ourselves for the future. Our aims and goals all seem to be short-termed.

Thankfully, PST does not embrace any short-term or foreign ideals, nor do we accept any questionable methods or techniques, whether foreign or domestic.

Perhaps its time people realize that "all that glitters is not gold".

Reality

2010-03-07T22:19:00.000+08:00

I had lunch at Manila Place at Gurney Plaza today.

Seated to my left was a family with 3 kids, one of whom was autistic. On my right was a family with a healthy single child.

Both families treated their kids well and often pampered them.

So I wondered: if I had any kids of my own, how would I treat my kids?

In my opinion, I would be a lousy parent. I would be hyper-protective and hyper-sensitive where it comes to my kids. That's how I am with my swimmers today.

I guess some people, like myself, were never meant to be parents.

Centralized training

2010-03-02T01:22:00.005+08:00

It's 1+ AM as I'm writing this post. It's raining heavily at my home where I'm writing this - a welcome change to the extreme hot weather we've been experiencing so far nationwide.

In about 4 hours' time, five of PST swimmers will be attending centralized training at PISA Aquatic Center. I would like to wish these five PST swimmers all the best for their centralized training, and hope that they excel during the NAG and Sukma, and ultimately return as stronger swimmers.

I would like to end this post with a quote from my swimmers: "Gambateh!"

This is funny

2010-02-20T21:30:00.001+08:00

Source: The Star Online

I'm curious:

How can someone pursue a doctorate degree at USM without any knowledge of English or BM?
What language is USM using as its teaching medium?

Ang "Pow"

2010-02-19T13:44:00.006+08:00

Well, it's CNY time and all the kids are busy collecting Ang Pows. Since I'm not married yet, I'm no exception to this so I'm still *ahem* accepting Ang Pows.

But this morning, I received an Ang Pow from Catherine, one that I never expected or hoped to receive.

Click here to see a yecchy picture of my eye.

Adoi!

We were having stroke correction this morning and Catherine literraly head-butted me in the face! Ouch. It felt like being hit with a brick.

~~See? I've always known that she didn't like me.~~ But it was an accident and nothing more.

PST yoga session

2010-02-16T20:32:00.018+08:00

I know that this post is a few months overdue, but I've decided to post it anyway.

On 24th November 2009, PST was fortunate to have Ms. Serine Goay to come over to PISA and give the PST swimmers a free Yoga session.

This was prior to our departure for the National Inter-Club. A necessary break from our usual training routine was needed in my opinion, and even more necessary as the kids were becoming as stiff as planks. Ok, let's begin ...

Started off with a simple pose, something like the "horse-riding stance" you'd usually see in martial arts movies.

Things start getting complicated from here on. Everyone, start praying!

Butt-up!

The "human-slinky" pose.

The "dog-trying-to-pee" pose.

Notice how Gavin seems to be doing things a little differently than the others?

The "swordsman" pose.

I believe I can fly ...

And stretchhhh. Now, Gavin seems to getting the hang of things.

Gavin again, in the process of destroying his mat.

Ye Xang placing his hands strategically trying to block his face.

Another "dog-trying-to-pee" pose.

Again, the same pose but from a more dignified angle.

The guys seem to be doing this pose somewhat more naturally.

Ai Lene: "Sir, don't you DARE take a picture!"

Me: *click*

Saturday night fever with the "star" in the middle.

Gavin was actually praised for doing this pose better than anyone else. Wow.

Doing the splits, sort of.

And of course, not forgetting Melissa, who managed the best streamline compared to anyone else.

Though you can't hear Catherine's screams just by looking at this picture, her agony is evident in the way she's crumpling her mat.

Next came the turn of our über-ticklish Captain.

Next came Gavin's turn. Poor Ms. Serine; it wasn't easy to bend a log.

Well, that's all for now. One thing I admire about the kids in PST is their sense of teamwork, camaraderie and good sportsmanship. Good job, guys.

Thanks again to Ms. Serine Goay for conducting the Yoga session. Hopefully, we can have her come back to conduct another session with us soon.

