words are only words.

the rain, the sun, the distance

from monday to friday, i get paid for waking up at 7am but on saturday, i wake at 6.45am, thrilled at the prospect of doing what i love, for free. (:

the air at macritchie is simply invigorating.

everytime i get down the bus, cross that familiar overhead bridge to the double bus-stop side & step onto the muddy walkway which leads me to home ground, i know the trip is worth it. apprehension gets to me sometimes, when i see those running around barefoot in their lifejackets, a practice i've committed to memory. cos i no longer come with the purpose of training anymore, or at least not training for the upcoming races or nationals. then again, i'm back with a different role, training the grandjuniors. haha without the intention of sounding noble or anything ( i can imagine the old man retorting with a snide remark), helping the newcomers with the basics & warming them up to the sport is something i'd gladly do. the $8/hr coaching fee that hx promised yihang & i would be a nice bonus, though i doubt it'll ever materialize.

it was heartening to be part of it all again, moving out equipment in the cramped little shed, doing the warm up routine and paddling.. soaking up the sun, blinking water away from my eyes, throwing all else to the wind: a temporary haven. no parent breathing down my neck, no dealing with numbers & figures, no mulling over sticky situations. yet, there are things that have changed. macritchie isnt as crowded as before. yihang & i were reminiscing how the lanes used to be filled with boats & how we had to queue at the 500m & 1000m mark to do racesets. plus a change in hx's treatment too. i watched from afar, the way he instructs the juniors tersely, like what we've been thru in the past. then he turns around & breaks into a wry smile as he passed me the shed keys and makes mocking statements at yihang & i. ahhwell. of course there's an increased freedom in communicating with my lunch date as well. haha :D

i wanna go back for more.

the arrival of a new year always sets the tone for endless soul-searching. 18 will be gone soon, for good.

` the raindrops sounded so angry today.

posted by YH @ 5:38 PM