E @ EMCF

Chronicle 48 - Another End To Another Start

2012-02-02T05:42:00.000-08:00

Missed the January post again! It's been 1 month since I've left National Service and have nothing on my hands currently except for my final Diploma module assignment. I seriously lack discipline. It's already my last module and I can't seem to gather the necessary "last burst" of mental strength to do it, and I'm still contemplating whether or not to take up the Degree program.

Studying aside, it seems I still can't hold on to my personal resolution to run everyday. Currently, I'm maintaining 50 push-ups and sit-ups a day so at least it's better than nothing. Recently Joel, Jerry and me went for a cycling outing. It was pretty rigorous aside from the rain in between that compelled us to take a break. However, recently I have been sleeping and waking up at odd hours. I think adjusting back my biological clock for regular working lifestyle is going to be tough. I'm thinking about doing a part-time degree course and to teach private tuition at the same time to finance it, just not sure if it is a good idea but then again, I'm desperate for some income.

Just had a barbeque session with my previous National Service guys. Glad to see those that have ORDed are doing well and those still serving are umm... surviving? Currently, I'm following 2 Korean variety shows: [Let's Go Dream Team Season 2] and [Running Man]. Very entertaining to say the least.

Chronicle 47 - Letting Go

2012-01-01T05:30:00.000-08:00

Looks like I missed the December post. What a bad habit. I really need to re-look into my ideas about punctuality. Especially since I'm freed from National Service, it seems a major re-shufflement of my life is in order. I have in mind a certain lifestyle that I would like to adopt. However, willpower is severely lacking.

Anyway, finally leaving Nation Service after my extension actually felt very good. To think letting go was so easy. It was a very relieving thing for me to do. I wonder if I would have thought the same had I just decided to let go of everything in August. Anyway, I think the operations are in relatively good hands. A fire can never burn eternally on a piece of wood. Everything comes to an end and there are certain things in life that you just can't see through. Cliche as it may be, "Time flies and waits for no men". Soon, the time will come when I have to enter the workforce. In which direction would my life take a turn towards now? They say a man without direction and ambition is akin to a zombie. Still I believe that I am someone who is ambitious when the time comes.

For the new year, I've gotten myself a new phone: HTC Sensation XL. About time too, considering the 2 years I had to endure using that "antique". Can't wait to fiddle around with it. During these short 2 months in "limbo" till I get my Diploma, I wonder if I should take a rest or try to earn some upkeep. Talking about new, it seems the pictures accompanying my blog entries should get a new theme as well.

Chronicle 46 - The (Tiring) Last Stretch

2011-12-01T06:26:00.000-08:00

Using the roman numerals sure is fun initially, but is a real pain to keep up when the numbers get bigger. Guess there's a reason why the Arabic numerals are more popular instead. Looking at the numbers, I realized that it has been 46 months since I started this blog which would mean 3 years 10 months. What a achievement!

My wish that the Audit would be the last to demand my huge attention sure is short-lived. The contractors for the runway repair numbers about 200. Catering security passes for them is no easy feat. Adding on, the preparations for Singapore Air Show 2012 has snuck up on me. I'm gonna need a break after December. The massage coupons should come in handy soon.

I went for the Sundown Festival along with my sisters and Joel last week. My younger sister actually fainted during the event. Guess she can't really handle crowds and yet now she's off with my mother in Hong Kong. For some reason, all lucky draw / preview tickets and what not all seem to favour Joel in some way. If winning the Sundown Festival tickets wasn't enough, he also won 2 preview movie tickets for [开心魔法]. Eating a buffet with Joel is always entertaining. The sequence would be him boasting about his appetite, ordering lots of food, struggling to finish his food and ending with his trademark "我要吐了!"

My man broke my spectacles with his elbow early this week during physical training. I know it wasn't intentional, but still can't help getting a bit worked up. Been down with a flu since Sunday, and Panadol doesn't seem to help. Haven't been this sick in a long time.

Just an hour prior to writing this blog entry, I lost my house keys. I was walking home from class when I realized the keys missing and a hole in my pocket. Argh, FML!

The only thing that isn't so negative would be that I just got my pink I/C. Although it's close to 4 months late.

Chronicle XXXXV - October

2011-11-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

The audit is finally over. Hopefully, that would be the last high-key event I'll have to face. Peace should start having some backbone and not let itself be pushed around. Nothing much came from the audit except some "old debts" which I have no control over. Forget CO's direction, here comes Adwin's direction: "Forget the past and let's move on and make a better future."

I went for a movie [那些年我们一起追的女孩] with Joel and Wing Kin. Quite a wonderfully made movie in my opinion. Makes people reminisce in all the times when wonderful things were within our grasp but for some reason, never followed through.

However, life goes on. We have all moved on in life. Wing Kin is studying in University and Joel is working. Back to my point, "Forget the past and let's move on and make a better future."

Chronicle XXXXIV - Disillusioned

2011-10-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Things are not what it should be! Even worse is the fact that I can't seem to do anything about it. As if the heavens themselves are giving me a sign telling me to give up, things crop up again and again to hinder my work. I'm not about to change my direction just because of a few ignorant remarks from some big shots. It seems they can't understand that I'm doing the equivalent of charity work and that they are chipping away at my determination bit by bit. ARGH!!!

The freaking audit is in less than a week. Struggling to find a balance between operations and a humane side of myself, I find myself drifting away from both commanders and men alike. The "curling up effect" in response to constant pressure is constricting me.

Now that the usual steam has been released, let's move on to some lighter stuff. For Joel's birthday, we went for the movie "Johnny English Reborn". Hilarious scenes mixed with some cool graphical imagery makes the show rather enjoyable. However, as with most comedies, the plot could seriously explore some depth. The status of Joel's birthday present is still on hiatus. My peak period is right now as I have to prepare for the audit and contend with many assignments deadlines that seems to have allied themselves.

A man of mine, Ng Beng Sheng is due to be released from the current shit hole. Wish him all the best in his future endeavours and may him never look back.

