Catching Up With Friends

It's been 2 days since my last entry and already someone (an instructor) is asking me why my blog is not updated. To put it simply, there is nothing for me to update! But today, there's finally something for me to update, but I'll just post the missing gaps for the past couple of days first.

I'm still clearing my leave and will be back at work next Monday, so I took this opportunity to catch up with some of my friends and buddies. My work is taking up most of my time, I do end about 9plus every evening, and it has consumed much of my social life, and even my weekday gym classes have not been spared. Occasionally, I end early and attend one or two classes, but I'm finding it difficult to strike a momentum.

On Wed, I met up with Mr Scorpio to give him a birthday treat and pass him his birthday present. We had dinner at Kazu, a yakitori restaurant at Cuppage. I must say the food is awesome. I love the foie gras especially.

Thu, I met up with Ed to catch Quantum of Solace. Because we arranged at Vivo, I actually went to gym before the movie. Had an unpleasant incident, which I felt was very unprofessional, but I shall let it lapse and not harp on it.

After the movie, we went for dinner, and then I took the NEL with Ed to Sengkang where he lives before I take a bus home from there. I had plenty of time to spare considering I was still on leave, so I called up my buddy from my first job DY to meet.

I felt bad calling him near midnight and taking him away from his wife, but the bus stop was right under his block, so there was no reason not to catch up with him, right? We basically outlined some of the plans for the end of the year and for early next year.

Till now, I'm still very close with my buddies from my first job. I sort of regret leaving for a higher pay and more $, but where would it have taken me had I remained there? In contrast, my second job was something I hated, and I can consider myself leaving without any true friends.

Right now, I can say I've more or less settled into my new job, I like my colleagues and my boss, but the concern is on the economic climate. It's very uncertain now and everyone is scared for their jobs. We have started retrenching and so have our competitors. All the more I should be working hard and having fewer distractions to make sure I tide over this period first.

In the meantime, I shall focus on expense control, and maybe limit myself to indulgence just once a year. I still can't believe I went Auckland twice this year, not to mention the little trips along the way... Like I say to Jean, I think I'm addicted to travel.

Speaking about Jean, today was the day I caught up with some of the fellow instructors. I arranged to meet Jean and Wei Li for a buffet lunch. Prior to that, I paid a visit to the Chevron branch and was surprised to see some changes in the layout. I shall focus on the positive - the main studio has been enlarged! I think it looks great and can accomodate more people now. I still remember my Tue Chevron evening class - sometimes 50-60 pple squeezed in that old studio. How did we survive? It was fun while it lasted.

Met them for lunch to pass Jean her LM Clothing which I helped her buy, and also to catch up. I think we spent our entire lunch talking about gym stuff - filming, classes, etc.

After lunch, met up with another instructor Li Hua, also to pass her the LM clothing she wanted me to buy, and we had a chat about filming. Li Hua is definitely someone who can relate to what I've written in this blog because she has been there personally before. In BC35.

People who do not know Les Mills programs or share the same passion may never make a visit to Auckland, but it's the people who have been there who will know what this is all about.

As Lynn will always say, why are we crazy over something? Is this something real? The answer is out there. All we have to do is to make the trip to NZ and discover that there are many other international fanatics out there. We are not alone.

I shall be patiently waiting for BC39 to come out.