It's hot

2010-02-16T17:16:00.005+08:00

Phew, you can even feel the heat just by looking at this picture!

My house feels like an oven. The cushions feel like they've been sat on by someone for a long time. (Ok, I think you get the picture.) In short, it's hot.

That's how CNY weather usually is. But this year, it feels unusually hotter. Maybe even hot enough to fry an egg in my computer.

Don't try this at home. Not my computer by the way.

I hope the weather cools down soon.

Sorry, or not

2010-02-15T17:33:00.001+08:00

I've come to realize that kids don't say sorry anymore when they screw up. I'm not sure if they're unable to, unwilling to, or simply don't know how to.

Take for instance the behaviour of one of my swimmers a few days ago. Now, this swimmer knows she's screwed up. But instead of saying sorry or offering an explanation, she simply bit her lip and pretended that she did nothing wrong.

I know that saying "sorry" can sometimes be a hard thing to do. As a grown-up (or at least that's what I like to think of myself), I don't have any problems saying sorry when I screw up (and yeah, I screw up a lot). To me, saying sorry is a way of acknowledging fault and accepting responsibility.

So why aren't kids nowadays being taught this?

Happy Chinese New Year 2010

2010-02-13T21:17:00.008+08:00

Graphics by sarahfe.

May the tiger bring prosperity, happiness, good health and success to all!

PASA & MSSPP 2010

2010-02-12T23:23:00.009+08:00

The PASA and MSSPP 2010 meets have finally concluded. ~~Now, my swimmers and I can breathe a sigh of relief and take a much-needed break.~~ Now, my swimmers and I have to prepare for the National Age Group in March.

During the PASA 2010, PISA Swimming Team won 18 Gold, 30 Silver and 33 Bronze medals. In addition to this, two swimmers from PST also broke two Meet Records each. This is a huge improvement compared to our tally of 3 Gold, 9 Silver and 5 Bronze medals in PASA 2009.

Syabas and congrats to all the swimmers of PST!

PST swimmers in their new attire during PASA 2010.

As for MSSPP 2010, I'm not sure what our swimmers' achievements are since I don't have the official results. But I'm sure PST swimmers did make waves and claimed their share of medals.

I hope PST swimmers can continue to make similar successful achievements during the coming National Age Group meet in March.

Back @ blogging

2010-02-11T22:10:00.004+08:00

After a one-month hiatus, I'm back at blogging.

I stopped blogging when I realized how slow my blog was loading. Not only did that turn people off, but it turned me off too. The problem was because of the template. ~~So from now on, I'm sticking to the default templates (or until I find something workable).~~ So, I've decided to swap templates for a cleaner, faster loading one.

The start of this year has been a ~~rather~~ very stressful but productive for me, especially with the PASA and MSSPP meets in such close proximity, but you'll read more about that later.

But I have a lot of things to be grateful for, and I hope that I won't repeat the mistakes I made in previous years.

Stay tuned for updates.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T20:50:00.008+08:00

I know I'm 20+ hours late with this post, but Happy New Year 2010 anyway.

So, another year has come and gone. I'm another year older but admittedly still not wiser.

For me, 2009 has been a year of making friends and reinforcing friendships. More importantly, 2009 revealed to me who my real friends are.

PST made some achievements in 2009, and career-wise, 2009 has been rather good to me too.

Hopefully, 2010 will see more achievements for PST and myself. I foresee this to be a challenging year for us with a lot of obstacles in our path, but I'm more confident in the team leadership now than before. And with strong leadership at the helm, I'm sure we can navigate well even through stormy waters.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T06:49:00.006+08:00

I know I haven't updated this blog in quite a while. Been knda busy lately. But have a Merry Christmas everyone.

Kedah Meet

2009-11-28T15:54:00.007+08:00

Some memorable pics taken during the Kedah Meet, 14 to 15 November 2009:

Good job to them and all others from PST.