Chronicle XXXXIII - Riding on a star

2011-08-31T08:13:00.000-07:00

I was crazy, but it seems I'm sane now as I'm regretting extending already. My own plans are destroyed one after another and other plans are forced unto me all at once. I didn't extend for this. I extended because I wanted to see the things which I so painstakingly created through. Life is so unfair. A walk-through by a "One Star" with his "not very bright comments" has many others breathing down my neck. Give me a break! Unless you can help me, don't disturb my work.

Adding on to my troubles are the never ending assignments that keep coming at me. I've been managing to scrape through the assignments while juggling both camp and studies but it is taking its toll both mentally and physically.

Recently, I've been tasked to train up a group of 6 new troopers for their induction programme. Quite a well-behaved lot which is rather rare considering the number of "spoilt brats" around today. Still, welfare must be balanced with discipline.

That freaking Joel kept dropping hints about his birthday preset. Maybe we should really delay getting his present to teach him a lesson! Haha... That's a thought!

I'll be going for the Army Half Marathon this Sunday. I've never ran more than 10km in my life(almost died by the way). Hopefully, my legs and mind can still retain their usual functions after the run.

Chronicle XXXXII - Extension

2011-07-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

The verdict: "I am crazy!" I actually extended my ORD date. Instead of embracing freedom and my long separated pink IC, I held on to a life of suffering and an ugly green 11B. Everyone is telling me it's wrong and telling me to "wake up". I myself know it is one of the most idiotic decision I've ever contemplated. Until now, I'm still wondering why I did it - the extension of service.

There was a base recall exercise in the beginning of the month. We were so close to achieving a 100% recall rate. It seems there was only one guy who reported back late. And the thing is, he was watching Transformers at Vivo. Wow, talk about being brave. Respect!

I was supposed to attend a refresher course over at MP Command with my batch course mates. However, for some reason, my name was not reflected and I was "excused". During that period, I took a break that was long due and went for the movie "Transformers" with a friend. It seems"Transformers" was the movie that made the guy late for the base recall.

One of my men recently signed over a package meant for another squadron. Long story short, that package went missing. I had to go all the way to Jurong to liaise with the supplier and purchase a new one. Life sucks! It's not even my fault!

I've also weathered through another base security exercise. Of course, all base security exercises are never pleasant. What with the extra duties, extra procedures ad extra supervision, I would rather not go through it. Still, this year's exercise wasn't as bad as previous year's though as it was relatively short and the management were preoccupied with other stuff.

The SAF Day Dinner that was held in Istana went through without any mishap. Thankfully though, as I worked damn hard being the scenes. The security passes for entry into Istana were all done up by me. Consolidating the names, searching/begging/asking for the photographs and the printing is hard work by the way. Up till the weekend leading to the event, I was recalled to finish them.

Politics is a touchy issue, and I'm not even talking about state politics. Rather it's the politics that happen within the men under me. Workload, working hours, number of duties and everything under the sun can become blown-up issues for comparisons. Needless to say, unhappiness among them will affect morale and morale affects work productivity. It came to a point where I had to gather them all and "counsel" them. I've forced to to a "mutual" agreement and laid down by house rules. I mean, how should things ever be fair? These guys seriously need to know the meaning of teamwork.

I've watched quite a number of movies this month, including Harry Potter and Wuxia. And yet, that doesn't mean I'm rather free. I've been pretty busy and this month can be said to be my most productive yet. In addition to all the work in camp I've mentioned, I've also rushed 4 academic assignments. As always, I NEED A BREAK!

Chronicle XXXXI - Preparation For A "Won't Be Better" Day

2011-06-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

Things sure haven't been smooth recently. Be it in camp, studies or personal life, life sure is tough. Too many things are coming or have come my way and I can't seem to be able to juggle them well enough. My marketing communications paper should have been offered to the slaughterhouse. I sure hope I don't fail that paper. Sub-papers are not very pleasant. While in camp, I having my hands full with internal politics within my men, preparation for both a mobilization exercise as well as a base exercise. I really want a break soon.

IPPT Gold is still giving me the cold shoulder. I just can't seem to break that invisible barrier and worse, I don't have much time left. Ah well, anyway it seems that it's pretty certain I'll be extending my period of service at least still the end of the year. Referring to the previous post, I'm already crazy.

Wing Kin's birthday was celebrated rather late due to certain conflicts in schedule. His presents were finally delivered and we had a buffet at Japanese restaurant yesterday. Ever the joker, Joel was unable to finish what he took. Foolish pride always pays.

Chronicle XXXX - Rising Above Expectations

2011-06-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

Thankfully Joel reminded me about this late post. It seems I'll be needing plenty of reminders in the future as well. Too much things on my mind recently. The General Elections this year was very much talked about by Singaporeans on the social media. Whilst it may be a good sign that youths are getting more interested in and exposed to politics, some of the comments and discussion were rather misleading and fueled by negative feelings one after another. It didn't help that first time voters being the youths are rather impressionable. It is true that our government does have its shortcomings(quite a lot actually), however the one dimensional thinking has clouded much of our judgement. Why, it almost seems cool to be pro-opposition this time round. The MP in charge of my Macpherson Ward sure has it hard with her taking the bulk of negative comments directed at the government. Looks like she'll have to work much harder for these few years to rebuild her image.

Ah well, let's move on to some personal good news. I passed my driving practical test, and it was on the 1st try too. My parents and even my driving instructor were so pessimistic about me being able to pass. On the test date itself, my instructor actually made a bet with his friends that I would fail! The glad but yet not so glad expression he showed when I passed was priceless. Anyway his teaching style was good, so I still owe it to him. Not forgetting the tester was rather kind too.

A new guy has just been released from detention and is now under me. He seems to be a rather nice guy thus far and has not given me any problems. It seems I have another potential candidate to push for a 1st IPPT pass in my office. As for myself, I'm still struggling to retain my IPPT Gold. There's not much time left.

I am going to ORD very soon. I feel relieved, glad, excited, sad as well as the unwillingness to leave my hard work behind. I can't believe I'm actually considering extending my ORD date. I must be crazy!

