Pung Sua run

Evening run. Missed logging a few runs recently, but this one is exploratory.

The Pung Sua Park connector run (partial with turning at 5.4km mark from Zhenghua mark)

6km
33min 30 sec (about)

10.75km/h

Training update and random musings

Tues:

Distance: 2.67km
Time: 13min

Feel like singing to myself... a cheery song... a soft, cheery song that goes la, la, la, la... feel like smiling myself to tears....

Moved into my new place. Its so big and barren... but at least it has ... Air-con all around!

Good-bye car! Good-bye! Good-bye.... awwwww.... Hello nice new toilet and funky yellow room!

***

Recently heard some sharing where some people verbalised about the sacrifice of their service to God... dying to self.... the time, the energy, the opportunity cost, personal pursuits and interests...

As one said "There's no turning back."

And the thing about such sessions is, once a person starts sharing, it starts to all come out... from some of the rest at least...

But the ROI will come someday. Someday. Cause the One who has promised will honour it. He is trust-worthy.

Even I stopped to think about it for a while. Do you ever look back and think about what it could have been? You probably have, and not just for Christian service, but for many of the other commitments and decisions you've made in your life so far to dedicate yourself to.

Well, but I am assured that the One whom we do this for is worth every single inch of effort. Yes He is, for He did the same for me first. I could see no other purpose for living if not for Him.

And other things in life are almost quite just as worth the Christian cause.

The people whom you dedicate yourselves to.

Even the people whom you didn't choose to dedicate yourself to but God puts you there in that place and position.

So love the people whom God puts around you. In the little things. The big things. When you're tired. When you're angry. When you've had a bad day.

Dying to self. Every day. One day at a time.

Oh~! For the shining glory at the end of this journey. Amen!



Have you dedicated yourself to the right thing in life?

Have you dedicated yourself wholly to the right thing in life?

Training update

Training update:

Tues -
2.4km
13min 30sec

Wed -

3.3km
21min
9.33km/h

Training update

4th Aug (Tues)

Gym - 13min, 2.4km
2-2.5incline

I act tough, went for 2.5 incline for 1.6km, then pungchet :)

7th Aug (Fri)

Mahabodhi field run

Distance: 2.99km
Time: 15min 52sec
speed: 11.2km/h

Training update

Training log.

2.4km run @ office with colleague

15 Jul - 12min 30 sec
22 Jul - 12min 15 sec

Getting there... :)

26 Jul - Maha Bodhi Field ol' run

I've used this field for the past few years to pace my 2.4km runs. Now I've finally measured it, its turns out 2 laps are not 2.8km as I imagined, but 3km! Bonus! It means I've been pushing myself more than I'd imagined all this while...

Length: 2.99km
Time: 14min 53sec
Pace: 12.07km/h

Training update log

Wed -2.4km @ 800m Gombak Track accompanying Marcus

13min

Thurs - partial Lakeside-Chinese Garden run with Jas

Distance: 3.08km
Time: 21min 35sec
Speed: 8.53km/h

Training log update

Just ended a spate of flu-ishness.

Treadmill run.


Distance: 2.4km
Time: 12min
Speed: 12km/h

Hi all, a quick update on items. Have confimed the Aircon system.

Daikin 3MKS50ESG / 3 X FTKS25

Quoted $3090 with standard copper piping, amarflex insulation and bigger water pipe.

Cheers

Update: budget and list of items bought

GSS, pre-GSS, getting previous models at clearance prices.

Here's the lowdown on our budget:

LG mini-bar fridge GR-051SSF $179

Tempur Deluxe 17cm Queen-sized $2499 +$50

Panasonic Plasma Full-HD 42" THP-42S10S c/w $400 Choice vouchers $1799 +$30

LG Fridge GRM482YSQ (388litre nett capacity) $845 (with option to top up $27 to White colour, depending on kitchen interior design)

Electrolux EWF1495 8kg 1400rpm c/w $30 voucher $999 + $30

Toilet bowls / basins / bathroom / sinks accessories etc $2700 ($2500 paid)

Blanco sink c/w tap $482

Reno budget: As per Plan A $34,920 (deposit $10,000 paid)

What's being carried over:
Piano
Standing Fan
Vacuum cleaner
Microwave
Small 21" LCD TV
Mini-Compo
PCs / Mac
DVD Player (?)