Exams suxorz

2009-11-27T23:41:00.006+08:00

SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) exam is currently underway and should be over in a week or two. Looking at some of the questions the SPM candidates are facing this year makes me grateful I'm not in Form Five anymore.

I wonder if anyone ever answered their questions in this manner before:

Looking at clouds

2009-11-06T14:48:00.010+08:00

Saw some cool cloud formations this morning at PISA. I've always liked looking at clouds. So it's not a surprise that my school teachers have often told me to "get my head out of the clouds".

I like the way how the clouds "shroud" the mountain, as if engulfing it momentarily. Or rather, as if the storm is rolling over the mountain, consuming it in the process.

Kinda makes you feel something's gonna poke its nose through those clouds ...

Strong winds

2009-11-04T23:37:00.008+08:00

There were some strong winds at PISA today which blew off a piece of the roof.

Something that belonged here (circled in red) ...

... ended up wrapped around a tree.

Fortunately, no one was hurt when the piece of the roof blew off. A smaller piece broke off later and landed on the road (can be seen beside the speeding black car). Luckily, there were no damages either.

Fun and games

2009-11-03T16:48:00.012+08:00

Gave the kids some time off for fun and games on Sunday.

I didn't notice the guy in the background trying to get to his bag on the right.

The game was filled with a lot of yelling and grabbing. Khai Xin on the left seems to have stubbed her toe. Either that or she's in the "one-legged penalty zone".

It was actually against my better judgment to give the kids fun and games when we're in competition season and with so many meets just around the corner. But the turn-out during workout practices have been satisfactory so far so I thought, "oh, what the heck!"

I doubt that we could afford many more fun and games sessions, so the kids better enjoy whatever little RnR they get during training.

That time of the month

2009-11-01T10:22:00.022+08:00

It's that time of the month again ... reporting time, I mean.

Yay! Reports, reports, and more reports!Blechhh!

Ordinarily, I don't mind doing reports and I'm actually very punctual with my reporting. But this month, it's a little harder to do any reporting since my POJ (Piece-of-Junk) computer keeps hanging, restarting and simply turning itself off every few minutes.

Non-techies won't understand what this means.

So, I slowly took my POJ computer apart, carefully removing each part and remembering where it came from and how to put it back.

Don't try this at home kids!

And voilà! Narrowed the problem down to a bad RAM. So after chucking that bad boy away, I re-assembled my computer and amazingly, it turns on and stays on! Hurray!!!

Hmmm ... but now I seem to have a bunch of screws left-over. Oh well, optional screws I guess.

Ok, so now with my computer fixed, let's get back to doing reports ...

... or maybe not. First things first, right?

Which do you hate most?

2009-10-29T23:35:00.005+08:00

Of the three miserable cretins listed below, which would you hate most:

1) A liar
2) A traitor
3) A gossip

Back to coaching

2009-10-25T17:30:00.002+08:00

The water polo meet is finally over.

For the past three days, I've been waking up at 6 AM and coming home at 8 PM. Super tiring.

Going back to my usual coaching routine will seem like a holiday after these past few days.

Time to get a new computer

2009-10-23T22:52:00.012+08:00

My desktop computer has started working again after 3 days of major formatting and reinstalling software. For some sick reason, this POJ (piece of junk) keeps turning itself off due to heat problems. The problem is, when the POJ restarts, a lot of software stop working. When my Windows stopped booting up, I knew it was time to re-format.

Thankfully, I could still surf the web with my trusty laptop from Starbucks, albeit shamelessly. But I can't get into Facebook for some reason. So, I could only surf, blog, whine, check mail, surf and whine some more while at Starbucks.

Thanks for the free Internet, but no thanks for the ultra-expensive latte.

Starting today, I needn't visit Starbucks anymore to satisfy my daily web addiction. Hurray! Finally, the last piece of software has been installed, and even better, Streamyx is still working! Double hurray!

So obviously, the first website that I visited was Facebook, since that was the only site I could not surf to during my 3 days of Net blackout.

Hoo-boy ... was that a mistake!

