the animation that thought me communication...

A picture speaks a thousand more, they say. I suppose then an animation speaks a thousand more. As it is so with this one. I hope blogspot is able to show you the animation. It's a picture of a 'dancing girl'. Now which way do you see her spin? Clockwise, or anti-clockwise.

When I first got this picture, I saw it spin anti-clockwise. (Means apparently, I'm more analytical) and the friend who send it to me saw it spinning clockwise.

As we discuss it over IM, our frustration mounted. No HELL way it's spinning clockwise I said and my friend replied, wtf are you talking about?! It's definitely not spinning anti-clockwise if you ask him.

The spell was broken when a colleague of mine remarked, 'wow, what an interesting animation.. i can see it spinning both ways.'

What the FUCK?! Both ways? Of course I only said it 'internally' (hahaha...)

Finally, after about 1 hour, we analysed the gif file - frame by frame ... (see I guess I'm left brain afterall) and discovered how one can see it go both ways - clockwise AND anticlockwise.

It's been months since I received the picture and since then it has thought me a valuable lesson on communication. I can be right while at the same time wife can also be right. Who's to say she's spinning clockwise or anticlockwise. Both could be right - at the same time. Unless one is standing from the top and looking down we don't know for sure which way she's spinning.

In our daily lives I discovered, sometimes, NO, in fact, many times both are right.

The picture also planted the thought to me that sometimes, if i bother to calm down (hard), listen (very hard) and put myself in the other person's shoes (so so very hard) I may just see things spinning differently. Funnily, the result this is usually a very light and happy feeling!

Now that I can see our lady spin both ways, I'm happy. Hey I may even brag a little about it. It's great feeling to know that I can see more than 'meets the eye'. Knowing this truth it seems has set me (more) free and it should do the same to you too... because whoever you're having an arguement with just now, you were right. Perhaps so was s/he.

*if you're on facebook check out the 'brain game' since blogspot can't show animation

What I learn from the running sports....

You take it, step by step and lap by lap... and you improve minutes by minutes, seconds by seconds.

I'm glad I finally broke my 40min barrier to run 5 rounds in kiara park today. I'm happy

Terry Fox Run

The 2007 Terry Fox Run happened last Sunday. Though some of our friends FFK in the last minute, LiPing and I, Jit, Mom and Liang still went for it.

We had a great time.

The weather on Sunday was superb, bright blue sky but not too hot. The place was crawling with people and the whole place was oozing with a certain positive vibe! It was just beautiful to be there. The crowd was made up of much diversity - all coming in for a cause and to have some fun. There were, Chinese, Indians, Malay, French, Americans, Brits, Aussie (I only guessing from their accents and many other languages I cannot identify)....etc etc

The stores providing the endless supply of water, muffins, milo, bananas...etc also add to the 'Fanfare' mood. It was really fun la.

The run however was ok only because seriously, their organisation of the run wasn't too good. We were supposed to do 6.75km only but due to the lack of direction we did one lap of the kids route and then another one of the adult long route. We estimated later that we ran about 10km using Google earth :) Awesome technology!

Here is the kids route:
And here's the long route:


But all in all, it was still a fun day with family and friends.

Bouncing......

So I am enjoying my run. Then I see this well endowed woman running my way... aiyah... so big boobs, running sure bounce la. Why never wear sports bra? Not pain meh?

Let me tell you woman, I can identify with you this. Not that I have boobs la but I do have...

*sigh*

... belly

Well, it bounces. It wobbles. It feels weird. When I move forward, I can feel it still at the back, when I'm moving upwards, it's just bouncing downwards....it move the opposite direction of my motion.. not exactly, simple harmonic motion! hahahaha....

Thankfully, it's closer to my centre gravity.