Chronicle XXXIX - Birthday Month

2011-05-01T08:12:00.000-07:00

How could I miss my birthday month's post? Gonna have to reflect about this. Anyway speaking about my birthday, my OC decided to bring me out for dinner. We went to "天天火锅" for dinner and my officers somehow managed to get me to a pub for the 1st time. And of course, for the same time, I played dice with a hostess and again for the 1st time drank quite a lot of alcohol. The world was spinning in my eyes and I had to muster every ounce of my concentration to walk straight. Thankfully, I managed to get home in 1 piece. When I reached my room though, it seemed as if a magnetic bed was pulling me towards it. And I ended up being attracted to it till the next afternoon. Wing Kin and Joel continued their generous streak from last year and gave me a "Mizuno" bag and an i-pod touch for my birthday presents.

After the audit, I thought my life would change for the better. It seemed as though that recognition for my work is a compelling factor for me to continue to perform. The "Letter Of Commendation", "Outstanding Serviceman Of The Month" and currently the nomination for "RSAF Best Airman" are all adding pressure on me instead of encouragement. Initiative would be absorbed into "routine" and slowly a "given".

My driving test is on the 18th May and still my instructor is rater disapproving my driving skills. The recent lessons always has him losing his temper for some mistakes I made. For some reason tough, I feel confident in myself.

My part-time diploma is going rather well though. I've just completed my 1 assignment for my main module and 2 assignments for my bridging modules. It seems a bit tiring though to have to rush for lessons.

And now, with all the hype on the General Elections, it seems someone uninterested in politics like me still has to comment somewhat as I have to right (burden) to vote this year. Only recently started to read up on the contestants' profile for my GRC. To me, it's sincerity vs being well-established. Hard choice considering I'll have to bear the consequences for 5 years. I wonder if we'll see any changes for this election. Can't wait for polling day to know the results (and get it over with).

Chronicle XXXIII - 2 Months Of Hard Work, 2 Days Of Reckoning

2011-03-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

It's finally over! The audit that made me work harder than an ant and bee combined has finally drawn to a close. The assessment although not perfect was a marked improvement compared to last year. One of the auditors and my OC seemed to be on rather bad terms. Old feuds die hard, it seems. Anyway, I sure hope I'll be able to loosen up a bit now. I even had to freaking forgo my course orientation and induction seminar just to prepare for the audit.

Everyone seemed to be rather busy with all the preparation for the audit with the exception of a few. Late nights and early mornings seemed to be the norm for the past 2 weeks. It didn't particularly help that some people tried to find fault with my area of jurisdiction during my busiest period. Politics among the management can really kill the people on the ground. Of course, many thanks to the people who were cooperative and helped me out along the way. With the audit out of the way, there's nothing holding me back from concentrating on other stuff.

The review of the entire audit was not a peaceful one though. A defensive side met with an assertive side. Like the saying goes "You could cut the tension with a knife".

Joel, Wing Kin and I went for dinner at Jack's Place with $130 worth of vouchers in hand. Alas! The total bill exceeded our budget by over $50. Looks like we have to review our spending practices.

I went for the movie "World Invasion" with Joel, Wing Kin and Wayne just last weekend. The movie was somewhat refreshing compared to the other alien invasion stories. The scope and aim of the entire movie was very well captured. However, that Joel just can't seem to appreciate certain movies and fell asleep (again).

心若有多宽，路就有多远。

Chronicle XXXII - Over Worked, Under Paid

2011-03-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

Argh... Looks like I missed yet another post. February just passed by me. Wonder what's gotten into me recently. Guess I've been overworked. The month of February sure is a busy month for me. The higher-ups will stop at nothing to ensure I deliver good results for the coming Audit. The office hours status hasn't exactly helped either. Many will take advantage and dump more s*** on me. I can't even remember how many times I have to stay late or even stay in.

I've been nominated the "Outstanding Serviceman Of The Month" for February. I could really care less about that title except for the offs that come with it. It seems that a number of people aren't really happy about the award though. Once again, I could care less about their petty politics.

At the start of the month, the base held a few Chinese New Year celebrations. It seems I'm becoming a regular in making a fool of myself on stage. My name seems to be rather convenient to pull out nowadays. I managed to win $250 worth of Jack's Place vouchers and a bread toaster for my efforts though. The former of which was spent on my sister's birthday dinner.

As expected, my hong bao harvest is pathetic to say the least. Forget having small portions, we didn't even get to meet our relatives. I wonder if my relationship with my siblings would be any better in the future.

I've enrolled myself in a private diploma with Kaplan Higher Education. I'll be studying Communications Management and the term will start on April. Hopefully no more s*** will hit my fence after the audit.

Chronicle XXXI - Office Hours

2011-02-02T20:01:00.000-08:00

I missed the January post! Forgetful me. Ah well, it's Chinese New Year! Let's hope I'll have a bountiful HongBao harvest this year. That wish seems kinda far-fetched considering the strained relations we have with our relatives. The festive spirit is dying down year by year and it's not just for Chinese New Year either. Perhaps it's time the government lifts the ban on firecrackers.

First things first, I'm out of the shift and is now working office hours! Rejoice! However, there is a catch though. I'm to correct all the findings from the internal audit before the next audit which is near the end of March. No complaints from me though, I've realized I'm doing that whenever and wherever. Right about now, the base should be implementing heightened security measures. Let's just work with what I have currently. I'm thinking of doing my part-time diploma since it's office hours. Not sure if I'll ever get down to it.

Thus far, I've taken about 6 driving lessons. I'm finally getting the hang of it after much scoldings(literally) from the instructor. Not that I'm getting ahead of myself but I feel like I wanna take the test now. Practical lessons aside, I'll be having my Final Theory Test soon as well. Guess I'll have to focus on that 1st.

Chronicle XXX - Wrapping Up 2010

2010-12-30T04:29:00.000-08:00

"Singapore our homeland, it's here that we we belong!" After the Korea trip, I can kinda identify with song much more. Korea's food, culture and climate sure is a refreshing change and getaway, but for some reason, you're always glad to be back home(strictly excluding National Service). Some of our souvenir conquests include 2 cartons of instant noodles and a box of seaweed and Kimchi each.

Christmas! Unfortunately, I had to spend Christmas in camp. And I'll be counting down to the New Year in camp too. Some luck I have. To make matters worse, the festive season calls for extra heightened security measures to be implemented. Fortunately, there was a new batch of manpower posted in recently to help out. Recently, I'm becoming more and more disillusioned and disheartened regarding my job scope. I can't seem to pour out the dedication anymore. Recently, I've also been made the Assistant Platoon Sergeant.