Paid so far: $19303

CASHFLOW PLANNING:

Balance to be paid = $200 + $24,920 = $25,120

Items yet to be purchased :

Sofa
Dining Table
Chest of Drawers
Oven
Automatic Laundry Extender
Air Con
Curtains
Ceiling Fans
Lighting

Housewarming gifts ahoy! Hehheh, Haha

Fans size

Fans

Spare room - 42" (with light?)
Study - 36"-42" (with light?)
Masterbedroom - 42" (no light needed)
Living Room - full is 30sqm, so 48 -52"
If at light points, then 36" / 36"

Training update

Training log - 22 Jun
Distance:3.41km
Time: 17min 22 sec
Pace: 11.78km/h

Don't know why this calculator makes me seem slower... maybe it doesn't take into account gradients? :)

Weekend

Fri.

Had an office run at West Coast.

1.82km
9min 19sec
11.75km/h

Then frisbee lessons. Reminded myself that I have poor motor and coordination skills. Hah.

Drove back to Eunos with Roberto (in his ah-pek white "swan" brand singlet) in tow through after-work peak-hour traffic on AYE/ECP.

Back home, I noticed some 'upgrades' to the Eunos common areas. There was a fresh new green dustbin at the ground floor lift lobby to replace the one that had been missing for months! And, I saw people wearing lanyards scrambling to replace the trashbag of a dustbin in the neighbouring block! What was going on? Anti-H1N1 measures?

Oh, turns out the MP is visiting the residents in the area :)

On the way down to the car for dinner, Mom spotted a small plastic bag near the car which seemed to be moving and kicked it. A little rat scurried out! "Rats! Rats!" Heh.

Sat.

Congrats ning! :)

Went with Jas to see the contractor after driving round-and-round looking for parking in the Arab St area, then went shopping for yellow picard wallet and dinner.

Aircon research - what's the deal with COP, 4-ticks (is equivalent to 1 lice?) and all those numbers?

Been delving into some technical statistics and specs about different aircons and calculating their COP (rated) as well as their minimal consumption. This applies only to Inverter system aircons.

I have 3 rooms to cool - Master bedroom (about 2.75kW needed), Study (2.2kW needed) and Spare room along corridor (2.2kW needed), for a total capacity of about 7.15kW needed

This is the expected usage pattern: Masterbedroom will be on for sleeping at night when needed, and perhaps up to 4 times a week during the daytime afternoons. Study aircon will be used much less often, and Spare is not foreseen to be used for the next 3 years. In any case, the scenario of max capacity being used is very unlikely, given the Study will never be used together with Masterbedroom. Thus, expected usage will top out at about 5kW max.

I did some analysis of quoted power consumption and capacity figures from brochures and PDFs I managed to get hold of:

So how do I read this $%^#$ thing? :)

Well, we can conclude the Starmex is good for high capacity cooling. The starmex is the highest-rated capacity model of all, and is good for rapid cooling and for higher capacity requirements. However, its base COP of 3.11 makes it inefficient at maintaining set temperatures (which is probably the aircon's operation functional for 4-5hours out of 7 hours of sleeping at night). This is due to its minimum power drawn being 0.45kW, much higher than the 0.3kW-0.34kW quoted by other brands, for a similar min capacity of 1.4kW-1.5kW of cooling. Conclusion: The Starmex is a good aircon system, but not the best at everything, just very well-advertised :)

So, from the chart, which is the Aircon System-3 to get? The Hitachi. Turns out it has the highest rated COP AND Min. COP. It's COP for cooling 2 rooms is decent too - 3.81, and on-par with the Starmex. Just don't ever switch on all three units at overdrive rapid-cool full blast with this combi :) it drops quite badly compared to the other models, not that 2.73 is really bad, but, given its unlikely this scenario will occur, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

So the important thing when getting an aircon system is - know your usage patterns, and capacity required.

Passed IPPT

hoot! 5 points for everything except 11min 16sec for 2.4km run... and 212cm for SBJ!!! arghh!! no additional $200...

Maju Camp is interesting... you run the 2.4km in the multi-storey vehicle park.

IPPT TEST:
2.4km
Time: 11min 16sec
Pace: 12.78km/h

And I must say, the tag thing is quite efficient... instant updates no need to crowd round instructors sniffing for results.

