Passing of a great man

While I was surfing a news website on my iPhone, I saw the news of Sir Bobby Robson's passing. I was stunned. Within the next 15 minutes I was reading through soccer websites and international news portals, and all carried the news.

I was saddened.

My admiration for him had its beginnings way back in Italia 90, when he managed England to the semi-finals - their best performance since their 1966 World Cup victory. No other manager after him has ever managed to come close to his success, and this speaks volumes of his quality as a manager.

But it was during my time in the UK that my respect for him was cemented. He was a genuine gentleman. Everytime he spoke on TV, I would listen to his words, his tone, and he was top class as a manager and as a person. He was sincere, lavish in praise for his players, gracious when his team lost, and withering to players who did not work hard.

I will always remember how, against all odds, he managed to bring back Newcastle United from seeming elimination from the Champions League (after losing their first 3 matches) to qualify for the 2nd round after winning the next 3 group games. No team has ever lost 3 group games and yet go on to qualify for the 2nd round.

Sir Bobby Robson was afflicted with cancer 5 times in his life. This cursed disease would have finished off a lesser man. But for Sir Robson to overcome cancer and endure the traumatic treatment 4 times magnified the fighting spirit and toughness within him.




Soccer legends and greats poured forth tributes to this giant with elevated praise and respect:

"In my 23 years working in England there is not a person I would put an inch above Bobby Robson. His character was hewn out of the coal face, developed by the Durham mining background that he came from. His parents instilled in him the discipline and standards which forged the character of a genuinely colossal human being." - Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United


"Bobby Robson is one of those people who never die, not so much for what he did in his career, for one victory more or less, but for what he knew to give to those who had, like me, the good fortune to know him and walk by his side." - Jose Mourinho, manager of Inter Milan.



"First of all he was beyond football a great man, one of the kindest people I ever met. He helped me a great deal when I was a young coach and I visited him in Ipswich. He took me, an unknown coach from Sweden, down into the dug-out and explained the tactics. The year after Ipswich won the Uefa Cup, my team Gothenburg won it and he came and presented the trophy to me. When I became coach of England I called him many times and he was always generous with his advice and helpful. It seems he was as friendly to everybody as he was to me. In fact for me, he was the special one." - Sven-Goran Eriksson, former England manager.


"I was extremely saddened to hear of the death of Sir Bobby Robson. I had the privilege of meeting Bobby on many occasions. He epitomised everything that is great about football in this country. His passion, patriotism, dedication and professionalism knew no equal during his time both as a player and a manager. His remarkable achievements as manager of Ipswich Town and then of England are among the most distinguished in English football history, and he was able to replicate that extraordinary success during his time at PSV Eindhoven, Porto and Barcelona. Over the past few years, he fought cancer with his characteristic tenacity and good humour. He will be sorely missed - not only in Newcastle and Ipswich, both of whom he served with such devotion, but by all sports fans in our country. My sincere condolences go to his wife Elsie and his family." - Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister.


Like what Mr Mourinho said, Sir Robson will live forever, not just in the hearts of those with whom he had worked with or who knew him. Every football fan on the globe will greatly miss his presence in the game.

What a match!

What a match!

Federer vs Roddick turned out to be a complete surprise. I was expecting Federer to roll over Roddick and win in straight sets.

But I had not counted on Roddick's vastly-improved game.

I used to think that Andy Roddick was just a one-dimensional player, armed with a big serve and nothing else.

But in the final, Roddick was very unrecognisable from the player I knew. His rocket serves threatened to blow potholes into the court. His groundstrokes were accurate and he was more than capable in slugging out with Federer in many rallies, even winning some.

The last set took an hour and a half - the longest final set in Wimbledon history - and even I was not sure if Federer could triumph.





When the game ended, the spotlight fell on Federer - winning his 15th Major (more than any other player in history), reclaiming the World No 1 ranking, and becoming, perhaps, the best player ever in the game.

But I sympathised with Andy Roddick. At the end of the match, he sat slumped on the chair, obviously shattered and disconsolate. He gave his all, but it was still not enough to defeat the maestro.




I hope Roddick will bounce back from this defeat and move on. Though Federer remains my favourite player, Roddick has won my heartfelt admiration. Throughout the great final, he held his own against Federer and was clearly the better player. However, Federer (as a true champion) did not give any hint of frustration. Within his graceful and elegant movement, it turns out that Federer wields an unbreakable resolve. When Roddick appeared unbeatable, he did not give up.




At the prize-giving ceremony, Roddick applauded Federer and gave a short speech that overflowed with graciousness.

Roddick has shown, that even under bitter defeat and sheer exhaustion, that he can still be a gracious loser, generous in compliments and praise.


That, indeed, would have earned respect from people all over the world.



Congratulations, Roger Federer. There will be no other player like you. You have set the benchmark for success and excellence and I know that there will be no other player in the future who can achieve the same level of excellent consistency like you.

I admire your courage and spirit, Andy Roddick. You surely deserve to win another Grand Slam tournament and I hope you do, in the near future.