National Service aside, I went for a movie [Skyline] with Joel and Wing Kin at the start of the month. To think that they would pull off a "Godzilla" cliffhanger. It made me rather disappointed. That would be the last movie we 3 would watch together for a period of time. Currently, Wing Kin is on a "Home Run" to Hong Kong and China. It seems he won't be back anytime soon until his University term starts. Joel recently went for a Batam trip I originally planned for but couldn't make it as my leave was not approved.

I went to apply for my Final Theory Test again as I missed it during November. I also had my Provisional Driving License applied today. A friend of mine introduced his instructor to me. 'm gonna be taking practical lessons next week.

Chronicle XXIX - The Great Escape

2010-11-25T20:39:00.000-08:00

Our base seems to have no lack of visitors recently. All the big shots' visitation has caused us numerable inconveniences. The preparation required always has us forfeiting our rest and extending our duty timing to handle it.

I took my IPPT just a few days ago. To think Gold would elude me at the 2.4km run again! I just can't accept it. I ran very hard and came in 1st. However, it still wasn't enough to reach the required time. At least one of my man passed the IPPT though. Considering his stay in the squadron, that is quite a achievement. Standby Training was rather fun though. To relieve the experience of fire movement, proning for cover and tactical movement, gave me the consolation that I'm not rotting away at National Service.

The day has come for me to be finally free of duties. I'm going over to Korea to experience winter and to relax and calm my nerves before I go crazy. Despite the uneasy tensions between North and South Korea, it still beats being in my squadron hands down. Onward to my great escape!

Chronicle XXVIII - Fresh Blood

2010-10-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

Heightened security measures always sound better and safer to the public. However, to the personnel doing the guard duties, it means more duties and lesser rest. I'm glad we managed to pull through the exercise. I personally slept 4 hours for a period of 3 days.

One fine day, I saw 2 tonners coming into our base. Upon looking closely, I realized they were filled to the brim with MPs. MP Raid! I ended up as their escort as they proceeded to raid the respective units. Being a MP in my camp and being a MP under MP command sure is different. We look like mice compared to them.

After a long wait, the new batch of men and commanders have finally been posted in to the shifts. Kinda tempted to throw everything at them and take a few steps down just as my seniors had done. It's hard to go against my own conscience though. I didn't know I had that much sense of responsibility, ha! Now, I just keep looking forward to my overseas leave to Korea to keep me going. With things as they are now in my shift, without something to look forward to, I would have gone crazy a long time ago.

Yesterday, Joel and I went for the movie [The Incite Mill]. I can't really understand why Joel seemed to be all praise for that movie. It's just above average in my opinion. The plot of giant corporations gathering people for some hidden agenda is rather common.

Chronicle XXVII - Recovered Hearing

2010-09-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

For almost an entire year, my right ear just can seem to match my left. It always seemed as if something was forcefully plugged into my ear canal. Early this month, I decided to go for an ear-syringing treatment. Fortunately, it worked perfectly and now my ears are working perfectly.

Something unpleasant happened recently in my squadron. I'm being suspected for something I reported. So much for being a good soldier. I was unfairly confined for more than a week without prior notice. The investigations conducted was also a great waste of time.

MP Command sent 2 Warrant Officers to my camp for a dialogue. For that session, I let my pent-up frustration and grievances since I was posted here loose. While they were sympathetic, they were unable to help directly.

I finally got Joel's presents off my hands. We went to watch the movie [精武风云]. A great movie for it's fight scenes albeit being rather disappointed with the abrupt ending. His presents were presented to him on his way home.

My father and uncle have decided to sell off the family business due to declining business. This issue has been the cause of the tension and unhappiness between my relatives. Monetary issues sure can dilute the "blood that runs thicker than water". While it is a disheartening sight, at least the problems should come to a close once it is sold off if they can settle the division of the proceeds from the sale amicably. My family has decided to go to Korea to take a break from school, work and national service. The only problem is if my overseas leave will be approved.

Chronicle XXVI - From Bad To Worse

2010-08-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

This month sure is lively with the National Day and Youth Olympic Games. And that also means heightened security measures for our base. Furthermore, the new CO has implemented or is implementing some extra duties that we have to cover. My fellow spec and I made a mistake and we were given extra duties as well. Some of my men are starting to "retaliate" against our platoon sergeant. Cold wars, sarcasm and blatant insubordination is starting to show from the shift. This month sure is exciting.

Joel's birthday is nearing and I'm glad I finally got his presents ready. His presents are the most troublesome to think of to date. Not sure if I'll be able to celebrate his birthday as I'll be confined for an operation on his birthday week.

问军能有几多愁
恰似一江春水向东流

Chronicle XXV - Military Police Sealed

2010-07-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

I know I've been complaining about my job in my unit. However, it will have to continue since my life isn't getting any better. On the contrary, it seems to be getting worse. Our working relationship with the platoon sergeant is getting from bad to worse. Just a day back, I've already been shouted at by him. His temper is not exclusive to me though; it's directed to my fellow specs as well. The main problem I have with him is that in his bid to please or impress the management, he's doesn't care about the men under him. Extreme mental strength will be needed to last me through my stay. The manpower issue just got worse as well. One of our spec was transferred to another site without any replacement. Apparently our OC witnessed our PS flaring up at him and decided on the transfer. Our everyday food is still the packed rations that is never fresh. As a testimony to the camp's messed up duty system, I just sent another guy into Detention Barracks for leaving his place of emplacement. The sad thing is, he left his emplacement to retrieve medication from his bunk as he was not feeling well. Still, he was in the wrong though.

I injured my wrist rather badly recently. As a result, I missed a parade to which many were dubious about. I ended up helping my PS with "carpark traffic control" instead which made me regret missing the parade. Long story short, I'll much rather bear the pain and do the drills. I've sought some medical aid about my wrist but the pain still persists. Looks like it's time to have a X-Ray soon.

I went our for lunch at Pizza Hut with my MP Command friends today. Talking about the old times sure is nostalgic. Talking about our current situations however, sure makes me feel as if the world is against me.

