Thanksgiving - To God be the glory

What a beautiful Sunday, the last day of a most amazing 2022. I had a wonderful week this week, and it was a beautiful Christmas last Sunday, and a most amazing time in Japan of rest and reflection. 

Service reminded me of the importance of knowing who I am in Christ, to be diligent in all that I purpose to do, and to walk with Him daily. 

There is so much thanksgiving packed into this cold and cloudy Sunday afternoon. I wrote, journalled and reflected, of course, with a cup of coffee. 

And at the end of the service, this beautiful song touched my heart. I have not heard it before; it is one of the older hymns (before I gave my heart to the Lord). The lyrics and tune just kept ringing in my heart and head. 

To God be the Glory; His blood has saved me; His power has raised me. 
This is my thanksgiving for 2022 - gratitude for His goodness, for all the things He has done in my life. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RZTYDPavEY

My Tribute - To God be the Glory (Andrae Crouch)

How can I say thanks

For all the things you've done for me?

Things so undeserved

Yet You gave to prove Your love to me

The voices of a million angels

Could not express my gratitude

All that I am and ever hope to be

I owe it all to Thee

To God be the glory

To God be the glory

To God be the glory

For the things He has done

With his Blood, He has saved me

With his power, He has raised me

To God be the glory

For the things He has done

Just let me live my life

And let it be pleasing, Lord to Thee

And should I gain any praise

Let it go to Calvary

With his Blood, He has saved me

With his power, He has raised me

To God be the glory

For the things He has done

The running week

How and where shall I even begin, that time has flown, or "ran" by this last one week again. And in fact, it would have been the last 2 weeks, or last 2.5 weeks. It seemed so far ago that we had that run, and yet it was just last Saturday. Last Saturday this time, I think we were all feeling so good, and body so sore. 

I clocked a personal best. Never did I imagine that I'd be able to do under 55 in my life. I remember that I thought my goal was to get it under an hour when I started to enjoy trail running. I honestly felt quite happy - it's just been consistency - the weekly weekend runs, and the regularity of just putting on my shoes and head out, not because I enjoy running all the time, but because there are days where I just need that time out. 

This is the group of friends who have kept me going especially the 3rd quarter of 2022, planning out our weekly runs and then having a good dinner thereafter. We actually did this for the last 2 ADNOC runs, and this is pretty amazing. It became so much more enjoyable because of them. 

And at this specific moment, I am in the hotel room, in Ikebukuro, waiting for Sabrina to sort out some stuff, and just felt I wanted to capture some thoughts. I could spend my time thinking about Abu Dhabi and the post-trip matters and work, and I could spend my time thinking about Christmas - and wishing all a joyous and merry Christmas, and I could spend time thinking about people I love and how next year will be, and I could also spend time planning ahead, etc... but there is nothing more I want to do than to capture these last 2 weeks. And for now - the running week first.

I had an awesome time out with Neha and Shan earlier in the week - we chilled and talked for some good solid hours, and Shan stayed over at my place. Workplace relationships can grow and blossom. I am thankful for these iron ladies. And - we are also all running too. Something special in that. 

And then Nikko and family came. This was immediately post run - and we had fun! Just catching up, laughing ourselves silly and dialing Kenneth in, and then playing with Nikayla - this fiesty little one - and then soon, we will all meet up in Singapore again. Again, this is a work relationship turned friendship. 

And then, there was Mubadala - compared to 2019, I thought it paled in comparison, but nonetheless, it brought some cheer around ZSC. Watched that on Saturday, but the real highlight on sports was the World Cup. Caught several several matches, and at the finals - strangers became united. I was on route to catch the plane, and 2 different ones shared their live stream with me. So Steve and I watched the match 2-0 up to Argentina at Madang, and then I caught the rest with these 2 strangers. :) I think there was really not quite some breathing space for me the last 2 weeks, because of the excitement and adrenalin. 

And then, with a last run last Sunday morning, and with a badminton sesh, it was off to AUH airport. Being busy has kept me alive that running week. Literally, it was some real runs, and it was also running from one to another. 