Immediately after reading some comments, I immediately wished I had not fixed my computer. In fact, I felt like putting an axe right through my computer screen.

It suddenly reminded me of the many Facebook-related dismissal cases I've read on the web. Furthermore, images of "Mutiny on the Bounty" flashed through my mind.

It has made me realize that I've made some rather foolish choices.

Pruning

2009-10-22T07:59:00.006+08:00

Wikipedia defines pruning as:

"Pruning is the process of removing certain above-ground elements from a plant; in landscaping this process usually involves removal of diseased, non-productive, or otherwise unwanted portions from a plant."

Bottom line is, pruning can be tough, but necessary in order for a tree to bear fruit.

The Bible also mentioned this in John 15:5.

Snip! Snip!

I guess teams need to do this from time to time too.

One-week break

2009-10-20T22:47:00.005+08:00

The 52nd Malaysia Open Water Polo Championship will be held at PISA during the weekend. Pool setup for the meet has already been completed on Tuesday (one day early). This means that the PISA pool is now ready to host a water polo championship. This also means that PST is now without a pool to train in for nearly a week.

For my swimmers and I, this grants us a one-week holiday. Great news, right? No, not really. Not at all in fact.

The fact is, we're already behind schedule, and taking more breaks will not help anyone.

During the Raya break a few weeks ago, some kids missed training because they were "going on holiday". This month, kids are missing training because it's "exam month".

I can imagine the following scenario: 1) After exams = "chill out time", and 2) Year-end school holidays = "serious holiday time".

When will it be "training time"? *Sigh*

FInally, it died

2009-10-19T14:33:00.006+08:00

Yep, it died at last. Who? What? My desktop computer.

Now blogging from Starbucks with my laptop. Anyone wanna sponsor me a new high-end, dual core desktop computer?

Déjà vu

2009-10-17T00:45:00.004+08:00

It's an all-too-familiar occurance.

Here I am, staying up late at night doing reports and preparing / editing / augmenting workouts for my athletes, but my athletes don't give a damn and are missing training sessions as easily as they would a dental appointment.

Here I am, attending meetings with ISN and MSN, arranging for the use of the gym and for personalized gym workouts to be written for my athletes, but my athletes give even less than a damn about the gym sessions and are skipping the gym sessions simply because "daddy said 'no need'".

I wonder who will daddy blame when his kid ends up 2nd, 3rd or 4th placing next year.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm doing all this for the right reasons.

MSN Anti-Doping Talk

2009-10-17T00:22:00.007+08:00

I attended an Anti-Doping Talk conducted by MSN on 6th October. No, I'm not into doping, but it was a talk for the Sukma swimmers and as a Pelapis coach, I had to attend it with my swimmers.

Frankly speaking, I didn't find it very good. It seemed to be aimed at scaring athletes about the side effects of doping rather than educate the athletes on the moral implications and consequences of doping.

Me in ... errr ... "deep concentration".

A major portion of the talk was 18SG and on many occassions I was hoping that the under 12 swimmers that were attending were not paying attention. What's more, the p'shopped images were simply lame.

Oooh, time to wake up. Speaker right in front!

Although some of the info presented was informative, I was hoping it would be done with better, more detailed handouts with the talk emphasizing less on the 18SG subjects

Photos shamelessly ripped off without permission from Beverly Wong's Facebook.

Aeroplane

2009-10-09T22:33:00.004+08:00

Kena aeroplane / 747 / PPK again today by a swimmer. Sigh ... I guess some people never learn. A SMS message only costs 30 sen. Disappointment leaves a scar.

Full-day session

2009-09-28T00:33:00.014+08:00

Yesterday, Sunday 27th, marked the end of the one-week Raya school break. Although some schools resumed classes earlier on Thursday, the majority of schools had their holidays until the 27th.

For the team, the holidays was a time to catch-up in terms of mileage and intensity. Admittedly, some kids had been missing sessions prior to the holidays and the one-week break was a much-needed "catch-up" time.