*上梁不正下梁歪*

Chronicle XXIV - Start Of Unit Life

2010-06-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that unit life would be much better than trainee life in the previous post? I'll like to take back my statement. I don't want to elaborate much just that my job scope is no longer that of an Military Police but rather that of a Security Trooper instead. The lack of manpower sure is pushing us to our edge. On my 1st official duty, I had already escorted 2 guys to Detention Barracks for AWOL. Going back to Mowbray Camp sure was nostalgic. Seeing the guys having a better life than me was also frustrating.

Even with that, I should be able to bear it through my last year in National Service. The last straw was that the cookhouse do not welcome us and we have to eat packed rations throughout our stay.

Last Friday, we went to watch the movie [Ip Man The Beginning Of A Legend] at Kallang Leisure Park. As the movie ended close to midnight, I had to rush home to sleep as I had duty the next day. I am seriously against the shift work system now. It messes up your biological clock and social life.

Chronicle XXIII - Military Police 3rd Sergeant

2010-05-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

"POP lo!!!". Thursday 27th May marked the end of my trainee life. I'm now a commander albeit being at the bottom of the chain. Starting Monday, I'll be reporting to Changi Air Base. Unfortunately, I still do not have a clear understanding on my job scope and working hours. Still, I'm willing to bet it'll be much better than trainee life. Looking back, the rank sure didn't come easy. BMT, SISPEC, 2PDF and lastly MP Command. I'll reach the 1 year milestone in my National Service soon and the journey till now has been rather tough. Our field camp in MP was short but tiring. Moving hundreds of sandbags, ramming iron pickets and laying Constantina Wire was no joke. The blistering heat was also a killer. We thought it was all over until we had to rehearse our parade for 3 days straight. It was worth it as the parade commander came from our formation. Joel actually came to grace my parade; what a guy! My family and Joel then went for dinner.

This month happened to be Wing Kin's birthday too. Joel and I settled on a Mont Blanc Pen and a MP5 as his presents. They were duly presented to him at Kallang Leisure Park on 22nd May. We tried to no avail to break a certain high score from a arcade machine, went for a bowling session and watched the movie [Shrek Forever After].

*The best example of leadership is leadership by example.*

Chronicle XXII - Birthday Month

2010-04-24T23:46:00.000-07:00

As the days go by, I've more or less gotten accustomed to the life in MP Command or rather accustomed mentally anyway. The close combat training were rather fun though. The occasional muscle aches do bother me and recently a sharp pain in my shin is hindering my runs. At this rate, my record of never reporting sick or excusing myself from any activity since enlistment might have a blemish soon.

Prior to my birthday which would be in camp, we went for a movie [Monga] the weekend before. The movie was alright but rather predictable. A typical film about buddies getting involved with triads. Joel and Wing Kin got me a PSP and a Punching Bag respectively for my birthday. These things don't come cheap. Looks like I'll have to return the favours soon. I've exhausted every drip of brain juice I have in my possession but can't seem to come up with any good ideas.

I'll be having my train fire package soon. While I do covet the monetary award and the badge, I must be realistic given my night-blindness. I'll be going over to Detention Barracks this week to observe the management of the place. Not really looking forward to it as I've went in before for an orientation tour and the stuffiness of the place can kill. To make matters worse, our field camp comes after that. I'm sure I've expressed my hate for outfield activities before but it never gets old for me.

Chronicle XXI - Turn Of Events Yet Again

2010-03-28T05:21:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update before I go back to camp. And no, not to Clementi Camp anymore. Instead I'm currently training at Military Police Training School. I can't seem to just stick to something eh? Just 3 weeks in 2PDF and now I'm transferred again. And on a side note, the physical training over at Military Police sure is tough. Every book out will ensure medicated plasters over my muscles.

And just as well, I can't seem to move my body outside during book out anyway. Staying at home, I passed time by watching a few movies. Nothing much seems to be able to interest me recently. Kinda losing the fight with boredom.

As I have to rush to camp now, I'll just leave it off here. Not very advisable to be late over at the current camp. The regimentation sure is top-notch.

Chronicle XX - Escape From ASLC

2010-02-27T01:25:00.000-08:00

"There can be miracles when you believe..." I kept telling myself that before dragging myself to fall in to listen to our posting orders; the fate that awaits us after BSLC. Going down the list, there were people shouting for joy and jumping around as well as people who slumped with disbelief and disappointment. While waiting for my turn, I was busy assuring my bunk mate and MYSELF that it'll all work out. All that hoping was not in vain as my pal and I were posted to Military Police and 2PDF Security Trooper respectively. Talk about luck. After hugging each other and jumping for joy, we went round comforting the others who were not so fortunate and had to stay.

Then came the Chinese New Year break. Gathering intel from my relatives and friends, I heard many stories about the camp I'll be reporting to soon - Clementi Camp. Aside from the usual aunts/uncles, I made a trip down to Maybank as well. The "hong bao harvest" seems to decline year after year. As the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end." The dreaded day where I'll have to revert back to military life soon arrived. Life at my new camp wasn't as bad as I thought. In fact, in terms of rest, I seemed to have more of it in camp rather than at home. Still, I wish time would pass me by faster.

I went with C and F today for the movie "Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief" today. Nothing much to comment about, kinda predictable to say the least. And looks like I'll be staying in Clementi Camp for while. While it sure is a step down from SISPEC, there are times when boredom creeps in. Gonna have to bring in some stuff to keep myself occupied.

Chronicle XIX - With Pride We Lead SISPEC

2010-01-29T05:24:00.000-08:00

IPPT Gold; that has finally been achieved after a long struggle. Now I can proudly wear that badge on my sleeve. I have also passed my SOC test. These achievements are the only pleasant memories I have of BSLC thus far. The rest was just torture.

I still remember when we were to be trained for chemical warfare. I had to suit up to a full body-suit that makes the LBV look like a singlet. Needless to say the heat trapped within also falls under that comparison. To make matters worse, my gas mask was leaking from the right when we went into the gas chamber. Right off the bat, my right eye was already useless. The tear gas gradually diminished my vision and my ability to breathe through the nostrils. I tried breathing through my mouth but regretted it soon enough when my throat literally started to burn. Doing some light PT in that gas chamber was rapidly killing me. To end it off, they made us remove our face masks in the chamber and have us announce our name and rank before allowing us out. Never have the tears in my eyes flowed so smoothly.

