Into the 20s, here I come!!

I'm finally 20. The period which sees the significant change from the '1s' to the '2s'. A step towards adulthood, but your not 21 yet so you are not yet an adult. Oh well, but I feel real glad and good that I've received well-wishes and greetings from over 30 people. The best bit is that all these greetings started a few minutes before the day properly starts and carried on throughout until Chin Soon sent me a message at 2359, saying that he wants to be the last. Oh well, I am sorry Chin Soon, but Ruijie beat you cause he called me this afternoon from Boston, and technically speaking, it was still the 25th in the USA, so Ruijie is the last to wished me happy birthday on my birthday! Thanks a lot pal, really appreciated it. I hope that when you come back, we can all meet and go out and have a good time together. Oh must thank Edwin too for smsing me from India. I know your having a touch time there because of the Exercise, but I hope that everything runs smoothly for ya! And I think Cexiang just ended up being the last one wishing me a Happy Birthday!

I went to Kwan Yin temple to pray. I think that was the first time I had ever prayed on my birthday. Hopefully this will bring me good luck for the year ahead, as well as get rid of whatever ill luck or bad stuff I had encountered the past year. Let me see, how did I spend my day? Was working, then went back and rest, and finally at night went to Orchard and meet Wenjie and gang. Thanks brother for spending time with me. We had dinner and then had dessert at NYDC. I think that the only nice desserts there are mudpies, for I think ice creams are nicer at either Swensens or Haagen Diaz. Anyway, we had a good time chilling out, and we chat a lot. I enjoyed myself quite a bit.

Went out with Chun Han today to watch Howl's Moving Castle. A fantastic movie, with nice music and graphics. The nicest part about the show was the character development, as there was no real bad guy in the show. Every character had different sides shown, and it really was good in the sense that it gave much more depth to the movie, unlike a lot of shows, which like to stereotype people. I mean, in the real world, everyone has so many different sides to him or her, it is just that different circumstances cause different bits to be shown to the world. I strongly recommend people to watch it!

Walked over to Sunshine Plaza, looked at anime and comics for a while before going to Sim Lim to find Kay and XueJing. I accompanied them to buy their hard disks, then we walked over to Bugis Junction to look around. Had dinner at Ajisan’s Ramian. Personally, I think that Crystal Jade is better and cheaper and much nicer too. Oh well, let me pray that what Wenhao has done is enough for us to win first prize for the National Education competition. Hmm, after that, we walked over to Raffles City to explore a bit before heading to Funan to look at some stuff before we called it a day.

So here I am. Let me reflect on what happened last year. Let me see, I spent my birthday in BMT. Nothing much happened. Basically the past year was nice except for some unhappiness here and there. Ok, not to say that not everything that I've hoped for happened. Let me hope that this year will be a better one, and that whatever I wish for will come true.

Hmm, seems to me that it has been a good start cause UCAS sent me the reply slip from Cambridge which was a good, loud Unconditional Offered. Hehe, I think I shall call Selina on Monday and tell her the good news, as well as check with her what should be my next step.

Ok, I think I should start planning for my 21st birthday, the major landmark in everybody's life. I think I am real thankful that although I celebrate my 21st birthday in NS, I am celebrating it approximately 2 weeks before I ORD, that means I am already on the Civilian Conversion Course already. Haha. And it is a Saturday some more, that means I can call all my University friends and working friends over. Hmm, I guess I will most probably book a government bungalow chalet and invite pals over. Hey people, when I ask you all to come you all must come ok? Please continue giving me your support, I really appreciated it this year!

What a lousy week...........

An equally lousy week just went by. It was totally lousy for so many people that I know, and not just me and my platoon. Ok, although I went to Archives on Mon and Tues, my sis was hospitalised because she had suspected appendicitis, and that was quite bad because her hospital bill costs $700 just for a 2 nights stay. That is really very expensive.