Busyness has its place; 

Busyness means there is much to life

Busyness is a sign that one is alive.

And yet, sometimes, busyness also takes away the mind

Consciously from the necessary thinking through and reflecting. 

Strangely, that is also good; there is some relief and respite

And when the world winds down

And especially when the night caves in

I find there is such beauty and the quiet moments 

Then, the thoughts and reflections would return

Then it's me and my space, me and my tapping away.

Busyness and Quietness - they are both so precious. 

The most beautiful season of the year

December has just come upon us, just like that... quietly, quickly, the most beautiful month of the year has arrived. The weather has gotten chillier and the long sleeves, the warm and snug and thick winter wear is out again. And I, am totally covered in a jacket and with a blankie too. :)

This afternoon, I am counting my blessings in the last 2 months. I've had such a wonderful year, filled with new experiences, discovering and learning and growing. And I can never be more thankful than how I feel right now. 

Thankful - for a good dinner conversation with my ex CE, who came to UAE for a conference. Lovely time, and it allowed me for a chance to visit Sharjah too. Otherwise, I don't know how I can cover all the different emirates in my time here. :-D I think - it's amazing to know how paths can cross in the most unthinkable manner. That evening, I was wondering how on earth I could be in Sharjah, sitting at some restaurant overlooking the Sharjah night view, eating some arabic dinner, and talking about libraries and learning. How amazing, how thankful. :))

And - then this group of friends that I now do life with. Almost unexplainable the bonds. Eat together, Run together, Travel together, Laugh together. We choose whom we admit into our lives; we choose whom we allow access to - and conversations have grown deeper. Understanding too. One of the longest dinners we've had recently - at the Michelin 1-star Hakkasan. Again, I don't think I would have ever gone there if not for them. :)))

And then, with Sabie... thankful for the steadfast friendship and love. We are going to go Japan. Just like that. I need a break, she needs a break, and then - that's it. We just decided to do it. So looking forward - winter wonderland in japan, and then go to Onsen, go explore the familiar-yet-new spots - it's been quite a while since I last went to Tokyo, go meet Maki, go Keio University. And basically, it is also a retreat for me - recalibrate, reset, reflect, and get ready for 2023. 

And - for work - 2022 is about change and yet also, no change. With the different components of work, here I've learnt to go with the flow, understand dynamics and human relationships, the importance of soft skills. Super thankful for a great team in Shan and Neha - and somehow, at one point, we all felt we really have each other's back and the determination to make work work - it's one strong and bonded team. It's a very happy feeling - to have a strong team at work; reminded me of the times in GSDD with the WPLN girls. And while Donna has left, still - she left an indelible print in my DED life. And Mahendra too - the conversations and the encouragement - from a senior who has done much more life, and work in the UAE. 

One of our events - sharing and then keepsake pics. :)

Bidding farewell... sad and yet happy for her.

And - Mahendra - always so generous and ready to share and encourage.

One more piece on work recently - did a guest lecture at NYU for Nancy. I've done it online before, but this is the first time in-person at the campus, and my 2nd time visiting NYU-AD. The first was when we just came to Abu Dhabi, and when I stepped into the campus, there was that sense of familiarity. It was bustling with life, and I was given a short tour around the place. And on the lecture, I did enjoy it pretty much, with the interactions from the cohort. These students are from all over the world, and I recall I was trying to remember my own uni days. It seemed such a long time ago. :) I did think about taking on the academic route at one point in time in life, but I think I was also much curious to see and learn about the world. 

FIFA World Cup - another area to be thankful for, because of the moments of togetherness brought about. We decided to get the TOD package, and that means access to all the games and highlights. I was rooting for the under-dogs. Japan... alas, it was not meant to be... they played and defended so well, only to lose with the weaker penalty shots. And Croatia made it to the semis. And then Morocco. Now I am rooting for Morocco. I do not know much about soccer, tbh, maybe a little more about Liverpool. But, I can tell when it's solid defense, when there's a common goal. I thought the crowd played a huge role too - the cheers for Morocco and the sea of red-green last night. It's a superb season - because there's much to celebrate when it comes to passion, competition, and fighting for your country. 