We had a full-day session (9 AM to 6 PM) on Thursday with most of the backup squad in attendance. Prior to this, we had been having heavy double sessions.

Warm-ups. Moderate physical took place prior to their morning swim workout.

Kicking practice. Some kids at the other side of the pool are already having trouble making the interval time.

Lunch break. Food, glorious food!

Rest time after afternoon physical, also referred to as K-O (knock-out) time. A much, much heavier swim workout awaited these kids.

18 Sept declared a School Holiday

2009-09-17T00:00:00.007+08:00

Friday 18 September it seems, has been declared a holiday for all schools. I sincerely hope that those who have been inactive recently or throughout the year, but hope to represent the team in an upcoming national meet, will take this opportunity to prove that they are worthy of a place to compete in the team's name.

As it has been for quite some time already, swimmers in other clubs in Penang and other states in the country are doing more sessions than swimmers from PST. I only hope that PST swimmers can understand that if we are to achieve anything near the national standard, then we must be prepared to put in more sessions too.

KSN Meet Invite

2009-09-13T21:45:00.003+08:00

We've been invited to a swimming meet by KSN (Kompleks Sukan Negara) known as the "Kejohanan Jaguh Renang KSN". This meet will be held from 10th to 11th October (Saturday & Sunday) at Bukit Jalil. It's a friendly meet, and the first three placings will be awarded medals, certificates and cash prizes. Anyone interested? Let me know.

Test set inevitable

2009-09-13T21:38:00.005+08:00

Ok, there's no denying it, there's a test set -- no ... two test sets -- coming soon. The purpose of test sets are to analyze the performance of swimmers -- whether or not there's improvement, as well as to increase anaerobic threshold. In other words, it's to check whether or not you're improving and how fit you are.

It's not painless, I'll admit, but necessary and part of the training process. So, for those of you who've been having late nights, time to hit the sack a little earlier.

Delayed SPP

2009-09-03T22:33:00.005+08:00

Ok, things aren't working out the way I had planned them. The swimmers' strokes still suck. Some of them aren't even trying. They're either thrashing the water or just making the necessary movements to move forward. As a result, there's no stroke efficiency, reduced propulsion and a lot of wasted time and effort.

Due to this, I've decided to delay our entry into SPP and spend more time in GPP working on technique. Granted, it delays our progress, but unless swimmers take stroke technique seriously, then we're in serious trouble as far as progress and development is concerned.

Jerm's time trial today was a disaster. It opened my eyes as to how serious and severe his stroke errors were. This is the result of reversibility I suppose. I wonder how many kids will encounter this before they understand the importance of training consistency. Worse is, I wonder how many kids will quit the sport as a result of what Jerm's experiencing.

New info ... SUKPEN & OKH

2009-09-03T00:30:00.004+08:00

1. SUKPEN or SUKan PENang will be held from 28 (Sat) to 29 (Sun) November 2009 at the PISA Aquatic Center, Penang. Swimming events will very likely be held on either of these days. It should be no more than a half-day meet.

2. Competitors for SUKPEN will be representing their respective districts. PST belongs to Daerah Barat Daya (DBD), which is occupied by i) Permata Sports Management, ii) Bukit Jambul Country Club and of course, iii) PISA Swimming Team. Selection of swimmers for DBD will be made by the Team Coaches of these three clubs.

3. In view of this, there is no clash between the dates of SUKPEN and the National Inter-Club (or OKH). The OKH is scheduled to be held from 3 to 5 December 2009 at the Paroi Aquatic Center, Seremban.

Name failure

2009-09-02T13:54:00.005+08:00

Actual name of a shop in Spain.

Another one

2009-09-01T23:20:00.007+08:00

Here's another weird dream that I've been having:

Dream #4
I'm in a town. The town appears deserted. A group of people and I wander from shop to shop only to find the shops deserted. Then it happens - a plume of smoke overhead. Somewhere on the other side of town, a shop disappears in a plume of smoke. We (the people with me) rush out to the streets and take shelter in a nearby shop. Just then, the shop we were in goes up in a plume of smoke and debris. It's then that we learn that the town rebuilds itself by destroying its old, useless structures.