Amelia Earhart and the spirit of adventure

Not so long ago, I caught the movie Night At The Museum and I remembered being intrigued by the character Sacajewa. What little I could find out from the movie was how she singled-handedly led 2 pioneer American colonists to discover new lands, when much of America was still shrouded with vast forests, endless plains and a multitude of fauna and flora. Surfing the Internet had shed much more light about this indigeneous Indian lady who played such a pivotal role in the earliest days of American history.

This time, the sequel to the same movie Night At The Museum 2 had the same effect in arousing my curiosity again. The energetic Amelia Earhart lit up the movie and I really liked how her character was portrayed - courageous, adventurous, passionate, and candid. To me, she really encapsulated what an American was all about. My wife and I agreed that early generations of Americans must have possessed that same 'can-do' spirit which made that country such a great and prosperous nation today.

And again, I troughed the Internet for more information on Amelia Earhart, and what an inspiration she is. Amongst her long list of achievements, she is most renowned for being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932. Not content with that, she decided that she would attempt to be the first woman to fly around the world. In 1937, with the world behind her, she took off, in her bid to realise her dream. Sadly, while flying over the Pacific Ocean, she disappeared, while on her final leg of completing her historic journey. Numerous searches were conducted but no traces of her or her plane could be found.




Sometimes we just don't know how uninspiring we sound. In this crazy world we live in, we lose sight of who and what we are in our endless pursuit of success.

It is ironic that it takes a wax figure of Amelia Earhart (which comes to life in the movie) to teach me something which struck me so profoundly that I really could not stop thinking about it. Maybe it was her piercing blue eyes. Perhaps it was her irrepressible sense of adventure and fun. Undoubtedly though, that character left an indelible mark in my memory, and it sobers me to think how I can live life in a different and more meaningful way.

And yes, I did enjoy that movie very much!

Happy Mikayla's 1st birthday at the Zoo

Not the easiest choice to make

The Sundown Marathon was something I had been looking forward to all year.

Last year's inaugural night marathon was memorable in many ways - I bravely but foolishly turned up at the start line despite a severe lack of sleep (due to my newborn baby's hunger cries in the nights), and falling asleep twice while hobbling along the route in Tampines and Bedok. It was easily the hardest and my slowest marathon. So, to be able to cross the finish line meant a lot to me, having overcome severe temptations to give up.

This year, I felt better, more confident. At least I had proper rest. My only worry was whether my back injury would hamper me. I told myself that should my injury flare up, I would just walk to the finish line. Otherwise, I would keep on running as long and as far as I could.


During the race, the non-stop pounding provoked niggling aches and stiffness. I was simply not able to do a decent run. Walking became labourious. I fell further and further behind the endless stream of runners overtaking me.



At the 14km mark, a sea of thoughts ran in my head - do I walk, and risk making the injury worse? Or do I fall out, take a cab home, and rest?


I am glad I'm no stubborn fool. Had I continued, I would have worsened my injury and risked more complications.



So I made the most prudent decision. I walked away from the marathon route, headed for the East Coast Service Road, and hailed the cab home. Immediately, once I sat in the cab, the throbbing aches dissipated.




I am indeed disappointed that I could not finish my 8th marathon. How I wish I could run the midnight race and finish it by the dawn.

Though this injury might have cut short my race, I pray that by the next race (the OSIM Singapore Triathlon), I would be completely recovered and ready to run again.

Behold the Princess!

Reds machine

There is still a tinge of disbelief, whenever I think of Liverpool Football Club's past 2 match results over the past week.

The midweek match against Real Madrid, the most successful team in Europe, turned out to be such a one-sided affair. Liverpool was utterly dominant and irrepressible.

Yesterday night, I witnessed the same Liverpool team dismantle the great Manchester United, in their own backyard, triumphing 4-1. I would never have dared to dream of such a margin of victory.

And so, Liverpool has been the team I've supported since my childhood days. But what I really like about the players is how they get on with the game, hardly arguing with the referee, playing honest, good football. I'd like my soccer boys to emulate Steven Gerrard. He's a model professional, leading by example, and at his best, he surpasses all other soccer players I know.

Manchester United could still win the League title (and they have been very consistent so far) but I am hopeful that Liverpool will pip them to the top spot, on the last day of the season!

Sweet, sour and gloomy

My spotless driving record came to a shuddering halt on Saturday. Distracted by a long column of Harley Davidson motorbikes, thundering down the expressway, traffic slowed as drivers marvelled at the spectacle. Next thing I knew, the BMW in front of me braked and stopped. I stepped on my brakes, but my car still edged forward. The sickening sound of metal on metal jolted our senses for a second, as my car crunched against the BMW.

Both me and the other driver were very civil. I apologised, of course. We exchanged our contact details, snapped some photos of my broken bumper and his car's crushed rear bumper. Considering the fact that BMWs are robustly built, the damage caused by my SUV was rather severe.

Filled with self-recrimination of carelessness, I dread at the thought of receiving the bill for the car repairs.

It could have been worse. I was driving at a low speed. My wife and baby are fine. I could still drive back home.

