We're driving, just me and God.

We're driving, just me and God
It's raining, it's raining hard
The windows are steaming up
The bridge engulfed by fog
The rust of the metal bridge
It beckons, it blows me in
I argue, I scream at God
And what he's offering

My hands fly off the steering wheel
Can't recall getting here
If I could, I would reach behind
And turn my light on
My thoughts run off the beaten track
There's no light
How's the way back
Take the hand of God and bite the feeder
No more lingering

This song from Darren Hayes' latest album, "This Delicate Thing We've Made", is achingly beautiful - it's been on repeat ever since I first listened to it four days ago. Just a couple evenings ago, I was sitting in my car in an empty, darkened parking lot with the engine running and the headlights turned off, as the haunting melody cut through what seemed at that moment (oh the irony!) to be an interminable silence.

I'm driving, I talk to God
He's screaming, I only nod
I need to be where you are
The leaves and trees are shaking
It's raining, the bullets melt
The hunger, of hunger itself
It's draining but pain has reservoirs
It keeps for itself

I'm falling, I'm not myself
I'm diving, I'm underneath
The huddle of a mighty ship
That steams away from here
The bubbles, the surface waves
They're shining, they replicate
I hear it
The voice of God is laced with
Sarcasm in your head

I'd give anything to retrace my footsteps and start all over again. I should have stayed, stopped to smell the roses, and bent over to retie my loose shoelace, before continuing on my way - instead of rushing along blindly and tumbling headfirst into a thorny bush after tripping over my undone sneaker.

My thoughts run off the beaten track
There's no light
How's the way back
Take the hand of God and bite the feeder
No more lingering

My hands fly off the steering wheel
Can't recall getting here
If I could, I would reach behind
And turn my light on

i'll be calling your name as i float through your window

Today was a good day.

Benchmark WOD:
2000 m row

WOD:
5 sets of 5 reps -
Front Squat
Overhead Squat

Finished my 2k row in 8:01.3, giving me a split of 2:00.3, which is better than I've ever done in my life, even when I was rowing for Michigan. I think my previous PR was 8:08 or so. I surprised even myself there! The squats were good as well. I worked up to 145# for my last set of 5 front squats, and up to 105# for my last set of 5 overhead squats. After that, I stayed behind to practice clean and jerks under Patrick's expert eye. My previous PR for the C&J was 125#, but I amazed myself once again when 130# went up without much difficulty. On my first attempt at a 135# C&J, I made the clean but missed the jerk. On my second try, though, I made both! And so now I have a PR of 135# for the C&J. Sweet. It's funny, because I took about a month off O-lifting as well as hardcore CrossFitting since returning to Singapore (where I did more middle-distance running and long swims, and only one CF WOD a day, which was more metcon and less strength-centric), and yet everything seems to have improved. I remember being slightly burnt out right before I left for Singapore, and so I cut back on the CF WODs while incorporating more endurance training. Maybe I've discovered what it is that makes me tick.

I only wish the rest of my life would sort itself out as nicely. I can't believe the number of times I've been hitting the "refresh" button today. It doesn't make any difference at all, I know it doesn't. Sigh.

We're driving
Just me and God
It's raining
It's raining hard
The windows
Are steaming up
The bridge
Engulfed by fog

Darren Hayes - Sing To Me

You step behind a curtain
In a moment you were gone
Nothing's ever certain
And it's hard to carry on

This is not what we planned
And I know it's hard to understand
But if this isn't what you want then
If this isn't what you need
Pry my fingers from your hand

And maybe it's just meant to be
Maybe you'll find a way to haunt me
Come back and sing a melody to me

Maybe we're just lost at sea
Maybe I'm holding on to driftwood
And I'll be alright if you could
Sing to me
Sing to me

You step beneath the landslide
Nothing feels right when you're wrong
And try to find an upside
Try to sing without a song

This is not what we planned
And I know it's hard to understand
But if this isn't what you want then

And maybe it's just meant to be
Maybe you'll find a way to haunt me
Come back and sing a melody to me

Maybe we're just lost at sea
Maybe I'm holding on to driftwood
And I'll be alright if you could
Sing to me
Sing to me

I keep seeing flashes of your hands
When I close my eyes
And I don't know why
And I don't know why

Help me make sense of what I don't understand
'Cause I've gotta know why
I've gotta know why
Tell me
Why do you sing to me

And maybe it's just meant to be
That you would sing to me
Maybe we're just lost at sea
Could you come sing for me

And maybe it's just meant to be
Maybe we're just lost at sea
Would you come sing for me
Sing for me

can't believe that i'm the fool again

i'm so tired. and upset. and disappointed. in myself.





tell me, what will it take to make you come back?

that girl, stealing every daydream

Time in Singapore has gone by like a whirlwind. I can hardly wait to be back in Ann Arbor, though (despite the snowstorms, blustery winds and the thought of having to excavate my car from beneath the snow and ice). Last term as an undergraduate! I must treasure the remainder of my time in Ann Arbor, quite possibly the best college town in all of America. I know there'll be people who might be disinclined to agree, but personally I think Michigan has been an excellent fit for me. Go Blue!