What does this dream mean?

It concerns me that this dream (and the ones mentioned in an earlier post) occur on an almost nightly basis, meaning, they seem to repeat themselves as if they're part of a bad Astro re-run. It makes me almost afraid to go to sleep since I know what's waiting for me in dreamworld.

In these dreams, I can't change the outcome and my movements seem to be restrained. Can anyone help me decipher these dreams? Or maybe an escape from them? I hate dying in my own dreams.

Weird dreams

2009-08-31T20:56:00.004+08:00

I've been having a lot of weird dreams lately. Most of which are re-runs and even recycled dreams; meaning, I've had them before. I know how it's gonna end, but I can't change the outcome. I've no idea what these dreams mean, so maybe someone out there can help me decipher them:

Dream #1
I'm at the PISA Aquatic Center main pool. It's in the evening and the pool is crowded with swimmers and kids. The sun is shining brightly outside. Feels like a weekend afternoon. I don't see my kids training, and I'm about to go for a dip in the pool. I dive off the starting block and plunge into the water. When I surface, it's dark ... it's night-time and the pool is deserted. The doors are locked and there aren't any lights on. The silence is eerie. I'm the only one in the now-deserted swimming pool.

Dream #2
Again, I'm at the PISA Aquatic Center main pool. A training session is underway. It's early morning so the pool isn't open to the public yet. It's just us in the pool. I'm preparing the swimmers for a sprint. There are kids on the starting blocks waiting for my signal while others are lined up behind. I walk forward (away from the kids) and blow my whistle for them to go. When I look back, everyone's gone. The pool is empty. It's still day-time, but the floor is dry and the water is undisturbed.

Dream #3
Now this one is a little scary. I've been asked to give swimming lessons. I arrive at the student's home. It's a large, luxurious house with many swimming pools of various sizes. There are people everywhere. Some cheerful, others chatting happily. My colleagues - coaches from other teams - are there as well. Some for swimming lessons while others for poolside parties. Everyone is in a pool of their own in this house. I'm asked to conduct my swimming lessons in a pool which is empty. This pool is empty except for a silver-coloured fish swimming at the bottom of the pool. I dive into the pool and without knowing, I touch this fish. When I surface, the world is totally different. It looks like there had been a war. The once-luxurious house is now in ruins with wreckage everywhere. The sky is an eerie red and orange. I'm now standing on the bottom of the now-empty pool. There's no sign of the silver-coloured fish. I find myself desperate to escape.

I've had Dream #1 and Dream #3 before when I was going through very rough times. It surprises and scares me that I'm having the same dreams again now. Premonition? Imagination working over-time?

Ok, ok ... back already

2009-08-29T15:35:00.006+08:00

Phew, I've had a busy past few weeks. No time to update this blog or my own website even.

First, there was the course in Bukit Jawi. Course was good, and participants were all school teachers. I particularly enjoyed the times when I told the school teachers to "keep quiet".

Bukit Jawi Golf Resort is a beautiful club. Really beautiful. 36-holes. Wow. The only downside to it is the flies. I mean, they're everywhere. Flying into your hair and even your clothes. Hope they'll find a solution for it soon.

Then, there were the meetings with ISN to arrange workouts and gym sessions for my team. I've finally gotten the gym sessions started with ISN preparing the gym workouts.

This week, I've finally come up with the qualifying criteria for the National Inter-Club Meet in December. I've "dumbed" down the QT to 50th placing of the previous year's National Inter-Club. Despite this, less than 5 kids will actually qualify. But worry not; apart from QT, there are other qualifying criteria as well, such as training attendance and performance. All these will be taken into consideration.

Month-end is coming, so that means it's report time. Ugh! The workouts for this week have been really easy on the kids. Sculling practices, drills, more sculling practices. The calm before the storm?