And then, for good health and fitness. Apart from a covid episode this year, I am thankful that I am well and fit. Lots of water, sleeping more, and then exercising regularly - all key to wellness. I have also been learning more sports, inspired by of cos the ZJL gang here. Badminton, Tennis, Running - the staples nowadays. And it's also about healthy competition. So funny at times. Laugh Die Me when everyone wants to compete against everyone. :-D

And there are just too many pics of the sports calendar - too many too many. Maybe post Adnoc run, or when I finally beat Lawrence at badminton. 

One thing special remains - that I've continued to run throughout the year. This always brings me much joy. No matter how tough the run is, at the end of it, I always feel so good. Not all runs are good ones, some days, they are tough, like when the mind and body is tired, it is tough. When there's head wind, it is tough. But the determination and perseverance always pays off. The end of the run, where I slow down to breathe, stretch, sweat. So good. And then, the tired muscles and a good massage thereafter - always makes it so worthwhile. Through this year, run in AD, run in SG, run in Canada, run in Spain,  run anywhere, as long as I have my shoes and running gear. :))

And one of the early morning runs - I always love the sunrise.

And plenty year-end gatherings aplenty, one of which was a recent lunch with Wilson and his wife. So blessed. Wilson is one of the first friends I know from Singapore, the CEO of Capitala - who built rihan heights, with Mubadala. He introduced Steve and I to UAE, and in the initial days, I learnt much about the work culture here and about UAE from him. He's moved back to Singapore, but came back for a visit with Emily. It's such a good lunch. Time just flew by, and... bingsu was so delish. :-D 

And so - the most beautiful time of the month has entered into its second week. The Adnoc run is next Saturday, and then there's Nikko and family coming, Japan beckoning, and then Shui Yen's god family coming. It's going to be a busy one. But yet, strangely, I also know it's going to be a most special and reflective one. How I end this year will be how I enter next year too. This year, has been most beautiful. :)

And as usual - the once-a-year Christmas tree with Kenji staring at me. Same same for the last 5 years here. 💓💓💓

Moments I treasure

Quiet moments when running

Happy moments taking K out for a walk

Cherished moments with loved ones

Hearty moments where I just eat 

Happy moments where I laugh out loud

Just-because moments, just-because they trigger an emotion

Engaged moments in work and discussions

And most recently, just shooting balls with my new bball. The hour just passed, me and my shots. 💓

Entering the last quarter of 2022

It's the time of the year when the weather is getting cooler, and the heat and humidity is subsiding. :) I think the whole population here enjoy this, and so do I, just that I will miss the sweltering heat and sweat. 

Time has flown by again. So much has happened in the last 6 - 9 months, and yet, it also seems like time has stood still in many areas. I have felt so much in different parts of the last months; where would life lead to next? At this particular time now on this Sunday afternoon, I have finished some work discussions, have had a call with SY, and now, I am trying my best to capture how I am feeling. 

I decide that I'll be thankful for some key moments, and so, I shall start with some most precious memories in the last months. 

Thankful for the various good friends and loved ones who have come and visited - and for these relationships - they have made life so much more meaningful, and I pray that these bonds will continue to strengthen. Thankful for Shui Yen, for Soon Joo. 

A most wonderful trip with SY, filled with so much different adventure, filled with much catching up and bonding. And with badminton, good food, national day celebration, zip line and hiking. How amazing. 2nd time some more. 

And a most wonderful catch up with Soon Joo in Abu Dhabi and also in Singapore, and so much good discussions, and then, to be gifted with a painting from her. Super touched and blessed to know her as a work mentor, and a friend.

And then, somehow, I got through July and August, through a beautiful Canada trip, and a most memorable one, because we succumbed to Covid. I wanted to call this trip CC - not difficult to guess what that means. :) Still, it is a different trip, where it's just quiet travel, lots of parks, walking, and running at Niagara. I love that so much. Seeing David Buwalda and having a meal is special too. One never knows where life leads, and where and under what circumstances we could celebrate and meet again. This time, on a tiny rooftop in Toronto.