And about 2 weeks shy of window closing. Heh. Thank God!

Disharmony

Casefile -

"Seditious tract couple deserve jail, says DPP"

Quoting DPP - "...the tracts contained derogatory comments about other faiths, and that any reasonable person would agree that the highly-charged language and illustrations in them would definitely cause outrage to most non-Christian recipients of the tracts and had the potential to cause enmity, ill-will and hostility between Christians and non-Christians..."

Let's see what the verdict is going to be.

I can think of many things openly marketed and blasted all over TV screens, billboards etc that make "derogatory comments about other faiths" and that they contain "highly-charged language and illustrations in them that would definitely cause outrange to...." other religions.

I don't think it would be wise for the judge to sentence based on the content of the materials, because it would open up a can of worms and many popular publications, movies, etc could likewise be labelled 'seditious' and their publishers jailed.

And the underlying logic is problematic, if something is ruled as seditious because it may perpetuate violent reactions (since DPP keep quoting the Dutch riots over the cartoons) then offensive materials about other religions are allowed because the offended people don't threaten to riot?.... bah!....

On the second point, of distributing them to Muslims in a bid to cause disharmony, so far from the facts it seems that the two Muslims who complained were just two in a huge mailing list that the couple had... if the couple were out to cause disharmony etc I think it would have to be proven that they had a huge list of Muslims and mosques they were mailing these tracts to.

On that note, they could at most be punished for neglecting to realise that distributing them to Muslims would be offensive to them as individuals (personally I think that's a sad state of affairs but it would be a face-saving judgement and yet maintain Singapore's stand on religious harmony)

Good morning Singapore

"Zao An Ni Hao" - that irritating morning show which likes to feature n-d-p types ra-ra programmes once in a while.

I should style myself the Mr. Greeeeen show instead. I read a recent case of a loanshark runner whose case was heard in court. Here is an artistic rendition of what transpired before the Bench.

Judge Dread: "It says here you went to spash paint on the door of the neighbour of the man who owed your ah-long the money. What's that for?"

Ah-long runner: "Well, you see, when I got to the house of the person who O$P$, the person's house door was open, so how to splash? So I splash the neighbour's door lorh, since it was closed."

***

On a serious note, I must say the cleaning uncle of my block is very efficient. The O$P$ scribblings in the lift get cleaned up really quickly, starting with the floor and unit number of the hapless victim. Sometimes, I wonder if ah-longs do any credit assessment... or are they prepared to take a higher default rate because of their high interest rates charged?

But thank God! My headache is gone, and I've had two nights of proper rest. Thank God for the cool weather that helped too. Better not start running again until I've fully recovered, though I'm cutting it quite close for my I-P-P-T. Just under a month left to take and pass it. Any1 going for I-P-P-T soon?

ol' town run

Bedok Town Park route... like in the good 'ol days...

4km
approx 25min
9.5km/hr

Then, after a break,

ran another 1.5km at the same speed. Quite productive.

training update

Ran shortened version of canal...

3km
15min 20sec
11.9km/h

not so good ah!... how to take IPPT likedat? :)

God revealed to me

Attended BSF leaders' meeting last night. Was feeling sickly, with a sore throat and feverish. I think I'm disobedient enough that I have to be sick to be reminded to turn back to Him. So I went back tw and slept at 10pm plus. The M1 mobile broadband is so terrible you can only use it at unearthly hours like 4am in the morning when everyone ELSE is asleep.

But yes, being much quieter than my already quiet usual self at class, God revealed something to me. It was not something I didn't know - ie i had the head knowledge, but last night God impressed it upon my heart so profoundly, like a figment of His radiant glory that sears and pierces you when you let it in, that it was a clarion call to wake up and understand, appreciate, and fear Him.

We had been learning about the setting up of the tabernacle, the altar, table, lampstand, mercy seat, as well as the priestly and ritual ordinances required to worship at His sanctury on earth. How these were a shadow of things to come in our Lord Jesus Christ were obvious from church sunday bible class study of Hebrews - where Christ, on His blood and sacrifice, is shown to be our effective once-for-all mediator who reaches God's very throne. And Christ offered Himself up in the actual heavenly places of which the tabernacle etc were mere copies of, copies that the Jewish priests guarded so jealously from Him.