Ok, Wednesday was like the first time in ages that my whole platoon was back together, but it was a truly lousy day for all of us. We had to keep all our electrical appliances, and even had to shift the television set to our acting CSM’s bunk. And the new RSM does not leave a good impression with David, the others, or me. He was from SISPEC, alpha company according to sources, and even though he is supposedly not bad, I am not too sure about that. He seems to me to be hungry and thirsty for blood, just waiting for the moment to pounce on any of us and slaughter him. Ok, maybe all these are said based on just one impression of him, but I do hope that this is not what he is like. Anyway, he seems to be very free, keeps on walking around our unit, checking things here and there. I hope he gets more admin arrows, just like the previous RSM and be stuck in his office the whole day.

The talk with Hero Mop was lousy. How can he sound so indignant! Ok, I agree with bits and pieces of his first 2 points, but I disagree with a lot of what he said too. I guess I shall prepare later an agenda so that I can sound things out with him during my PC interview soon.

Thursday was a pretty lousy day, more arrows from Hero Mop (he actually wanted me to talk to OC on his behalf, screwed up), and our platoon was shot more arrows from the various commanders. We spring cleaned the whole place up and it does seem to me to be like new. All these efforts for just CO inspection. How wayang!

Booked out on Thursday to go Archives on Friday. I was pissed off that Mop told me to do stuff which he never gave me, as well as asked me to get stuff, which I should not, be doing. At the end of the day, even OC could not help much and I was spending my time there trying to pacify the Archives personnel as well as doing PR work for MINDEF. And why? Because of the fact that there exists a lot of screwed up people in the world who thinks that you can always assign people tasks at the last minute and expect them to express service for you. These are what I call as irresponsible, hopeless and selfish people who only care about themselves.

And talking about this, what is the role of a NSF? To learn to protect the nation? To serve the nation? To waste 2 years of our lives? Or as national slaves (i.e. free labour for the nation)? I strongly believe in the first. That is why I am extremely unhappy about how my PCs have tapped into our commercial abilities and failed to give us any rewards and instead they are the ones who leaves a good impression with their superiors. Do they understand the meaning of "zuo ren"? Up till today, what the current CDF spoke to my college that day about the meaning o" "zuo ren" still leaves a deep impression within me. Oh well, I just hope that RJ will be a better commander than them in future.

Next week is lousy. IMT on Tuesday at Nee Soon, as well as guard duty on Wednesday. Horrible right? Next next week is equally bad with range on Tuesday and Wednesday. The only good thing that can ever happen over the next 2 weeks is that I achieve Marksman, course that means addition to offs cum bonus $200. But I will be more than satisfied if I were to just pass. Hopefully I can clear without much problems.

A GooD WeekEnD!

The weekend is now over and looking back, it was totally fantastic. I think I should continue from where I last ended my previous post.

Ok, I rushed from home to Bedok MRT. I thought I will be early, but E and D were already there when I reached. So went to take Bus Number 2 to Changi Village. Turns out that E had to take cab over cause he went to the wrong bus stop... Anyway, it was a long wait for the bus, and an even longer journey for the bus to get there. We finally reached there at around 1230, and since we were all starving, we crossed over to the food centre to eat.

We all ate the Nasi Lemak there. It was totally fantastic, and worth the time we took to queue for it (20 mins to be precise). The chicken wing was crispy and the meat tender, the otah was good, the chilli was brilliant, and everything else fits in perfectly. Only problem was that the rice was a bit too little. Well, it's definitely worth the $3.50 that we paid.....

Anyway, we went to take the bumboat ride over to Ubin. Wah, it is all now centralise under the Changi Village Ferry Terminal, which is so much better than the past. Its like now all shelter with a waiting area as well as police officers on duty and there were even rides to Johore. That's something I never knew! Well, the good thing is that the ride is still as cheap as last time, a healthy $2.

Pulau Ubin still looks the same as the last time I was there (a good 3 years back), and the management office is still there. We walked around the village, went to the quarry, hike a min 2km and snap photos here and there. Oh yea, we also paid our respects to the Dua Pek Gong Temple there. Hopefully all our luck has improved by now.

We stayed until around 230, then we went back to mainland. After that, it was a mad rush home for all of us for the night's main event.

Yup, I reached AMK MRT station at 5, and boy, it was so normal to realise that over half of us were late. By the time the guy who was supposed to bring us there reached, it was already 545. Haiz....my friends ar......Anyway, we went to NTUC to buy Yomeishu for aunty (she's treating us to dinner and some more still need to give us ang baos, so better give her a present or else not nice la....), before we finally made our way to E's house.