And then suddenly, I am transported to post-Spain. Which is our first time travelling with another couple for such an extended trip, and I think this is possibly the best trip this year. With such good food and drinks, and with my fave being Alhambra and Segrada Familia. Travelling always helps - helps me to know that the world is so amazing, with different cultures, ways of living, beliefs, language and yet, fundamentally, we are all - humankind, and we feel the same emotions and we struggle in the same areas, love the same, hope the same. So thankful for Zann and Jerry for this trip. 💓

I ran too in Spain. And again, love the exploration by foot. Love that while the world is asleep, I can put on my trusty shoes, and I can be up and about enjoying the early morning, me and my steps, me and my own world. Love it. 

I don't quite know how the next 3 months will pan out - the last quarter of 2022. Reflectively, it seems that every time after a trip, and on the plane ride back, I will always think about a new reset, a new start. Maybe it's the fact that on an airplane, and after a trip, one is ready to go back to the "real" world again. That's how I feel most times. And - then the goals and the endeavours come back in again. :)

Busy weekend this weekend, with work, but still - time to be thankful, for where I am at now, and for the loved ones in my life. 

感恩

My amazing looooooong weekend has come to an end - and it is a super unharried one, with lots of rest, sleep, and soul goodness. 

I realized my last entry was in February, and my goodness - how time flies. 

Since then, I had done a spartan race, gone back to Singapore, took on some newer responsibilities, explored countless good eats, built some deeper friendships, did some learnings and readings, continued with my exercises and runs, and also - slept better, laughed more, let go more. :)) I think, I can just say that life has been good. 

Spartan was one of a kind - the kind that you say you would never do, but when jio-ed, finally give in. I travelled quite some hours to and fro up north to Umm Al Quwain, to run 10km, and then back. :-D Amazing - running up and down the sands and slopes, and it was tough on the calf, and I was glad I had a first experience at Liwa. And, I said I won't do it again - but, who knows? :))
And, what a wonderful experience it was - to run with Neha and Leila!

And then, the trip back to Singapore - loved it so much. It was so good that when I returned, I felt I was ready to go home. The immediate pangs of homesickness - they hit hard. The first week when I came back, I really felt I wanted to go home. Too much to describe for the trip, too much to express, too much to write about - but every part of it was drenched with love, and more gratitude and thankfulness. Everything, from giving my mum and my parents in law a surprise, to meeting my closest friends, to meeting ex colleagues, to chilling with numerous ones, to even squeezing in a game of tennis and the runs at ECP, and to the local food and kopi and chai png. Too much good - as the locals here would say. 💓 

And then, whilst back in Abu Dhabi, our office was moved up due to the restructuring and reorg, and now, my unit is together with the larger Dir-Gen office - and it's really good that we are now surrounded by more teammates. There's so much more life. New responsibilities came on, and I had a chance to travel to Al Ain, to contribute to the larger workforce development agenda. As I come to a second year, may the new year also be fruitful and productive. :) 

And that way, March gave way to Ramadam Kareem, and that gave way to Eid Mubarak. How time flies. 

It was my first full Ramadan and Eid break here - and I went thru' the whole month of fasting - while working with the locals here. It was an interesting month for me. With revised shortened hours for the govt employees, I also had a taste of what it is like here. It was a good one month; for me, there's not much of a difference, and then the one month just flew by. And the Eid 9-day long weekend, just came and went too. 

Most friends I know have taken the chance to travel out during the 9 days, and it was wonderful to see their travel adventures and pictures. So beautiful - the places they went to, particularly for Jordan and Georgia. I wished I had also gone somewhere with Steve, though it was not to be for this season, as he was working. Nonetheless, I decided that this was still going to be an amazing break for me. And honestly, being in Abu Dhabi and the UAE itself - already means I am experiencing a new way of living. So I decided to do the following:
- Learn something
- Eat well
- Sleep well
- Exercise

- Take care of myself, basically. 

