Blog Layout Change (Again, and yet to change... Again!)

First, there wasn't much space for funkiemunkie when I changed my layout just a few hours ago, then now, there's too much space, I've decided to use a different template provided by blogger.  Due to my lack of knowledge with template manipulation or scripture,  I don't know how to make it better.

But before that, right now, I have just finished watching the Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremony.  There is a little sense of sadness, now that it ends.  But I suppose everything doesn't last forever.  Throughout these couple of weeks, I suppose we were all somehow or rather been attached to the Olympic TV programs.  And now, we've got another 4 years to watch the next Olympics in London, god willing, hopefully, I will still be around.  I know, I sound like an old man, but well, who knows, I could die anytime, right?  Like the Olympics, something must end at some point, right?  Okay, let's stay off the depressing and morbid subject.

But coming back what I was saying, my blog layout...  Now, it's something I'd have to live with, for now.  I think I like it.  It's starting to grow on me, however, I will change it again, once I found a better template or better still, have more knowledge to manipulate html scripts.  

So that is why there's some blank spaces in them, because I'd have to re-input the widgets back again.  And I will do that, slowly and surely.  Tonight is my rest night.  So no running reports from me.  But it does feel weird somehow that I am not running.  It feels that I'm lacking something, like that I should be doing something, or forgetting what I am supposed to do.  Feeling a little restless, I must admit.

There are things that I wanted to write here, in fact I have written about a paragraph or two, about my thoughts, but I've decided to not talk or write about it.  I suppose there are things that I need to accept and must accept.  Acceptance is very hard to do and to overcome when thoughts in your head just won't let you.  It reminds me of a book that I've read and talked about a few post ago.  Thoughts and emotions can seriously screw you.  So after a few breathing technique that I've learned from that book.  I am fine now, in fact I must be fine.

Having doing weights recently, today my body were a little stiff.  I was going down the ladder from my bunk bed like an old man, to my MatCo and Senior Inspector's amusement.  I woke up relatively late, at about 8 a.m. And have been avoiding the Smoking room today.  I've managed to cut down in order to improve my running performance. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I should quit.  But it's a little difficult if you're in my shoes.  It's easier said than done.  But ever since I have started my running routine, somehow, smoking doesn't feel tasteful anymore.  Okay, I know you would say, it has never been tasteful in the first place.  But what I am trying to say is, I'm slowly rejecting it.  Perhaps my body is slowly rejecting it, who knows.  But I hope you can be supportive of my intentions, I am eventually trying to quit, so I hope you can be a little encouraging when you read this piece of my mind.

Just now, when I was having snacks at the mess room, I overheard a conversation that it is Sunday today.  And I was like... What?  Are you sure?  And I recall in my mind, and I scream in my mind, "it IS freaking Sunday!"  I didn't even realise that today is a Sunday.  And when I think  about it, I miss my Sundays.  And tomorrow will be another week.  I also thought to myself "What another week?!"  Days mean nothing to us, dates, perhaps, but things just go on clockwise and routinely everyday, almost similar as the day before.  But in a week's time, things will go a little haywire or chaotic or (being last dramatic), busy.  The facilities will be shutting down for ten days.  And the maintenance crew will be busy repairing piping lines and what-not during the ten day window.  

It is not an easy job to shut down a facility of this size, it requires planning and more planning to make it a success.  I will also be seeing my colleagues from the office after a long time.  However, they will be staying at the vessel, being 'ambassadors' to the onshore supports.  Materials, resources and logistic must come in sync with the work scope that will be executing during the shutdown period.  Hmm, look at me going on about boring engineering stuff to you.  Actually, I purposely made this a long post, because a) I'm bored b) It has been a while since I wrote such a lengthy blog post and c) my mind's ticking and buzzing with a lot of ideas.

Redz has been kind enough to be my, quote 'personal assistant' unquote, because he thinks that being my 'personal assistant' is quote 'fun', unquote.  Actually I do mind.  I suppose I don't like relying on others and I don't like to impose others to do the things that I wanted to do.  But I suppose I have no choice.  Because obviously I'm stuck here with work and planned to get more work and being in the middle of the sea.  (Pause)...  I was actually looking for pictures via the internet if they have pictures of the platforms where I am at, but to no avail.  I suppose I'd have to look else where for pictures of the platforms.  So anyway, yeah, I feel bad that I made him do my financial transactions and errands.  He has access to my bank account.  And I trust him.  I trust him with my own life.  Friends like him are very rare to find.  In fact, it never crossed my narrow mind that some one like that would even exist on the face of this planet.  But he does exist.  Redz, if you reading this post, thanks, and I know you're reading this post almost everyday.  Hey, I suppose I can leave my errands that needs to be done here...  Sort of an online service eh?  But, oh, the rest of you would be reading it too...  So I suppose it's a no-no idea.  Du'h!