Boy, was his house crowded man! Ok, lucky it was big (2 3-rm flats joint), so it was able to accomodate close to 20 of us comfortably. Well, we sat around, chit chat, met all the future in-laws (haha), before we finally settled to dinner. It was totally sumptous, with abalone and clams and big prawns and Foochow fishball, chicken, satay, etc.... Great and marvelous!! But there were so many of us that we had to split into 2 shifts to eat.

After that played Mahjong...Seems to me that my luck still hasn't improved, because I lost the most (and I even zha Hu...sux!!), or maybe because all the others older than me, that's why their luck outshone mine...Oh well, but I din't lose much, only around$13, so still ok la....can still survive, at most 1 week no canteen food lor... Anyway I hate to play mahjong with people talking to me by the side, quite irritating and distracting...hmmm.......maybe that's why I lost la! People should keep quiet man! And I just realised the different between beginners and experts.....beginners just aim to win as many times as possible, while experts aim to win as big as possible. Guess that affected my rhythem so maybe that's why I lost.. But it's ok, just treat it as gift to charity...Haha~

Anyway I got home at around 4 (took cab), then slept till Sunday morning 9 plus, then had to go to Bright Hill temple to pay respects to my grandma. After that went to Chinatown to meet the Geppers (irritating man, that stupid Lips who don't know what exactly is People's Park Complex and his lame assumption that the whole world know the Yong Tau Foo at Chinatown). Well, we sang KTV at Kster and its quite cheap, I must admit...But the sound system sucks to the core. I thought it sounded weird and its kind of difficult to hear yourself at times. So I think I shall continue to stick to Partyworld and Kbox in future...Seriously speaking, I thought they wanted to go to Tea Lovers House, which was just further down the road, but too bad....Lips and his planning...

Anyway that's the great weekend I had this week. Going to start learning driving next saturday morning. Hopefully I will be safe and sound through out my whole future driving life, and that all those accidents will not befall me! Wish me luck!

What a Week....

I think that too many things had happened over the past week that has made me feel as if I'm living in dreamland. Let me start with a simple day by day recount of each day's happenings.

On Monday, life was generally peaceful, until around noon that time when my acting CSM announced nights off. We were all like totally shocked, I mean Monday nights off? At first, some of us thought that it might mean that our Tuesday nights off will be cancelled, but thankfully it wasn't. In fact, my CSM just wanted us to have a good time as its Valentine's Day. Amazing right! This is like welfare at its maximum!

Well, went out with my platoon mates to Jurong Point to watch "I Do, I Do". JP was crowded like mad...and one of us even commented that for every 20 people who walks past, 8 are couples and they happen to hold flowers. Hai...it is indeed disappointing that my Valentine's Day was spent with a group of guys....Anyway, the movie was quite good, really funny I must say. I do suggest that people who has nothing to do and with time on their hand to go watch the show, its worth the $6.50 I paid (only bad part about the show was that we were sitting in row 2, which was a bit tiring for the neck).

Oh yea, CX called me that day too. Turned out that he was at West Mall (which is very rare considering that he lives in Pasir Ris). Haha, I was at JP la but although both places are so near, they are still very far from each other.... Oh yes, I must thank my PS for giving us angbao too. Haha.

Ok, Tuesday nothing much happened except GX birthday. My PC bought a cake to celebrate his birthday, mine and P. Well, ok la, the cake was indeed quite nice (it's from Breadtalk). But then, that night Simon and I went out to Bengawan Solo to buy a cake for GX as well, and we compared ours with what PC bought and we realised how cheapo he was. But never mind la, it's the thought that matters.... Well, havoc that night! After having a mini birthday feast for GX, all hell broke loose later when E, J, S, XJ all gangbanged on GX (or maybe it was because GX partly started it too). Wah, there was cream, toothpaste and shaving cream all flying about...real scary man. Oh, and D and WJ got attached out too for1 whole week, with stay out privileges. Don't know whether they are lucky or not (amazingly, after suffering from mosquitoes on Sunday and Monday nights, they bites magically disappeared for the rest of the week for us...), but I heard it has been quite tough for them over there, with a lot of moving and setting up work. Some more don't think PC will give them off....