And - I think I have had a superb 9 days. Everyday, I start off with my exercises, including runs, cycling, F45, tennis sessions, swim, gym. I dunno how I did it, but starting off daily with a good workout makes me feel I am so ready for the day ahead. :))

And then, I decided to do a refresher course on Excel. Learnt some tips and tricks - and still, more to go. And caught up with different reads, including one excerpt from Murakami Haruki - the running novelist. 

And - then, all the different foods exploration. Wed night was most unforgettable. Decided that we would do something different, and we went to Raclette Mamsha - the atas stretch here for some French food. The food was good, but it was even a nicer experience to just chill out mid-week for a change. It was possibly the date night difference too. 💓 

And - taking care of myself means I spend enough time out to reflect, to take longer walks with Kenji, to write, to have me-time, to build deeper friendships, to watch NF, etc. It's such a good 9-day break, and also a wonderful March and April. 

And then, today is also Mother's Day. While I am not back in Singapore, the love remains. My mummy and may she forever stay beautiful and healthy. 💗

And 不知不觉, it's already dusk. I took this pic a week plus ago. When we were running along Eastern mangroves. Earlier, I think I must have felt the writing itch. It came, and I decided that I must finish this post. Next week onwards, I will be busier. Different ones are visiting weekly for the next month, and I'll play host. It's gonna be an amazing 2H 2022. 

Beautiful dusk - as always. 💗

Random Ramblings

The Tiger Lunar New Year came... and is passing by. Here, the celebrations are muted, and there's not much atmosphere. Nonetheless, it is still heart warming, with the several meals and gatherings. Recounting - feels like it's been a whirl the last 2 weeks - feels like Jan came and whizzed by!

Perhaps, one of the most magical times was last Thurs - i really felt it was Thursday Magic. And maybe it's also that Friday is a half-day. Donna and I spent Thurs evening just catching up over cheeses and prosecco, amidst a setting sun backdrop. :) Again, one of the blessings I can be thankful for in my life, and work life here. 

And then - all these gatherings and fellowship. I miss SG particularly more this season, especially since social media feed is filled with all sorts of gathering happiness. 

City Palace Allure - because it is CNY season? It was just S and I at first, and then 2Ls came in. And then, Joann and Andy and the kids. Haha, random night that culminated into coffee and cakes. 

And also, recently I got my gen 3 gold Oura - because Sleep Matters. The wellness tracking gps function doesn't seem to be up yet, but I have been using the heart rate function, and it's shown some interesting results that are not suprising - that my heart rate goes up during certain meetings, and then drops drastically thereafter. It was really quite a big drop!

One of my key aims is to continue to live well this year - and one of the key areas is to ensure I get enough shut-eye. This is again, a continuous endeavour, and recently, I start feeling sleepy about 9pm? This is kind of amazing, and maybe it's the cold weather that makes me feel sleepy. One secret wish I have is to want to continue to have bountiful energy and zest for the longest time ever, so sleep is increasingly becoming more important to me. 

I also had a chance to meet Loh Kean Yew in person, at the Dubai Expo, and I really felt happy for his progress and achievement. Just the week before, I was watching him play against India, and my heart was thumping so fast. A friend and I spotted him at the back sitting quietly, and went to check out if it were really him (since all of us donned masks). And it was. Badminton is not a game that I've really played, but since I got to know Tat Suan and SY, I've also started to enjoy it (nostalgic IAL days). I really wish him all the very best!!

And, yesterday, we did a last minute tennis - and it actually was tiring for both of us. While cooling down, I captured this. Haha, and I think S likes the photo. I took it pretty well? We enjoy playing at the centre court more and more. ハンドサムステーブ。

And also, tennis with the 2Ls last week - we played more than 2.5 hours!

And at this point in time, I am feeling the warmth of the sunrays beating down on me, as the workstation is by the window. There's some work to do and think thru', and I went through some parts  earlier. Now I have some coffee and will continue with a new book - Shoe Dog. It already resonated as the book started with running. 

