I havent blogged for a while. School has been taking up 90% of my time. But Im smarter this term.I have been going to bed at about 930pm-10pm on weekday nights, so that I am on full functioning mode the next day. And it's really great cos in school, Im just full of energy. But by 6pm, I have depleted my battery life and basically the evenings are just zoned out periods. It works out fine though and as what one my friends say, long days and early nights for me. :)

But I fully utilise my weekends. Last weekend, I spent my Sat meeting Diana for a bit of shopping (we bought for each other bday gifts. Highly belated for me, but we were both busy. I got her some shoes and she got me a sequinned MPhosis jumper. Utter cuteness!) We had tea and cake at my favourite cafe, One Caramel and talked and talked and played with her baby. It was a lot of fun cos I meet her really rarely cos she has her own family now.

Then I met Angela after for dinner and we then went to a flea market at Singapore Art Museum. There was like a Night Festival there, a lot of things going on, but being shopaholics, we spent all our time at the Flea Market. Pretty nice, and I managed to get a vintage looking chain for just $10!!! Cheap!! We had tapas at Clarke Quay and just spent the whole night talking and talking....Very nice.

This weekend, I went for my first 10km run. The SHAPE run. I have taken part in 2 runs last year, one was a 5km run (Great Eastern Womens Run) and the other was a 6km run (SAFRA Run). So this year, one of my resolutions was to take part in a 10km run with a respectable timing. And I DID IT!! YAY!!

I went for the run with Maya and Alice. They both did the 5km run so I was on my own at flag off. No joke, having to wake up at 530 am and dragging my ass to Nicoll Highway (thats where the run starts). But if I thought that was bad, the run was worse! It was a tough run. I have been running consistently, about once or twice a week since I got back from my Australian holiday, and progressing from 30mins runs to finally hitting an hour the week before my SHAPE run. I thought an hour would be sufficient, and I thought I was adequately prepared. Urgh...I was wrong. 10km IS A LONG RUN! At the 6km mark, I was ready to throw the towel in. Seriously. It just seemed so far!! And at the 8km mark, there were so many uphills!! I just kept pushing myself and pushing and pushing. And........I completed it with a respectable timing (at least to me) of an hour and 10 mins. Im happy with that given the fact I almost gave up! So next run Im looking at? The Great Eastern Womens Run, 10km. Hoping for an improvement in timing...

So yeah, I have very busy weekdays but great weekends. And despite the busy-ness of my weekdays, I enjoy it tremendously, as Im with my kids. So I guess Im lucky...:)

Anyway, here are some pics of me and Diana taken when we were out last weekend. And her baby Syakir!!

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I had a less tiring week this week. Think the Youth Day holiday on Monday made the week a lot shorter, and the lessons this week weren't as long and painful as the week before. I had time to go for a long run on Tuesday and a boxing and yoga class on Wednesday. So that was good. Makes the crazy dessert eating on weekends more justified.

I recently met up 2 friends who had gone through bad break ups and are having problems dealing with it. And both of them asked me the same exact question, 'How do you do it? Be happy all the time, and be ok with the break up.' And my answer to one who just broke up:

 'You cry like a river, and then surround yourself with people who genuinely love and care for you. You tell yourself it's ok to falter, but make sure you bounce back from the bout of sadness. Think of what you have rather than what you do not have, and realise that it is just not your time. Most importantly, to remember the positives of the relationship rather than just the bad, as it will make you a really bitter person if you only harp on the negatives.'

And to my other friend who have had the break up for a few years, my answer to her was:

' To let go completely and do not look back. To forgive and be genuinely happy as nothing is more tiring than fake happiness. To be satisfied and happy with the simplest of things. And most importany, to never lose your friends when you are in a relationship and never lose yourself and your identity. Cos guys do not want clingy, needy girls with no spines. They want girls with character and confidence.'

I have always believed genuine happiness radiates from within, and when you are happy, people naturally gravitate towards you. I have been lucky as I am a naturally happy person, and have always been one to be positive about everything. I get excited by almost everything (be it small or big), and I love life. And despite the many downs in my life, I have always managed to bounce back stronger and happier. Cos it's a choice that I make. And I'm happy that I can be a source of happiness for many people. :) Share the happiness around, I always say. :)

And this weekend, I made myself really happy cos I went to watch the movie 'Eclipse' and it was so bloody good. Watched it at the Grand Cathay and the seats were so comfy! And the movie...did no disappoint. Im in 2 minds on whether Im on team Edward or Team Jacob. When I see Edward with Bella, I swoon and I so want to marry him! And then Jacob comes on the screen, and I start salivating over him. He is hot, I swear. LOL!!!! Me and Angela kept taking in deep breaths whenever Jacob and his wolf pack comes on the screen. And it helps that they are topless perpetually all the time in the movie. So that was a yay thing! LOL!!
We went to a bar cum restaurant at the Esplanade after the movie to grab some food and drinks.  Had calamari, brownie with ice cream and a virgin magarita. And the night ended with me getting the number of the Moroccan chef from the restaurant! Hahahahahahaha.....He came over, chatted with us, and passed his number. Very flattering. :) And no, I did not call him up. Just nice to know we are still attractive to the opposite sex. Yay!

Im going to spend the rest of my weekend doing nothing. Maybe do my nails. Maybe I will go to the gym. Maybe eat ice cream....Dont know, we'll see.

In the meantime, remain happy cos life is not meant to be a drag. :)

School has started, and Im already exhausted and it's only the first week of school. I can feel myself losing my voice and Im getting chest pains. Think it's the sheer amount of number of periods that I have. I basically have school from 745am till 430pm almost everyday and it's full-on lessons. I take all the graduating classes hence the heavy timetable. I try to remain upbeat about it though and one of my colleagues asked me, 'How do you still smile amidst the crazy timetable?' My response to that is , 'What choice do I have? It's either I get grumpy and vent it on my kids and don't teach properly, or I take it in my stride and do the best that I can.' And if you know me, I usually just smile and do it. And I always end up fine. :)

I foresee many long days ahead, with attempts to exercise and have a semblance of a life. I just hope I dont get sick the way I did in the first term. That was terrible.

In the meantime, I uploaded pictures which I took over the course of the 3 mths. Not much cos I didnt bother taking much, even when I was on my trip in June. But here they are. Not much energy to blog so this will suffice for now.

Enjoy the weekend. I know I am going to languish in doing nothing. :)

Post celebrations of my bday with my boys.

Celebrating Kok Tiong's bday together with me and his best friends.

In Perth with Mikhail, my favourite baby

Dim sum with friends; Mark, Ryan and Sharifah

Melbourne with Jay.:)

Sharifah in town