Oh, then Wednesday morning we went to office, while opening it, JMJ caused the alloy lock key to break! Amazing right!!!! That key is like super thick and tough (I think you need more than a hammer to break it), and yet the moment he put it into the lock and turned, the key broke. Wow!! In the end my whole platoon got screwed by OPS WO, thanks to the fact that both my PCs never appear to defend us. Sucks man. Anyway somehow or other they got the broken bit out, then my PS went to repair the key (don't ask me how). By lunch time, office was opened again so work carried on.

Let me see, Thursday nothing much happened in the day. But at night, at around 11 pm (when I had slept already and was drifting into dreamland), there was suddenly a whole company fall in. Apparently the lousy and inefficient medics at JMC lost 200 sleeping pills hence they need to check our barracks! Cock man!! I mean it is not as if signallers can anyhow go to the MC and enter and take things easily. Oh well, that day DO also very poor thing, got this kind of SK.

Then Friday was cool too.....After Mok shot so many arrows at all of us (yes, NE, NDP, SK, whatever you called it), we went back to standby. Standby was like delayed and stuff so in the end we were all about getting ready to sleep when PS popped in. Wah, lucky all of us were super quick to look like we are ready. Haha. Anyway after we booked up, we took the Private bus to JP. Along the way, there was this rubbish truck that went by, and there was something on it that was not placed properly, so it cracked all the window panels on the right side of the bus. I was lucky that none of the glass shards hit me (I was sitting beside the window!!!), for the people who were sitting 2 rows behind me all got hit. In the end, took bus 243 to JP, and reached there at around 620. So the journey from my camp to there took like 40 mins. That is incredibly long.

Anyway I'm going to Ubin later with D and E later. Haha, heard that for them if they go on a cruise it will improve their luck for the year. So I flipped through my fengshui book (which mentioned the above bit), and I discovered that I should also go overseas, preferably by sea to improve my luck. Haha, since I cannot go overseas, I just can go by sea then...Hehe.... Hopefully my luck will improve after the trip and can deflect all future arrows and gain more offs. =) Oh yea, and may all bad luck be gone....

Fast Week......

Well well, the whole week just flew past just like that!!! I do find it amazing that time sometimes just fly past at such a fast rate that I have absolutely not much time to enjoy it!!! Oh well, tomorrow need to book in.....that is like the only demoralising point this whole week.

Let me see, this whole week was pretty good. Chinese New Year as usual was a pretty normal affair for my family. On the first day we stayed at home, then went out for dinner and then crossing over to River Hongbao for a short while. Well, we feel that there was really nothing nice to view at River Hongbao, but for the short time that we were there, we caught the fireworks!!!
It was really beautiful, as the entire night sky became alive with all the various patterns and designs of the lovely fireworks!!!

On the 2nd day, we went to Siong Lim temple in the morning. It was my first time there, so I was pretty impressed with the brillant architecture as well as the large collection of relics they had. My family and I went there to pray for the new year, and we used the opportunity to take a good look around the temple since it was something like our first time there. We really saw a lot of beautiful sculptures and structures that were truly marvellous!!

Later on, we went to my aunty's house to pay a visit. Saw quite a few of my cousins as well as my nieces, and had a short chat there. I guess it is good that every year, me and my relatives will meet up and share with each other what happened over the past year. I mean it is a good way for each of us to know more about each others' lives.

Yesterday, I went to town with Ed and WL to watch Seoul Raiders. I walked around in town for quite some time while waiting for the 2 of them to arrive. The movie was not bad, just funny and full of action, a very typical new year flick. Personally, I thought that Tokyo Raiders is actually a better show, but Seoul Raiders is not that bad after all.....

After the movie, we went to Parkway to meet up with Shawn, Norman and the rest of the gals..... Well, we have a reunion dinner together at the Little Red House in East Coast (the Seafood Centre place). I thought the dinner was pretty good, cause we did order quite a sumptous bit. Let me see, we lao yu sheng, had prawns, had chicken, had kangkong with chilli as well as a squid (I don't exactly know how to describe it, but it was nice...) Haha, Ed also ordered his special dish of Sheng Mian.....

