Hello DD 2011

 Enjoying her avocado

 Daddy is..

 

..the fun factory!

The comfort of mother's embrace

Chinese New Year Lunch and Party at the office

One of the team's mascot. It won a prize for best design.

A scrumptious lunch

After lunch there was bingo.

Rabbit making competition. It was good fun but a waste of the oranges.

Another one of the 4 rabbits made by the teams.

Timekeeper.

A lovely gift from one of the partners.

I need more time to recuperate

It was my first night back at training after what seemed like a long week. I wasstill not feeling 100 per cent despite having had a slow Sunday. I reckon that if you have been deprived of sleep for the last 7 nights resting for a day is not really going to bring it all back! Whatever it was, I said to myself that I will attend training. True enough, my performance at the session was, well, not so good. I was sluggish and tire easily. No matter, after I get back to my routine I should be up and running soon enough!

I took out the new hakama and belt that I order from a good friend in Tokyo. I was expecting to only collect when I see him at the end of next month but my brother very nicely offered to bring it them back for me :). So I get to break them in before the Hombu Instruction Tour. Speaking of which, I better get my fitness up because it will be an awesome but grueling seminar.

Finally I got the right length!

With your name on my belt, I am constantly reminded of your perseverance, dedication and unyielding spirit that defined you and inspires me. I love you.

Honno kimochi

Thanks bro for the lovely gift!

Getting some rest.

What an exhausting week it has been! I am glad to be able to get some rest today and recuperate before starting work tomorrow. My brother has just came back from Tokyo and bought us a lot of goodies to enjoy. I really miss Japan and it does not help seeing pictures of friends having a good time holidaying in Japan either! Well, I will be in Japan again soon enough so I will get to enjoy myself AND train!! 

Have a great Sunday everyone!

 

 

Tis the season to be busy

So I will see you after a few weeks when thing are settled. Have a great Sunday!

Little Jack

Yaaay I got to visit Mazzy and little Jack! Mom and baby are looking good. Jack is a handsome little boy! Whilst Mazzy and I caught up with each other I got to spend some alone time with Jack and take pictures of him, in and out of sleep. Enjoy!

 Jack and mommy

 Smiling in his sleep

 

 Who are you and what's that black thing you are using to point at me?

 Oh it's a camera. Ok I will smile and show you the dimples that I inherited from mommy.

But my patience quickly wears thin and hence I will show you something else that I inherited from mommy ...The classic M frown.

Warming the heart.

The year is still new but somehow I can't wait for January to be over! There are many things happening at work and it has brought my stress to a whole new level. Saturday was another full day for me and I have to attend a night meeting before I could hit the sack. It so happened that the meeting when long (well that and the after meeting chat. 

What cheered me up alot was opening the post box and finding greeting cards from some friends and teachers. One in particular I thought was very special. It is an advent calender card with pull up flaps showing the sights, tastes and toys of regional Japan. I think it was very thoughtful of the sender to give me this greeting card considering the fact that I told her I will be brining my mother (her first trip) to Japan for a holiday. Thanks Kana-chan!

 

Aftering admiring and sharing the card with my mom I decided that it was time to go to bed. In my room, I had a look at the books on my bookshelf to decide on bedtime reading. My eyes casted upon a wrapped bundle and I took it out of the shelf, unwrapped it and lay the book on the study table. I received this book as a gift from my dear Chin who made it herself, nearly 3 years ago. I kept the book for a purpose but it seems that the book will remain in in its unused state for some time. Hahaha. You will never know, there will come a time when I know that it is the right time to use this special book.

Chin, thank you again for taking the time to make this book for me. It is one of the items I cherish very much.

 

Alright. Off to bed I go. Goodnight everyone!

First keiko for 2011

I am glad that the dojo did not take too long a time off before we start training for 2011. That being said I could still do my own training but I would still prefer to train with my fellow friends on the mat. It would be nice to have a few tatami mats at home! 

When I arrived at the dojo sensei was holding a piece of paper. After we opened the dojo we went to the notice board to put up the piece of paper and immediately I knew what it was. Our roster. Sensei has arranged for us to take classes for 3 days in a row, in turns. N will take the first 3, then myself, and finally Chiong. This will go on until sensei's knee has receovered and he is well enough to take the class. I can see from my occassional glimpses at his expression during our training that he feels very left out, sitting there with his crutches next to him and looking on. I wish him a speedy receovery.

N sempai took the first class for 2011 and taught on katatedori shihonage and shomenuchi dai nikkyo. C wasn't feeling well so we were the only 2 yudansha in class that day. In a sense tonight's class was quite a relaxed class as I took turns training with all the juniors. After class N and iIpracticed on our suwariwaza locks and a couple others worked on their shomenuchi dai nikkyo. They were also very eager to improve on their kaiten ukemi and I spent some time with them on their locks and kaiten ukemi. I got to know the new students abit more and it was a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. I also used the opportunity to explain more about the dojo and training etiquette. 

I've also prepared a brand new training notebook for 2011. I had one for 2010 but it was abit on the small side. Lefties apparently don't have visually pleasing penmanship (I get that all the time in the office) so writing small could aggravate other's poor eyesight as well as my own.

After arriving home I received good news from an aikido friend in Singapore; Horii shihan will be in Singapore on 2nd May 2011 for a one day seminar!! The last time I met him was in July 2009 MAA 15th anniversary seminars. I really enjoyed his session and his approach to training. I am so excited to be able to join his seminar again. I hope that some of our members will be able to attend as well. I better book my tickets!

With C and Horii shihan at the MAA 15th anniversary seminar.

If anyone is interested in joining the seminar, make your preparations now!

Happy New Year 2011!

Wakey wakey its a new year!! First thing is to fill up the tummy with a good breakfast. I got the ingredients ready yesterday to prepare for a good start to the new year. 2 sunny side up eggs, 2 strips of bacon, sauteed portabello mushrooms and a glass of full cream milk. Happy tummy = happy Chui.

Happy New Year everyone!