Finally, this morning, Happy Kenji out in the fields. 💗

Truly Random Ramblings indeed. 💗

Dare to confront

This evening - I can feel that the weather has become warmer, and while still windy, surely, it is a sign that the season is changing. Outside, I can see the trees swaying quite a fair bit; the last few days have been rainy, cold, windy. 

Yesterday, I was falling fast asleep when S returned home, and said he has something he really needed to tell me. For a brief moment, realization hits - that life truly is not in our own hands. God gives, God takes away. And for that brief moment, it was a moment of sadness. 

These few days have been pretty hectic, and I thought I wanted to say maybe this season, year, is one that could be focused on "dare to confront". Not so much about confronting externalities, but more the innermost, the hardest areas to broach. It was a very interesting last few days, with different experiences, conversations - that led me to this. Time is short; we would not have forever to decide how we want to live.

I found that as I started to pen down some thoughts on Sunday night, I started to feel a little bolder too. It was almost like there was a flurry of thoughts that came. And it was a really good conversation with Steve when he came back afterwards. Maybe too - at the back of my mind, I keep reminding myself that there in that 4th man in the fire. 

Kenji is laying at my feet now - it is a very familiar feeling. I had wanted to hit the gym, or run again today, but it is just too windy outside. 随心所欲 is also a nice feeling. 

This Tues evening, am thankful that my heart is a little stronger today. Thankful that for those things that I can't control, I can be at peace. Thankful for good friends and colleagues. Thankful for that nice, windy walk with Kenji earlier. Thankful that despite the noises, I can still fall asleep and rest. Thankful that the day has wound down as night falls. :)

TGIF

Honestly, it’s been really good that I can now say TGIF. The UAE has now aligned with much of the larger global workforce for a Mon – Fri work week, and this past Fri, is my first TGIF, and plus, it’s now a 4.5 day work week. Week 1 Jan has passed – and it was a really great way to spend my first Fri evening out with my red foldie – I did some good rounds round the stadium, had a nice long walk with K (he led me wherever he wanted to walk this time), and then had a quiet fishy dinner.

Daily this week, I intentionally choose to focus, choose the thoughts that I want to spend more time on, and for each area of importance, I tried to hone in on what really matters, and to remember breathing. I think some days, it is tough. The wild mind tends to wander off in different tangents – how can that small space in between the ear cause such disruptions to the heart and whole body? But that’s why it is also good to know that I am not the only person who feels all-over, who feels mayhem at times, but that it’s common to all men, and that’s why – the WoG continues to undergird.

I had such a lovely Sunday morning today. Went for a cold, morning run – easy, enjoyable round around the mosque, and then, went to do Ashtanga yoga at the Bridge, a new area just 5 mins away from my place, with Ildico. It was an outdoor session – and just focusing on breathing, and maintaining balance, and letting the sun rays beat down on me – that was calming and relaxing. My 3^rd time at Yoga here – first 2 were last year – aerial and moonlight, and today, I felt I could balance myself a little more easily.

And then, a random breakkie out with the kids to end the morning. How nice and lovely. They do have a wonderful appetite.

Over the past week, I can count my blessings in a few areas. For work, Shan has joined us – and that will definitely strengthen the team with her experience in marcomms. In reading, I started 2 books – Mary-Martha, and then one on brain intelligence. On keeping well physically, Grace and I tennised (though I must say it was possibly a harder session this week due to the wind), and then we had a really nice dinner at my place. Did 2 runs, a bike ride, and then this yoga. Also, spent some good time with WC and V, and their little Jasper, who came to visit and played with Kenji. It’s really been a while. These folks came together with Steve 5 years ago.

Also - some amazing end-of-year gatherings with different ones. The cold weather makes such gatherings warmer - all sorts of good food, but the most important is really the company. As we grow a year older, hopefully, we all grow a year wiser too. So blessed - the intentional catchups, the video calls, the H2H talks. 

As Jan unfolds, I pray that I will continue to grow better as a person, and that 2022 continues to be one that amazes.