The fasting month will be coming soon, and I suppose it will be a little challenging for me to keep my training in shape.  But I've done this before and I'm sure I can do it again.  Oh, I'm losing weight.  I can see that my side flab, or to put it nicely, my love handles are getting smaller.  I feel a little lighter and my overalls/coveralls are a little loose, so I must be loosing some weight.  And even though I've been doing little weights, I see some muscle definitions.  I'm on my way to look hot and sexy... Uhuh, yeah right!  Hot and sexy, and I, nope, never gonna happen.  But it's not that bad to be hopeful right?  

I can't wait for my next trip, to KK (that's Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - for those who doesn't know), because I suppose that will be my only available time for a vacation.  I took a couple of days extension after my half marathon.  Just to lay back a little, club a little, have a little fun, relax and sit by the sea... erm, nope, no sea, thank you very much...  But I am planning if I could meet my ex-course mate who was from Sabah.  We went to Uni together, and when we went our separate ways, we didn't get in touch, but thanks to Facebook, I found her and got in contact with her again.  She's married now, but I'm not sure if she's with children.  I would love to meet her and her husband.  We shared a lot of memories together (as course mates, of course)...  Although towards the end, we were quite busy with our projects, dissertations and exams, that we didn't get much time to say a proper goodbye.  I lost my contact list with the rest of my course mates.  But I'm sure it's somewhere.  

Back in Uni, one of my course mate, Ian John Smith, acts like a true brother to me.   He was always there for me, when I was admitted to the hospital because of my 'suspected' appendicitis and he actually made use of my time being admitted there.  He had a project which measures air quality, and he put the device on my bedside and checked on it everyday.  In fact, I don't think I'd pass my exam if it weren't for him.  I think about him quite a lot sometimes.  To think about it, I don't think we would have passed our exams without each other.  See, when I was in Uni, during the end of my second year up to the beginning of my third year, I went through a bad and rough phase.  I don't want to discussed about it here, but I was missing class.  Not that I was lazy, but again, I don't want to discuss about it.  So, my notes were quite skimpy.  And as for him, he was very diligent student.  Goes to every class and never missing any.  This is because he had a determination like no other.  He is dyslexic.  He's a little slow in catching up.  

So come to our final exam, I was angry and frustrated because I don't have enough notes to study.  One day, he called me up and ask how did my study go.  I told him that I am having a tough time because I lack 'resources'...  He then, told me to pack my notes up and he'll pick me up in five minutes.  I was puzzled but I obliged anyway.  When I arrive at his house, (I still remember this like this was yesterday)...  He ordered me to sit.  And took all of his notes and flumped in front of me and said "Paul, (that was my name by the way) TEACH ME!!! My notes are yours as long as you teach me, please, teach me".  So we agreed that we both shared resources and as we put it "you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours".  Team work, that was.

Back in Uni, I was 'kindda' of a hotshot.  There are times, when I didn't attend classes (because I was too lazy to go), and when I come in, I can answer most of the questions in no time at all.  This pisses some of my classmates, because they have been working hard to answer the questions to no success.  That's because, in plain, Engineering = lots of maths = I'm good at it.  And being a foreigner, and speaking simple English, I manage to teach Ian and he could catch up with what I taught.  Surprise, surprise, he got a Second Class Honours, and I got Third Class Honours (good enough for me!).  

We were both ecstatic with the result.  In fact we both finished our dissertation together.  I remembered him getting annoyed with me, because I typed faster than he can (I touch type, you see LOL).  So at that time, he dictates and did the necessary research whilst I typed for him.  I truly truly miss him.  He's a great guy, I wonder if he is married with his long term girlfriend.  His girlfriend, a black french woman, gorgeous, absolutely beautiful.  She's like a black Angelina Jolie in Tomb Rider.  GORGEOUS!  

Oh well, I hope somehow, he found this blog and get in contact with me.  I tried searching for him in Facebook, but his name is quite a common name and thousands of Ian John Smith came into my search, mostly without pictures, so I can't identify him even if I got the right Ian.  Which is frustrating.  

Wow, long post, it did became, as planned.  So I think I'll leave you to that, because I might join my roommate who is snoring below my bed.  So until then, I hope you managed to get a glimpse of how my past were like.  Dear readers, take care, be safe and Adios...  Oh, if you have read up to this point.  Give yourself a hand and a standing ovation, for not falling asleep or lost interest in my post LOL...  Again, Adios peeps...