The field camp and numerous outfield activities have never failed to irritate, annoy and disturb me to no end. Living in the jungle terrain can never be something I'll ever get used to. The insects bites, darkness, vegetation, mud and of course, having to wear stinky clothes and gear without bathing is constantly eating away at my sanity.

During section live firing, I almost killed a friend because I forgot to put my weapon to safe mode while moving. Many witnesses claimed that the bullet trail approached my friend from behind before veering to miss him by a hair's length. I was thankful I didn't hit him and the Encik missing that part. Glad that they excused me from the night live firing due to night-blindness. Firing grenade launchers and anti-tank weapons was rather fun though albeit the blast not being too kind on the ear drums.

I've also learnt never to allow a commando to lead a route march. The end result would be a pace that rivals us rushing to the cookhouse for meals and an absolutely devastated company.

In view of the current situation, escaping ASLC seems unlikely for Bravo Company. Still I am maintaining the tiny little bit of hope to pull me through BSLC 1st.

Chronicle XVIII - POP From BMT To BSLC In SISPEC

2009-12-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

Every step I took was killing me, every breath I took was forced. I trudged through sand, mud and concrete with rain and sun. That was the 24km route march on 09/12/2009 - the day of my POP (Passing Out Parade). To make matters worse, I was coming down with a fever, flu and severe cough. The thought of being able to have a full 10 days worth of rest after that day pressed me on. My platoon mates also did their part in motivating me. After the march and the parade, I went home and my fatigue took over but I was very much satisfied.

During the break, Wing Kin, Joel and me went to Cineleisure to catch the movie "Bodyguards And Assassins". I didn't really care much about the reformation of China but still the movie was rather interesting albeit ending in a rather tragic manner.

Oh well, and now for some bad news. I am currently posted to SISPEC. Both of my BMT buddies are posted to a driver and signaler respectively. Argh, how envious of their slack vocation. The 1st day in SISPEC started with us "knocking it down" and running around the parade square. We were forced to cut a hairstyle even shorter than BMT being told it was the "Bravo Haircut". Bravo! Let's pray I would get posted to a slack unit soon.

Chronicle XVII - Freedom Draws Nearer

2009-11-28T17:49:00.000-08:00

"Grenade!", and the grenade flew out of my hand. Grenade throwing wasn't as fun as I thought. The weather that day was blazing hot and we had to wait in combat attire. There were also a few faulty grenades or throw that resulted in a thrown grenade not exploding. The procedure was to wait for 30 minutes and sent in the bomb diffusional squad to plant a C4. Thankfully though, there were no mishaps during this event.

Field camp during the rainy season sure is unpleasant. Mud, camouflage cream and dirt became a part of "seasoning" for our meals. Not that the meal itself would be tasty anyway. The humid and hot weather during the day almost killed me when the heat rash appeared and the rain at night almost froze me to death. Digging the shell-scrap sure is a challenge. At my designated area, tree roots and rocks had to get in my way and as expected, most of us failed the shell-scrap inspection and were turned out to be punished. I'm starting to appreciate the foreign construction workers more now.

We just finished the 16km route march and as usual, I almost died from the sheer weight. The sun that day was scorching as well. Thankfully, there was an hour of lunch break before the last stretch albeit having no water to drink for that 4km.

With that most of the high key events have been done leaving only the 24km route march and the Passing Out Parade itself. Freedom(for 10 days) draws ever closer.

Chronicle XVI - Enlistment

2009-10-30T22:09:00.000-07:00

I've finally been enlisted into the army and I'm real sorry I complained about the process being too slow. Thus far, nothing has been going smooth. On the 1st day of enlistment, someone swapped my entire field pack and I only found it the following day. It's been 3 weeks since then and I still can't get myself adjusted to army life. The quality of army food actually exceeded my expectations albeit still having much room for improvement. The quantity given however was another story; I can't imagine people being full from the measly portions they give.

The physical training was tough and it was a miracle I managed to pull through this far with my rusted body. Fortunately, the sergeants attached to my platoon are not the types to make life hell for us. Of all the stuff I've went through, the route march seems to be the most physically challenging for me. Not to mention marching, the sheer weight itself was making it difficult to even breath. And so far we have only done a 6km march. Soon the 24km route march will come and I wonder if I can even survive that.

The sun in Tekong was enough to burn my forehead and scalp. I could literally peel off the skin like a potato. From the skin on the scalp, I could still see the pores from which my hair grew out from. To make matters worse, we have to be on the constant look-out for bees swarming around the area.

Our equipment is rather cool and fancy to look at but uncomfortable to wear. The way our uniform and vest traps heat and attracts heat rashes is legendary. The boots also seemed to get along very well with blisters. The one that I personally hate the most though is the helmet. It provides incredible stress to my neck muscles and the top of my temples. The interior of the helmet also absorbs sweat very well; making the helmet wet and heavy.

And there was live range(firing with real rounds) too. I actually rather enjoyed that in the daytime. In the day, I managed to hit 15 of 16 shots. The missed shot actually came from my weapon being jammed. I tried to remedy the error as fast as I could but the target had went down. During the night however, I missed about 10 shots due to night-blindness. I can't even find my way around the shooting range much less shoot the targets. I'm a soldier that can only fight in the day.

Field Camp is on this coming Monday and to be honest, I'm really dreadful. Having to put green and black cream on your face(and that includes the inner ears and lips) and neck is disgusting to say the least. Having to prone or kneel for hours in jungle terrain isn't very pleasant either. Ah well, we'll see how it goes.

Chronicle XV - Last Day At Maybank

2009-09-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

Today's my last day of work and a paradox of bitter-sweet feelings is welling up inside me. How times flies, I still remember the 1st day I stepped through the doors of Maybank. My job scope has changed a number of times since then. While I am relieved to be finally free of my duties, the feeling of being unwilling to part with my colleagues somewhat lingers. After all, a considerable amount of time has been spent with them. Not to mention the many colleagues that left before me as well as the many significant things that happened during my stay at Maybank.

The reason that put a stop to my year long run at Maybank was that my enlistment notice has arrived - 7th October 2009 was the date. Speaking of enlistment, Joel has been enlisted a few weeks back and it seems he isn't taking it very well. Wish him the best of luck!