Nonetheless, this accident soured my mood for the entire weekend.


A ray of joy did break through yesterday afternoon. Familiar faces, in the form of my Peer Leaders, helped to dispel the gloom somewhat. They made the long journey to my place, and I was glad to see them all. It was interesting to hear their stories, their lives, their grumbles about school, gossips about students and teachers. Really enjoyed the time with them. I would love to meet you all again.


Finally, the weekend was also a massive one, as far as sport was concerned, with the Australian Open men's final being competed yesterday evening. My wife and I were eagerly anticipating a Federer win over his nemesis Nadal.

The match took over 4 hours. But it was well worth watching, for both men (the top 2 players in the world) produced such sublime tennis that at times took our breath away.

Sadly, Nadal triumphed, again. Federer, the maestro and my favourite, will have to find another opportunity to defeat Nadal in the future.



I will have to lift up my spirits. Today, my wife will have the unenviable task of driving my broken Rav4 to the service centre. I hope all goes fine.


Next time, I will be even more careful when I drive.

Smiles all round

A chance meeting

While waiting for my wife in the cauldron of City Hall station, 2 petite ladies came up to me with a grin amid the incessant human traffic. It took me a split second to recognise them as Yuting and Diana (as they were prettily made-up in their shopping attire!) and I was very happy to talk to them for a while.

This chance meeting then evoked thoughts about my dear students from 4A1, 4A2 and 4A3 who have received their N Level results. I wonder how did you do? I hope to hear from you, so do update me about your results and plans for the future.

This long holiday break has been brilliant - tonnes of family time, personal rejuvenation, catching up on movies (Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and Yes Man), getting my Playstation 3 console (finally, after resisting the urge for almost a year), swimming with baby Mikayla (she can kick like mad!), and of course, meeting up with my new colleagues in the new school. Yes... I am definitely enjoying this break!

A short conversation with three pupils

It's been another great day.

Just after dismissing my basketball boys, I came across a few students whom I had taught this year.

One of them knew about it and asked me if it was true.

So because of that, I decided to call them to me, and spoke with them for a little while.




Sometimes at moments like this, I feel that there is never a 'good' moment to go.

Because standing before me were three pupils whom I think can do so much more. I think they are capable. Don't tell me about how one of them hangs out with questionable characters. Don't tell me this or that about that person, because when I talk to you, I discern a certain promise, a latent potential.

Then I think about how I can create opportunities for you to shine.



Alas, it is no longer my place to do so for them. I pray that some other teacher will share the same thoughts as me and look at pupils with the same periscope, and deem them worthy of further development.

And this is the bottom line, isn't it. All pupils have the capacity. The Teacher needs to acknowledge it and create opportunities to develop these youths into confident and stronger persons.




At the end of the brief conversation, I told them that I was very proud to have been their Teacher. Leaving them with some words of advice, I hope that, when they return back to School in 2009, they will make that step upwards, and excel in all that they do.

To Xavier, Ming Fen and Sheng Thong, believe in yourself, and always do your best. I wish you all the best.

Twin beauties

It's been a while since we dined at the reclusive One Degree 15 Marina, located at the serene Sentosa Cove.

This time, we made good on our promise to each other, and went there for a great lunch. The meal was good but the fresh air and peaceful surroundings certainly elevated the dining experience. And of course, it is wonderful to dine with my dear missus and baby girl.

After another day spent in the school, it is actually very therapeutic to head out to somewhere, away from people and noise, and sit down. It really drives away the numberless thoughts that can ricochet around in one's head.

Baby Mikayla was once again kicking happily, clearly delighted to be in the outdoors once again.

Never easy to say

It was a lot harder than I thought.

I wanted to break the news to my beloved pupils in the Concourse yesterday afternoon, after the camp. I wanted to stay poised and calm.

But once I started, I struggled to keep my train of thoughts and found it hard to speak coherently.

Suddenly I realised that I was going to miss them.

I did not know what else to say.

Mikayla Mikayla!

Sweet little cupcake

Adorable!

Aspire

If the body tires,
the brain pushes.
If the impossible is to be achieved,
the mind must be convinced.
If you start believing,
you are a step closer to success.

Lil Miss Sunshine

Readjustment

Congratulations have been the order of the day, ever since our baby is born. We are very thankful that she is not just beautiful, but that she is healthy, alive and kicking well!


Some say that handling teenagers is the hardest thing in the world. Actually babies can be the hardest thing to handle in the universe. Especially when Mikayla starts crying. Man, her appetite is more voracious than mine. If she doesn't get her milk, she is going to bawl, period. And, she doesn't cry softly, no matter what I say to her!


The transition to fatherhood isn't always easy. New responsibilities need to be handled face on. Time I used to spend freely in cafes, running, gaming, movies etc, all now pale into the background. Whatever I do must now be weighed in relation to my dear wife and baby's timetable and location.


Nonetheless, having our own child is an awesome responsibility, far bigger than many things in my life. So I must make sure that, above all things, I must work together with my dear wife to raise and nurture our daughter to be a fine young lady.

The star of the show