Over The Rhine - "Christmas is Coming "

You've seen me sweaty, exhausted, happy, cocky, lethargic, excited, bashful, vulnerable, needy. It's amazing how you make me feel so comfortable about myself. I enjoy every moment with you. I am so extremely glad things turned out the way they did. Good things get better with age, and I think this beautiful thing we have is no different.

***
So it’s been a long year
Every new day brings one more tear
Till there’s nothing left to cry

My, my how time flies
Like little children hiding their eyes
We’ll make it disappear
Let’s start a brand new year

Darlin’ Christmas is coming
Salvation army bells are ringing
Darlin’ Christmas is coming
Do you believe in angels singing
Darlin’ the snow is falling
Falling like forgiveness from the sky

If I could have anything
What would I want this new year to bring
Well, I’d want you here with me

Tear these thorns from my heart
Help the healing to start
Let’s set this old world free
Let’s start with you and me
***

Over The Rhine - "The World Can Wait "

if this should end tomorrow
all our best laid plans
and all our typical fears
am i running out of lifetimes
this is not the first time
something ends in just tears

but tomorrow i can't imagine
how am i supposed to know
what's yet to go down
is there only one religion
the kind that whispers
when nobody comes around

the world can wait
the world can wait
i want to drink the water from your well
i want to tell you things i'll never tell
the world can wait
the world can wait
i'm wide awake
and the world can wait

i want to feel and then some
i have five senses
i need thousands more at least
every day a page of paper
every night a photograph
a moveable feast

so fade to black and white now
roll the movie of my life
inside of my head
'cause like all true believers
i am truly skeptical
of all that i have said

the world can wait
the world can wait
i want to drink the water from your well
i want to tell you things i'll never tell
the world can wait
the world can wait
i'm wide awake
and the world can wait

haven't i said enough
haven't i said far too much
haven't i done enough
haven't i done far too much
far too much
the world can wait

Over The Rhine - "Birds"

***
fall on me
fall on me

birds of a feather and a featherless cap
poor lovers breed songs in a two-room flat
moist hands fold to pray for a painless truth
we dance on the tracks of a train called youth

truth's on the table like a toxic spill
and we wrestle in the sheets with our own freewill
if we never shake hands with a phantom called fame
I'll still have your picture in a picture frame

if you should fall
fall on me

forty-acre farm we can call our own
with a chocolate lab and no telephone
the full moon's leering in a lover's swoon
and the apple tree's swaying to a windy tune

(save me I'm falling for you)

but we won't get to heaven if we just sit still
if we don't cry murder maybe no one will
we're riding tandem down Sycamore hill
if we hit the brakes we're gonna take a big spill

if you should fall
fall on me

and if my hand were taken hold of
I'd slip away with you love
slip away with you love
***

I feel you breezing through my mind.

It's been far too long since I met someone who makes me smile the way you do.

You've got a way of spreading magic everywhere
Anywhere I go, I know you're always there
It sounds ridiculous
But when you leave a room
There's a part of me that just wants to follow you too

You know I miss you
This is all I wanna do
I know it doesn't sound too cool
But maybe I'm in love with you

And when you're walking out the door
I know I miss you
You make me wanna ask for more
I just miss you

It's already November and 2007 is drawing to a close. Funny how time seems to speed up as I get older. I wish I had savored my childhood more, sometimes! College is going well. Classes are fantastic and I'm fortunate to be taking classes from some of the best faculty around. My thesis is shaping up nicely and I've got some ideas that I intend to develop further. Hardcore CrossFitting provides a respite from the burdens of schoolwork, and the folks at the gym are some of the best people I've had the good fortune of meeting.