Time Trials

2009-08-12T23:05:00.007+08:00

This had been planned for quite some time already, but the original plan was to hold the Time Trials during end-August ... the week that I'd be away, and also the week that most kids would be away from training due to school exams. So, I had no choice but to re-schedule and bring the Time Trials forward one week.

Kids are not doing so well for their pet events during the Time Trials. This is expected, but what's not expected is how badly they're actually doing.

The Time Trials will be conducted until Friday. This gives kids who can't attend on a regular basis a chance to take part in the Time Trials. If they still can't make it, oh well ... I guess it's obvious where their priorities are.

"You can't have your cake and eat it"

2009-08-10T22:23:00.004+08:00

Have any of you ever seen those moist and juicy-looking cakes on display at bakery windows? Well, some of those at display are actually made of wood and painted to look moist, while others are actually made of wax.

Well, that's pretty much how I'm feeling right now. I have my piece of cake, but can't eat it ... not because I don't want to, but because it's inedible. It's just there for show, and I'm part of the show.

PC Fair day 3

2009-08-09T22:40:00.009+08:00

The third and final day of the PC Fair at PISA. Thank you very much.

The traffic at PISA becomes worse with each day of the PC Fair. Fortunately, the location of my usual parking spot is still unknown to the public ... muahahahah!

Today was the last of the heavy sprint / speed workouts. Tomorrow starts with the transition from GPP to SPP. I'd also need to take into consideration that it's exam time for most of the kids this week. So that means I need to reduce the intensity and stress during workouts. It's not easy to put everything together in one neat package. I wonder if the kids appreciate the effort that's been given to them.

Zeke was a no-show again today. That's worrying because his attendance has been real crappy this whole month and last month he didn't make the 20-session requirement. I hope he gets well soon and re-joins the workouts.

PC Fair day 2

2009-08-09T01:27:00.006+08:00

Parking during the second day of PC Fair was still manageable. My usual spot was still available.

The training session for Saturday was quite disappointing for me. My top swimmers failed to do their best times during the sprint sets.

On Saturday also, we welcomed back a foreign swimmer whom I thought was not gonna train with us again for the year. Having her back in the team again was truly a welcome relief. What's more, the good news her mother gave me made me feel like my burdens had been lifted off me.

In another note, my piano still sounds a wee bit off tune despite the two tunings its gone through. I'm quite disappointed because I was hoping to have a fully functioning piano this weekend. What's more, the total costs for the full repairs is still gonna be somewhere around RM600.

Anyway, have a good weekend everyone.

PC Fair day 1

2009-08-07T22:09:00.006+08:00

Today was the first day of PC Fair (or Pikom Fair, whichever works for you). I was thinking that the parking today at PISA won't be that bad. Boy, was I ever wrong!

Even on the first day, parking was like crazy! People were parking cars outside PISA already -- a common sight you'd see on the 2nd and last days. But this was just the first day!

But anyway, I bought some printer ink catridges, took part in a lucky draw, and walked away with a free Epson travelling bag. Whee! :P

Training went smoothly. The new "Intermediates" had trouble keeping up though, despite the fact that it was still a taper workout. But nevermind. They're adjusting ... I hope.

Taper and time evaluation

2009-08-06T23:05:00.013+08:00

Today's workout was a taper workout. I took this as an opportunity to do a time evaluation for my senior swimmers.

The times for those tapering was as expected, but the times for my senior swimmers were not exactly up to my expectations.

This shows that we have a long way to go before we can present ourselves at any competitions. If the times of those who have been active are below expectations, what should I expect of those who are inactive?

On another note, I had my piano tuned today. It seems that a lot of strings need to be replaced. So the total tuning and repair cost is gonna come to something like RM600.

Ouch!

Anyway, if it needs to be done, then it has to be done. Just have to bite the bullet I guess ... or maybe, increase training fees ... hehehehe ... just kidding. =)

Stupid things that I do

2009-08-06T22:45:00.007+08:00

Yesterday was my day off. My temperature was back to normal, so I decided to spend some time driving to clear my mind. I decided to drive over to the Penang Bridge. I stopped somewhere near mid-span, got out and decided to look around. (It's illegal to stop on the bridge by the way.)