Now the exposition of the rituals and ordinaces of worship impressed upon me - God's presence was not to be taken lightly, especially by unworthy humans like ourselves.

God's presence.

It was no joke, God's perfect presence, and yet even from the times of the disobedient Israel fresh out of Egypt, God so desired to dwell among men. As it was back in the days of the garden of Eden. And as it is promised in Revelations when once again, in that New Heaven and New Earth, that eternal City of God, where God would once more dwell among men.

I'd always had a rather sad iteration of the Gospel. For me, when I explain it to others, I always start with sin. But I have failed to emphasize, even to myself, that its not just we need to get rid of sin from ourselves so that we avoid God's judgement, but that God so desires it in order that He would once more dwell with us and be in His presence once again!

So that we may dwell in God's presence once again.

Right now it is by the Holy Spirit indwelling whereby we are in His presence. When we pray. I need to take prayer much more seriously, and live more properly, because I am in His presence. Amen.

***

(this is my real writing style, long-winded, rambling, lots of embedded sentences, diversions etc. Feels good :) because my job and my line of study has rendered me unable to write like that in a long time. But then, its harder for people to follow me when I write/speak like this.)

Did the canal route yesterday. 17m 26sec. Quite alright and on track.

Goodnight. And God Bless.

Brickland Route

Recently tried another route down Brickland. Apart from about 2 traffic stops it was relatively uninterrupted. Ended with walk to Lot 1 to do some mundane stuff.

Distance: 4.22km

Time: 24min 11sec

Speed: 10.46km/hr

Bt. Panjang Rd

Did a new route with Jas earlier this week past Pung Sua Pond towards Zhenghua Park. Nice but a bit crowded with quite a few traffic stops. Had dinner at Bt Panjang Plaza after that. Fruit juice is so expensive.

Distance: 2.63km
Time: ~ 23min
Speed: 7km/h

Training update

Did the new place to future in-laws place run in the morning... but ended a bit sooner...halfway between lakeside and chinese garden mrt...

Distance: 6.17km
Timing: approx 37min
Pace: 9.98km/h

Morning run

Did a recalculation at higher resolution, turns out the Teck Whye canal route is 3.41km.

Training log - 27 Apr
Distance:3.41km
Time: 17min 10 sec
Pace: 12.07km/h

Punggol morning run

Went to collect my 'sleeper BMW'. Decided to pack for a run around the Punggol LRT and over the TPE.

Distance: 4.04km
Time: ~ 27min
Speed: 9km /hr

Walked the last 300m through the carparks.
There's a gradient over the TPE. Heh. Making excuses for myself.

Cooling of rooms specifications for new house

Main bedroom = 300 x 550 = 16.5 = 177.6 sq ft = 11544 BTU = 3.38kW

Attached bedroom = 330 x 375 = 12.375 = 133.2 sq ft = 8548 BTU =2.5kW

Spare bedroom = 350 x 375 = 13.125 = 141.3 sq ft = 9184.5 BTU = 2.6kW

Theory = sq ft x 65 = BTU needed to cool area (NOTE: different websites have suggested different figures - an European website suggested x 35...)

1kW = 1.34hp = 3412 BTU /hr

Total theoretical max compressor load = 8.5kW = 29002 BTU

Morning run

Distance: 3.33km
Time: Approx 18min
Pace: 11.1km/hr

Still not quite 2.4km passing pace yet, but was having a nice chat half the jog with my ex-CSM who's now in Stagmont Camp.

From future in-laws' place to our new home

Distance: 7.29km
Time: approx. 45min
Avg Speed: 9.66km/h

Stats not entirely accurate. I basically starting walking and running after the 6km mark, at the junction with Brickland Rd when it goes REALLY upslope... heh... So I gather my average speed for most of the route was almost 11km/h.

The route follows Tibs bus 180 in case it rains or you're so slow you're late for your next appointment.

The new creature

"The meek shall inherit the earth."

"...the renewing of your mind..."

"dying to self... to be a new creature...a new creation"

"The just shall live by faith..."

"worry not about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself..."

"Seek first the kingdom of heaven, and all these shall be added onto you..."

Are you truly a new creature?

woohoo

I proposed and she accepted. Woohoo. I'm getting married. Woohoo. Buying a flat. Woohoo. Byebye BMW. Boohoo.