As for Ann Arbor dining, I've made up my mind to try as many of the reputed establishments as possible. We did Carson's American Bistro last week, Lotus Thai in the last two weeks, plans are being made to visit Cafe Habana for some good Cuban cooking in the near future... Zingerman's Roadhouse is still a must-try - if only it wasn't so crowded all the time! After discovering Yotsuba sometime in September, I've been back for their delectable sushi rolls four more times and plan on many repeat visits. Pacific Rim by Kana beckons on Dec 14th - kinda pricey, but I've heard good things about the Asian fusion fare they serve. Weekends are reserved for food adventures!


Walk on broken glass make my way through fire
These are the things I would do for love
Farewell peace of mind kiss goodbye to reason
Up is down the impossible occurs each day
This intoxication thrills me
I only pray it doesn't kill me

Darren Hayes - The Heart Wants What it Wants

You say one thing and then I go turning around again
Working things over better left unsaid
Spinning around in my head
Taking a moment too personally

I have told you just half the words
I've wanted to get to you
Fear of rejection keeps my heart at bay
Things I'd rather not say
I'd rather have you close
Than never at all

But every now and then
When my world is closing in
I feel you breezing through my mind
I can attempt to close my eyes
I can avoid the wrong or right
But something deep inside
Says my heart wants what it wants

Baby, stay away
Do the right thing
I know I should run
But my heart wants what it wants
Baby, stay away
Do the right thing
I know I should run
You know the heart wants what it wants

You do one thing and then I go always imagining
Reciprocating feelings that aren't there
Sometimes I think you're aware
Your body language, it gives you away

Maybe I should run
Turn my back, head for the sun
Feelings left to come undone
Maybe you like what's going on
Deep down inside I know it's wrong
I know I should run
But the heart wants what it wants

Band of Brothers

"Anything was better than the blood and carnage, the grime and filth, the impossible demands made on the body --- anything, that is, except letting down their buddies... They also found in combat the closest brotherhood they ever knew. They found selflessness. They found they could love the other guy in their foxhole more than themselves. They found that in war, men who loved life would give their lives for them."

- Band of Brothers

Memories

想回到过去
试著抱你在怀里
羞怯的脸带有一点稚气
想看你的看的世界
想在你梦的画面
只要靠在一起就能感觉甜蜜

想回到过去
试著让故事继续
至少不再让你离我而去

分散时间的注意
这次会抱得更紧
这样挽留不知
还来不来得及
想回到过去

Memories from the past...
- Yami Yogurt, Subway subs, ban mian (and cheese fries... oh the horror) times after training at the basement of Suntec
- Getting hit by shampoo and soap bottles being tossed blindly between cubicles at the National Stadium showers
- Sprinting 200 yards from the stadium to the bus stop to catch Bus no. 16 to Suntec, because if we missed it we'd have to wait forever
- RJC 13
- Doing weights at the National Stadium Clubfitt before water training and regretting it immensely afterwards
- Cold Milo at the coffeeshop near old SDBA
- Canal routes with Weiqi (remember the time we smoked it because we were running at top speed and neither of us dared to admit to the other that we were about to perish)
- Lat pulldowns in the RJC weights room with GS's ponytail in my mouth (uggghhhh)
- Jiaolian making us swim across Kallang Basin - which saw most of us floundering helplessly from one end to the other
- Banana bread and Glucolin before races
- Practicing race starts in the pouring rain
- Visualizing races to the sound of Justin's voice, using sticks as paddles and benches as kayaks, in the RJC sports hall
- Being tekan-ed by the seniors during canoeing camp who made us hold the pushup position for what seemed like an eternity
- Alcoholic (and not so boozy) smoothies at the place in Millenia Walk which I can't remember the name of
- Rummaging through the pile of life jackets in search of the one marked RJC 10 and for Leqi's tattered Bananaman life jacket
- Shaun Ho making us run endless rounds around the school track
- Our team runs - drinking Milo right before the canal route gave me the worst stitch of my life; 20 rounds around the track and Vania having to make frequent pitstops at the sports block toilet to poop
- Stoning at the canoeing table before assembly
- My locker as a common gathering place and dumping ground for valuables
- Tubes and tubes of sunblock, an abundance of caps and visors, and not-so-glamorous canoeing jersey tans
- Spying on other schools' K2 pairs and trying to guess the lineups for competitions
- Raffles Canoiest (this speaks for itself)
- Photos being stolen from our canoeing board (none of Vania's were stolen, she was understandably dismayed)
- Machine Rowing championships and beating the track&field people
- Team dinners and desserts being consumed in twenty seconds flat by twelve ravenous canoeists
- Jiaolian (as well as us all) extremely amused at Lydia's hairdos
- Being unlucky at dragonboat races
- Lots of sharksfin soup for supper at Zhen's house courtesy of Carol Chan and her aunt's restaurant
- Walking for an eternity before deciding on a place to have drinks and chill after Nats
- Staying over at the suite in Pan Pacific and being relegated to the floor for the night because someone fell asleep, occupying the entire bed
- Shine's perpetual niceness (until she called someone 'stupid' once, hahahahaha)
- Two-star course at Changi/Pasir Ris and engaging in an potentially injurious game of no-holds-barred Canoe Polo (ha ha)
- Long walks and talks with my K2 partner and treasured friend (you know how much you will always mean to me) - remember how we got scolded by Huilin once for disappearing? Lol.
- Unashamedly capitalizing on the free bread provided by Cafe Cartel
- Philip's polaroid photo of us pre-Nats (we were young then)
- Soccer with the canoeing guys on the RJC field
- GS' skirt with the multiple zips (wink wink)
- Lydia capsizing when Kay Wee canoed past and how she had a chronic crush on just about every J2 guy
- GS's idea of a nude calendar with strategically-placed paddles and lifejackets covering the important bits (if I recall correctly, she volunteered to be cover girl)
- Replacing the sliced bananas on Carol Chan's waffles at Cafe Cartel with the ones we had left over from dragonboat competition!


