Speaking to an old friend right now.

I can't believe anyone would sign on in the army to pursue an interest in music. Its just insane!

Sad to see so many who are wanting to make their own mark in life look down so much on the current education system with such contempt. How the wrong incentives are used, how the many aspects of growth and potential are discouraged in a child, to nurture those few that can be made use of.

Sadder to say that, that no matter how much we resent the current system... it works. It works to help contribute to the country's growth and expansion.

But not everyone is a conformist, not everyone can say "hey, that's how life is." There will always be the rebels. Those who question why they need to do what they do, because somehow they have dreamt that there is a better way of life. They want to live their own life, and excel beyond the lives of their conformist acquaintances, because they also expect more out of themselves.

Sigh. Its too risky. But in order to succeed, some risks have to be made. How many Ravels failed or got killed before he actually succeeded? Who's to say that my path is full proof either. No matter how many contingency plans I can build, there's always the possiblity of full-through failure.



Back to today.

Saw MH at macritchie today with his k2 partner. Damn sian... no matter how much I provoked or enticed, he wouldn't race me! Is he that afraid to lose to me again? Or does he have no confidence in his partner?

My timings were very shitty today. 1min 2 secs, 1min flat. Was it the wind? No doubt that when I was stationary the wind was steadily pushing my boat backward. Or was it yesterday's super siong water session? I'm not sure. But I failed to meet today's milestone.

The ang moh scf coach came by me in a C1 when I was about to start my 250m set. Think he was testing some new knee rest. Walau eh... damn hard to understand his english. Was he chek? Or Polish? He advised me to rest and not do anymore 250m sets, and do just starts instead to not overstrain for tomorrow's race. But I needed to breakthrough timing today.

Some k2 pair was going to go for a 250m set too, so I asked to race. And what kinda attitude was that man... "Oh... ok, but we're in like different boat class." I mean, I know that your k2 should be finishing infront of my k1 but I just wanna race mah.

In the end we finished at 1min flat. Think I was like a hair's breadth infront of them, unless they somehow miraculously accelerated for last charge.

I thought that they were going to overtake me at 4th gear, but it seems their strategy was very similar to mine, and I managed to stay just ahead.

Saw the line up for tomorrow's event.

I can't believe I'd be so suay as to end up beside HIM again.

Event No. 94 Open – Men K1-500m Heat 2 1.20 pm

Lane No. Name | Organisation | Position | Time |Remarks
1 Kee En Rui | SDBA | 2 | 2.22.72
2 Chuang Ting | RJC | - | - |
3 Lim Beng Chuan | NTU | 4 | 2.29.09
4 Jeremy Choo | ACS (I) | 1 | 2.14.68
5 Tan Shing Ee | LKC | 3 | 2.23.48
6


I can only hope that he's not using a Nelo boat, and that I've improved by leaps and bounds.

The Nelo boats like... make my stingray look like a daihatsu beside a mercedes. Another gaping handicap that I'll have to overcome tomorrow with mutant ability.

Haven't used my secret weapon for all the practice sessions. Hopefully I won't have to use it tomorrow, but based on my estimate... I probably will have to.

I hate going into a fight blind. Why are there no recording timings for 250m events? Its just so stupid. Don't know how I'll fair. On one hand, the scf coaches say: 57-58 seconds, which I'm doing. On the other hand, MH says 55? How reliable that is, I dunno.

Guess it doesn't matter. No use trying to put myself at ease. So what if 4 of the nation's fastest will be racing in my event, and that hongkong team's around. Not sure if I can take them all down, but I'll make my mark. I didn't go into a fight knowing how my opponent was going to fight either.



Just play by ear.

Mind of steel, Heart of sword.