Some fresh blood has joined Maybank recently; 2 polytechnic intern and 3 temp staff. "Away with the old and come with the new." I've done my part in trying to impart my knowledge to one of the temp staff. I'm gonna have to trust that future generations are able to keep the "torch" burning.

Initially, I was planning with a buddy of mine at Maybank to share the cost for a KFC Mega Meal for our farwell feast. However, our boss Stella actually went out of her way to buy some finger food for us to distribute and refused to allow us to pay her back. Another supervisor of mine also treated us to a farewell dinner today. Won't be forgetting these favours anytime soon. 一日为师，终生为母。

Thinking back, my experience at Maybank sure is a memorable experience. My parents themselves have tried unsuccessfully to "tame" me which was the reason I quit school and came to Maybank. Initially, I only wished for my parents and relatives to be off my back and for time to pass. Little did I expect that working at Maybank would shape my character gradually. 生我者父母，知我者老板也！

Chronicle XIV - Enlistment Delayed AGAIN

2009-08-28T07:17:00.000-07:00

And now, reporting the update for August. Oh yes, if it's August it's time to celebrate our beautiful island's birthday. Trying to sound enthusiastic about an event which I honestly don't care much about sure is hard. So much for being patriotic.

Anyway on the 10th of August, Wing Kin, Joel & me went to catch the movie <Up>. Can't say much about the movie though; it was bearable albeit draggy and boring towards the end. After the movie though, we 3 were hooked on a arcade console or rather hooked on trying to break a high score. The game - Y2k Photo Hunt 2006. We didn't manage it though. We even tried our hand at the bowling alley. The "Gutter" describes the result best.

And I just received my enlistment notice - 19th September. Let's celebrate...Not! Turns out me passing my NAPFA is gonna delay the enlistment further, and it's back to waiting again. Don't feel like complaining about that anymore since it seems to only get worse. I'll complain about something else - My NAPFA Test. The NAPFA Test in general was hard work. I never had to work that hard before. In the years before I entered Maybank, getting a gold standard was a breeze. I can't believe I was gasping for air during the run. Oh how the mighty have fallen!

Anyway I'm at a crossroad again regarding my job at Maybank. "To leave or not to leave, that is the question."

Chronicle XIII - 1 Year Anniversary With Injuries

2009-07-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

On the 18th of July, Wing Kin, Joel & Me went to Kallang Leisure Park intending to catch the new Harry Potter movie . As the earliest show with decent tickets was still far off from our arrival time, we decided to try our hand (or leg) at the ice-skating rink. All 3 of us don't seem to have any talent and have to concentrate our hardest just to stay on balance and as expected, injuries found their way to us very soon. The 1st victim was me and the accomplice of my injury was Joel. As he was falling, he grabbed my shoulder to break his fall. I fell instead and while that Joel was adjusting his feet, his skates slashed my finger, leaving a rather deep cut. Following up was Wing Kin when he tried to break his fall only to end up twisting his ankle so bad, his walking speed was slower than a toddler's. That Joel only escaped with some sore palms. What a guy!

Furthermore, this very day 28th July marks my 1 year anniversary at Maybank. How time flies, I still remember the 1st day of work. It is also a reminder as to how "efficient" MINDEF is. When the heck is my enlistment coming? Working at Maybank as a temporary staff for 1 year sure is a waste of time with that measly pay.

Chronicle XII - 错过

2009-06-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

On the 13th, there was supposed to be an audition for a singing PK competition for 超级星光大道. And for Joel, a singing competition to him is like a martial arts competition to me. Me and Wing Kin accompanied him as well but were suprised when Joel brought along some support of his own; 2 girls to boot. Lucky guy. Alas! 不如一事常八九, all registrations for the competition was supposed to be done online. We found out that only after we reached the competition venue and it was too late for any further registration. Unhappy with not being able to sing, we went to K-Box instead. And after bidding farewell to Joel's friends, we had dinner and went to almost every single cinema in town. Reason being Joel wanted to catch a movie that just didn't seemed to be very popular. We finally settled for a movie at Suntec City.

On the 24th was my NAPFA test. Or at least it was supposed to be, too bad me and Joel missed our time-slot and couldn't take the test that day. I think I'm gonna have trouble taking another day's leave in the name of NAPFA. Ah well, my arms were injured and not fully healed that day anyway. I'll take that as a blessing in disguise. And next time, we'll not choose such a early time-slot again.

And my job scope in Maybank has changed again. No more insurance for me. I'm currently doing settlement for vehicles. Settlement meaning when the hirer of the car wants to fully settle and clear off all the outstanding balance of the loan he took to purchase the car. As many things that are needed at the counter on the 1st floor is packed and archived on the 5th floor. I get plenty of exercise in a day. And yes, it is tiring.

Chronicle XI - My Famous Name

2009-05-26T04:32:00.000-07:00

"Jia Ying". That's what I hear quite a lot in Maybank, except that no one's calling me. Sitting 3 seats away is someone with the same name as me. It's a girl by the way. At Maybank, I go by the name "JY" as well as the nickname "Ah Boy". Anyway, if I were to describe the other "Jia Ying" briefly, it'll be LOUD and OVERBEARING but still... a fun girl. Her last day of work is tomorrow and she seems pretty excited, guess it shows how much she dislikes her job. Ah well, maybe I'll be called my real name starting tomorrow...haha...

My medical check ups have finally come to an end. But I'll still have to wait for NUH to submit the report to CMPB where they will review and then give me a PES status. I know I've grumbled about this many times, but still... it's freaking slow!

My job scope for now is rather repetitive and boring. Argh... I need a break but I need the money that I would lose if I took one. However, I seem to be getting along better with my Maybank neighbours now.

Chronicle X - Medical Status & My Birthday

2009-04-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hmm...Been some time since I've updated. On 2nd April, I went for my 24 hr ECG test - they hooked up all some of wires to my body and I have to remain that way for a full 24 hrs. If any anti-terrorist guard saw those wires attached to my body, they might think I have a bomb on me. On 6th April, I went for the tilt-table test - I was strapped to a table and they tilted me about 80 degrees. After a full 30 minutes, they sprayed something under my tongue which nearly made me pass out. Thankfully, I managed to pull through while still conscious. The specialist in charge of my case seems to be very busy or 大牌. He changed my appointment date 3 times. I am supposed to meet him on the 29th, he'd better not change it again.