This list will grow as I recall more fond memories!

Revelation 1:12-18

12I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

Fight Gone Bad II & Carol's Birthday!

Fight Gone Bad II Participants at Hyperfit USA! Hooyah!
FGB went really well. I smashed my previous PB of 378 (set a week ago during a FGB dry run) to get 435. I had no idea 400 was within reach - I was initially gunning for 380 today. Having calculated and formulated my pre-FGB strategy, it seemed as though 400 points was practically unimaginable. Apparently it wasn't. It's funny - my original goal, right after the first time I ever did FGB, was just to make 300, because during my very first FGB on June 30th I only managed 283 points. But when I next did a FGB dry run in early September, I got 358 points. What a leap! Considering that professional fighters in the UFC are typically expected to hit 350 points, I'll take 435 any time. I spluttered, gasped, and wheezed my way through the last round knowing that 400 points was in the bag, because I somehow managed to rake up 303 points in the first 2 rounds alone, by riding the crest of adrenaline that permeated the entire gym, with people cheering their partners on and the fervor at an all-time high. It was amazing. We also managed to raise over $22,000.00 this year, all for a great cause. I'm so happy I took part. The only thorny issue is how I'm supposed to top 435 next year, which seems ridiculously difficult unless I pump myself full of steroids and and O/D on Red Bulls and caffeine, neither of which I'm planning on doing.

Tonight, I had dinner at Yotsuba Japanese Restaurant (just off Washtenaw, past US-23 heading towards Ypsi, right on Golfside) with perhaps the most eclectic group of people (Hyperfit USA groupies) I've had the good fortune of meeting. The occasion was my friend's birthday - she turned 49 today, and she celebrated by scoring 252 points in the Fight Gone Bad II Fundraiser earlier this morning. Another friend and I orchestrated the entire surprise by gathering as many people as we could from Hyperfit USA and making sure everyone, all twenty people, showed up at 6:00 pm to await our unsuspecting birthday victim.

It's Carol (center)'s birthday - her husband, Steve, calls us three - I, Carol, and Ceren (L-R) the Bounty Hunters. Hahaha!

We dug into massive amounts of food. My table (eight of us) went berserk (FOOOD! Food after Fight Gone Bad always rocks) and merrily ticked off 19 rolls on the sushi order list - mercifully, the waiter foresaw imminent self-destruction caused by wanton overconsumption and informed us that we ought to take some of them off the list. True enough, we ate till we were stuffed and still the rolls kept coming. Oddly enough, they all seemed to feature eel in some form or permutation, and those of us who had never sampled eel before quickly discovered whether or not they were to have an affinity for it. Despite the surfeit of rolls and being overly-satiated to the point of drowsiness, everyone still managed to find room for the chocolate-frosted raspberry white cake studded with M&Ms that Ceren had baked for the momentous occasion. Everyone enjoyed themselves immensely and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to have met these wonderful people. Get some, go again!