We talked quite a lot during dinner (well, our last meetup was Christmas!), and we hanged around East Coast Park for a short while after dinner. After that we splitted ways and most of the girls went home.

The guys, we went over to Parkway to wait for WL. Well, we walked around the complex until they closed... (hmmm come to think of it, it has been a long time since I last went to Parkway, unlike the past....) I've even met Simon there too! Haha, after WL came, we went to MOS, drank milk tea, chit chat and finally we all went back home.

Today I went house-visiting with CS. Haha, yup, I haven't seen him in ages, but he hasn't changed much. Went to Qy's house, then Hk's house, before finally bringing them to my house. Well, he sat around for a short while because after that, he needed to go to another person's place (well, the good thing is that the person's house is near mine....) Anyway, I have a good time today meeting up with all my ex JC classmates. I mean it has indeed been a long time since we last met up!

Ok, hoping that the upcoming week will be equally fabulous. Enjoy!

HappY ChiNeSe NeW Year!!!!!!!!!

Ok, let me wish all my blog viewers/readers and friends: "HappY ChInEsE New year!!! All the Ang Baos Come Rushing In!!!"

Haha, a really happy and prosperous Rooster Year to all!!! Hope you all stayed up late last night to help shou3 shou4 for your parents. And I also will like to thank all my friends who SMS me Chinese New Year greetings the past few days, just to let you all know, my phone cannot view Chinese Characters so I can't read all your chinese SMSes...But don't worry, I will think of how to get a new phone by next year!!!!

Oh, I must say this year has indeed been quite good so far. A really happy and joyous reunion dinner with my family yesterday, and this morning has also been thus good so far. Later we are going out for dinner, as well as going to the River Hongbao to take a look at this year's celebrations and decorations!!!

I must say I'm looking forward to tomorrow...since tomorrow will be the day that I visit my relatives and get most of my ang baos.... I hope all of ya have got a lot of ang baos by now!!! I mean the feeling is so good to get ang baos!!!!!!!

Maybe tomorrow morning go and pray....well, will see how my parents plan......

Looking forward to Friday as well, since I'm going to meet yan, edwin they all.....Well, it's been a few months since we all last met....so Friday will be a really nice gathering.....Hmmm, talking about which, maybe I should organise my own JC class outing soon.......Really haven't seen them in ages!!!

Ok, I got to go now... A HappY LunAr New YeaR once again!!!!

I'm LosT....

I'm really lost with life right now. Let me see, I am now in the army for around 1 year and 1 month, and come march 12th and I will have 1 more year before I ORD. I hope I don't sound confused, but things now are pretty complicated, I must say.

THe problem is that all those in camp with me right now (excluding the new specs) are all ORDing this year. So it can be kind of challenging to hear them talk about how they will be gone in July or August or September. So let me see, I need to go through 3 more exercises, plus NDP, and hopefully by january, I get to clear all my off and leave (that's also assuming MOK makes sure he rewards us with OFFS that we deserved!!!). Ok, I think for me to go through those exercises, I will be missing all my good friends such as wenjie, elvin, david, hock kay they all. Think got one such exercise they will not be around with me, but I don't mind.

Anyway MOK is weird......He always has a lot of last minute instructions that he will always shoot at the real last minute!!! Why can't he tell us right from the start??? Real irritating when he sound as if its our fault, but no its all his fault. Who ASK him not to tell US? ANd he always say some crap thing but he will always not do one. HAIZ>....
HOPELESSS MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway the past few weeks has been a big blur to me........Even I am not sure.........Yes, finally the new year is here.........hopefully next year will also be this SONG! Anyway, Cambridge still haven't replied me......so that is making me irritated too.......

Oh well, I bought quite a lot of clothes the past weeks, think I won't buy anymore bottoms for the rest of the year. Let me see, next week monday spend in camp, tuesday at home, wednesday with my family, thursday go and visit relatives, friday go out with friends, sat and sun I don't know.......

OH well.......guess my holidays are so so................I just hope this month will pass by quickly (come to think of it, the faster feb passed, then the faster march comes, the faster I prepare for ORD, then the faster wj they all ORD, and I also ORD tooo.....That will be great!!!)

Ok, Guess I need to cut my hair tomorrow........