27.3.05

On the eve of my birthday

Well, at least I know that they aren't going to close schools tomorrow (barring the overnight launch of some kind of airborne Ebola-like virus *touch wood*).

(Flashback to 2003:
Boss: Meeting in my office, right now.
Me: (wailing) It's my birthday today!!
Boss: (in the same tone that you would say, "Whatever") Happy birthday. So now that we've closed schools, we've got to figure out ...
Ah --- fun times.)

This time last year, I would've never imagined that I could complete a 5 km run around Fort Canning Park. But I did, on Saturday morning, managing not to pass out despite a stitch that afflicted my right ribs some time during the third kilometre. Although we didn't have to round down to street level and then back up the hill, the route within the park was still pretty hilly: from Fort Gate and twice around the park's perimeter, affording from-high-up views I'd never known existed of Clemenceau Avenue and River Valley. Just as well Ondine and I did a little training in the Siglap area the last couple of weeks.

We did well enough to come in third as a team, although we'd've been first if I'd kept up with her. In the ongoing tradition of winning sunglasses that don't suit my face, one of our prizes was a pair of black-framed, blue-tinted sunglasses by The Edge. They're just a little too big for my face --- anyone want them?

(The last time I won sunglasses-that-don't-fit was when I came in seventh at the school's cross-country run (female teachers' category) last month. Those glasses were even larger, with cool brassy frames, from Bed Head. I'm still holding out for a pair that fits me.)

(This predilection for parenthetical paragraphing is totally Stellou's fault.)

Tomorrow, I will celebrate my birthday by putting in a ten-, maybe eleven-hour day at work. The show must go on, birthday or no. If I ever ran my own business, I'd make it company policy that people could take their birthday off without taking it out of their annual leave. It'd do wonders for staff morale, don't you think?

When I wake up, I won't be able to say I'm thirty anymore.

6 Comments:

At 3/27/2005 11:38 am , Anonymous Anonymous said...

happy birthday you.. and me!

you're the only person i know (well, reading your blog from time to time doesn't qualify as knowing but well, i use the term loosely) who shares the same birthday as me!!!

and considering that i'm a trainee on practicum, i couldn't agree more with you about how they give us the day off... argh, i do hope my students do not ever find out.. that's the only thing that'll make it worse than having to do to work!

 
At 3/27/2005 10:34 pm , Blogger wahj said...

Hippo Bathday!

Give yourself the day off and have a junk food feast. This running and stuff is far too healthy to be good for your health. = )

 
At 3/27/2005 10:51 pm , Blogger stellou said...

eeeeyur!! what is this blaming trick?? cheh!! we like parentheses! parentheses are good!! and, can i just say, for the record, i don't think i've done a paren-within-a-paren yet.

also, auntie, you want to pick up predilections from me, pick up baking tarts lah! :-p

 
At 3/27/2005 11:06 pm , Blogger Kiv said...

You have my fullest support!

 
At 3/28/2005 2:22 am , Blogger Abigael said...

(Many) (Happy) (Returns) (Of) (The) (Day)(,) (Babe) (!)(!)(!)

 
At 3/29/2005 1:25 am , Blogger Tym said...

Thank you, everyone!

Anonymous --- It's not so bad when the students know. I got really good loot a few years ago.

Wahj --- I'm not running again till Wednesday --- does that count as taking some time off?

Stellou --- I'm really not the baking type, more the eating type :)

 

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