***
<<龙卷风>>

作曲: 周杰伦
作词: 徐若瑄

爱像一阵风 吹完它就走
这样的节奏 谁都无可奈何
没有你以后 我灵魂失控
黑云在降落 我被它拖著走

静静悄悄默默离开
陷入了危险边缘
我的世界已狂风暴雨

爱情来的太快就像龙卷风
离不开暴风圈 来不及逃
我不能再想 我不能再想
我不 我不 我不能

爱情走的太快就像龙卷风
不能承受 我已无处可躲
我不要再想 我不要再想
我不 我不 我不要再想你

不知不觉 你已经离开我
不知不觉 我跟了这节奏
后知后觉 又过了一个秋
后知后觉 我该好好生活
***

Chinese Weightlifting

Some photos depicting Chinese weightlifters in training and competition. Hardcore! Photos courtesy of dehwang's Flickr photostream (click on title of post for link).

Now there's an arched back! Chen Yanqing.

Young Chinese weightlifter with what easily looks like 40 kg in weight.

Le Maosheng has a wide grip in the clean.

Shi Zhiyong reacts to successfully clean and jerking 170 kg.

Zhang Guozheng doing a set of overhead squats.

Long Slow Cardio Makes You Old, Sick, and Ugly

taken from http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2007/09/long-slow-cardi.html

Long Slow Cardio Makes You Old, Sick, and Ugly
Check out this article at slowtwitch.com. It's a phenomenal article on how marathon training tears you down.

I always say: "Half marathon runners are always hotter than marathon runners. 10k runners are hotter than half marathon runners. And 5k runners are hotter than 10k runners." This article, while it approaches it from an anti-aging perspective, explains why longer training makes you sick, injured, and less attractive.

It's even more interesting when you note that the author is a former sub-2:20 marathoner and a 4th place finisher in the Hawaiian Ironman.

-Josh


from slowtwitch.com:
Training is no guarantee of health

Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: Endurance training is antithetical to anti-aging. So it amazes me when guys in their 40s and 50s who are training for a marathon or Ironman suggest that doing so will keep them young. It won’t. You may feel like a stud now with your shaved legs and your magic marker biceps tattoos, but endurance training speeds up the aging process almost as fast as watching TV, drinking sodas and eating potato chips. Actually, in some cases, it speeds it up even faster.

Read the rest here: http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/features/health_doping_slowtwitch2.html


I also thought this was pretty good - from Mark's official bio on his blog:

"In fact, the running was going so well after college that I decided to forgo medical school for a few years (it’s at 31 years now) and concentrate on a running career. I trained seriously as a marathoner for another five years, racking up well over 100 miles each week in training. The effort culminated in a top 5 finish in the 1980 US National Marathon Championships and a qualifying spot for the 1980 US Olympic Trials. Unfortunately, by then the inhuman amount of training and weekly racing was taking its toll and I found myself constantly sick or injured. (Note to self: too much exercise is not a good thing). In fact, in my last year of competition, as a world class, extremely “fit” athlete, I experienced eight upper respiratory infections! Clearly I was ruining my immune system and my joints doing too much exercise. That’s when I started exploring nutrition and supplementation as a way to enhance my performance and to support my damaged body and bolster my immune system."

Check out his articles on all kinds of cool stuff about fitness, looking athletic, anti-aging, and health - http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Get Some, Go Again... at 6:00 am

Setting up for the Clean
WOD for Thursday, 09/13/2007
Using a #85 Barbell, complete 5 rounds for time of:
5 Power Cleans
10 Pullups
15 Back Squats

Time: 14:02


***
"We're good at what you do".
- Coach Greg Glassman
***

Words to Live By

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."

- Theodore Roosevelt, 1916

Athletes for a Cure: 2007 CrossFit Fight Gone Bad

Please click on the link above to help me in raising funds for the Fight Gone Bad event on September 29th. Just in case you can't get the link, here it is:
http://athletes.kintera.org/crossfit07/secondtimothyfourseven

As you may be aware, I have been diligently training for the "Athletes for a Cure: 2007 CrossFit Fight Gone Bad" event, to be held at CrossFit affiliates nationwide on Saturday, September 29th, 2007. In addition, I am committed to supporting the Prostate Cancer Foundation in raising funds for prostate cancer research.

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting one in six men. Men are 35% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than women are to be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Athletes for a Cure, a program of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, is a new fundraising and awareness program to assist individual athletes in their quest to raise money for better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. The Prostate Cancer Foundation is the world’s largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research with a simple, yet urgent goal: to find better treatments and a cure for recurrent prostate cancer.

I am dedicated to this race and hope that you will support me in reaching my fundraising goal.