Man, it's a looong way down.

I took out a 20 sen coin and dropped it into the sea below. It didn't even make a splash; it just disappeared into the waves. Took only a few seconds to disappear.

Just then, a PLUS Ronda pickup showed up flashing its lights and I went, "ok, ok, I'm going".

Drove over to Butterworth but missed the "Pusing Balik ke Pulau Pinang" exit. Ended up going in circles and even ended up at the dry dock where the PPSB ferries get repaired or retire. Gosh, those ferries really look old and in a sorry state. I wonder how I will be when I retire.

Finally made it to the Butterworth-Penang Bridge toll plaza. Since I had a Touch N Go card, I decided to take advantage of it. When it was my turn at the toll booth, I confidently touched my Touch N Go card at the reader thingy. No response. I touched again. Lagi no response. I must have whacked the card dunno how many times until a PBSB personnel showed up and told me my card was faulty. He then directed the frustrated and very-upset queue behind me to the toll booths nearby.

The now-angry queue behind me grudgingly did so, and wasn't going to let me cut it in front of me after my unsuccessful Touch N Go. So after some hand waves, help from PBSB personnel and after receiving some curses and fingers, I was able to pay the toll by cash and go home!

Sheesh! This little excursion took nearly 4 hours.

See how a bad situation can get worse?

Fever

2009-08-04T18:30:00.012+08:00

Woke up this morning with a 99-degree temperature. After my bath, temperature became 100 degrees.

Drove to PISA for morning training. Felt like throwing up once I got there. Ended training early and went to the doctor. Temperature was 100.5 degrees at clinic. But no sore throat, no coughing, no flu-like symptoms. Doctor told me to take my temperature every few hours and take a few days off.

Doctor asks if I've been outstation lately. I tell him I was in Miri, but that was like, one month ago. Then he tells me, in a matter-of-fact tone, "the newspapers just reported that someone died from H1N1 in Miri recently."

Very comforting.

Drove home. Can't stop thinking how comfortable my bed is going to be after taking the medicine.

Parked my car outside my gate, let the dogs into the house, opened gate, went in, took medicine, changed and went to lie down. Ahhh ... that felt so good. Nice soft pillow, ceiling fan humming quietly, window blinds closed, room darkened ...

But what's that car sound outside my house?

OH CRAP!

I left my car outside with its engine running and doors unlocked. What's more, my front gate was wide open!

So quickly went out, drove car into porch, closed gate, let dogs out, locked door, and went back to bed. Ahhh ... now that's better.

Fortunately, temperature had gone back down to 99 degrees at lunch time. But I decided to cancel the evening training session just in case.

Time out

2009-08-02T20:34:00.004+08:00

I actually had a program to run today, but decided on giving the kids fun and games instead since its exam season.

On another note, I've finally finished all my reports. Now only left one report to complete for MSN.

Anaerobic workout

2009-08-01T23:01:00.005+08:00

Quite a tough workout for the kids today. But they pulled through it. Overall, they did quite well today.

Best part is, I get to wake up late tomorrow morning.

Stroke correction

2009-07-31T20:06:00.004+08:00

Did stroke correction today despite having a slight fever.

Went quite well I think. Some errors were fixed, but it was real annoying when some of the kids started throwing pull buoys around. Let's hope everyone uses what they've learned during their workout sessions.

I'm looking forward to waking up late tomorrow.

Hard physical, easy swim workout

2009-07-30T23:13:00.004+08:00

It alarms me that two swimmers suffered cramps during the swim workout today. Physical was hell, yeah I know, but the swim workout today was an easy one. Perhaps there wasn't enough swim conditioning? Hmmm ... something to look into.

I'm also quite disappointed in the swimmers' stroke techniques today. Still quite messed up despite two days of stroke corrections. I'm planning aanother stroke correction session tommorow. But should I ...?