20th April was my birthday and my buddy Joel came to meet me after work and wanted to give me a treat. He suggested walking to Suntec but led me the wrong way. He wanted to treat me to dinner at Pepper's Lunch but miscalculated the price and I had to top-up. Anyway, my boss Stella gave me a pretty generous ang bao for my birthday. Seems like the farewell present I have to prepare soon has to be bigger.

Chronicle IX - 3rd Martial Arts Compeition

2009-03-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

On the 21st March, I went for my 3rd marital arts competition. Long story short, I met the champion and was knocked out in the 1st round AGAIN! And I was so close to winning too! Can't blame anything else, my stamina wasn't on par with his, gonna have to train harder. My low blood pressure didn't help either; I threw up after the match and was literally out of commission for a while. I shudder whenever I remember what I said at the end of my previous post.

My previous Maybank work partner has left for about a few weeks now. Those few weeks were tiring as I had to clear up the "carry-forward". It seems that we'll be handing over the insurance job to 2 managers that switched over from another department. Not sure how I should react to that. Stella was asking me if I would consider switching to contract-based staff. Since it's still not really certain that the application will go through, we'll take things one step at a time for now. There's still the ever elusive National Service after my ever elusive medical appoinments to hinder any planning at this point of time.

Chronicle VIII - Updates

2009-03-19T05:14:00.000-07:00

Been almost a month since the previous update. Lots have happened since then. My work partner has already left. That's to be expected since she doesn't like the job at all. Now I'm really struggling hard to cope with the workload by myself. I might really stop working after April if this tiring schedule continues. Stella said she will try to help me clinch a contract with Maybank, we'll see how things go first.

Joel must be feeling mighty proud right now. His final-year project and his face was on the Straits Times. His group invented a wrist mechanism that allows a patient's heart rate, blood pressure etc. to be captured and transmitted to a PC via wireless network. Very cool invention, very practical for my case right now. Wing Kin didn't do so well for his A-Levels though, hope he can find a suitable course based on his results. And Lum is having his attachments and also attending singing lessons at the same time.

The progress on my medical check-up: SLOW! I'm still gonna have to run some tests in April. This delay is making it difficult for me to plan ahead; wish they could speed things up.

And now for the exciting part, I'm gonna participate in my 3rd martial arts competition on the 21st March. Feeling mighty confident right now, a gold medal is within my grasp. Gear Turbo!!!

Chronicle VII - Medical Checkup

2009-02-20T23:11:00.000-08:00

On the 18th Feb, I went to NUH for my medical appointment. As it was my 4th time, I hoped they could conclude the whole matter and just give me a PES status. Turns out it was not meant to be as the result was me being assigned 3 more tests which would be carried out over the next few months! I 1st had to take an ECG test; something that involved attaching wires to my body and measuring my heart rate. The lady attending to me was very pretty by the way. I then went to see the specialist in charge of my case which turned out to be not so pleasant. There was a student in training which the doctor was helping to give her some experience for an upcoming exam. The test subject: me. The trainee being anxious to show the doctor her knowledge, overdid certain things. She almost crushed my wrist while feeling for something and pulled my bottom eyelid way over, all just to show the doctor! That doctor didn't comfort me thereafter either but rather added on to my worries. He said "We would like to get data from when you actually faint. But you don't faint everyday, so we might have to do a tilt-table test where we will make you faint. It'll be interesting to see whether there are any symptoms during your unconsciousness such as your heart rate stopping for a longer period of time or abnormal blood pressure." Eh? I don't find that interesting at all doctor.

Chronicle VI - New Partner

2009-01-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

Been some time since I've updated. It seems Stella has gotten me a new work partner; although she(the new staff) doesn't seem to like the job very much. A few days ago during lunch break, she just went nuts and declared her dislike for the job. Turns out she was from Serangoon JC as well and was a member of the table-tennis school team. Still she has been doing her part without any complaints(except to me), respect to her for that. Even I myself have not being able to fully adjust to or like my job yet, and I've been doing it for 1/2 a year! Seems like there's no way she'll on stay after her contract expires in February. Haiz...I wonder when I can actually find a successor and leave with a peace of mind.

Chronicle V - New Year 2009

2009-01-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the 1st day of 2009. Me, Joel and Wing Kin went out for a movie. Wing Kin was ill and was coughing throughout the movie, poor him...and me for sitting right next to him. Turned out Joel had it quite rough as well with his strained thigh muscles after his Physical Fitness Test. Wing Kin is now struggling with his "specialist training" and Joel, his "Assignment". Wish both of them luck...and me too; I'm struggling with work, or rather with the urge to fall asleep during work. Just finished work on the 2nd day of New Year, amazed I pulled through amidst the "holiday mood". Seems my sisters are having difficulty adjusting as well.

2009 seems to be a rather uncertain year for me. Not sure if I'll be able to keep any resolutions I made this year considering previous year's records. Not even sure when I'll be up to serve to nation.

Chronicle IV - Maybank "Makan Session"

2008-12-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

Today we had a "Makan Session" at Maybank after work. It was sort of a session to send off our "boss" Stella on her long leave and holiday to Taipei. She certainly deserved the break since she's got a lot on her hands and mind recently, hope she enjoys her holiday and thanks for the Christmas present; will return the favour when you're back in Singapore. Albeit not at full strength, we seemed to give Stella some kind of assurance to take time off. I'm pretty impressed at her ability to have so many people under her and looking up to her as well.

Chronicle III - Medical Review

2008-12-17T03:16:00.000-08:00

Today I went to CMPB for my medical review. It was my 3rd appointment with them and I was hoping they would give me a PES status today. Turns out I'll need to go for another appointment at National University Hospital(NUH) with a cardiology specialist. What does low blood pressure have anything to do with the heart anyway? The appointment is set for February 2009; that is so long, can't they just give me a position excused from all heavy duty? Joel was confirmed a PES B status yesterday and Wing Kin was selected for some kind of training for Sergeants and Officers, and I thought I would be the 1st among us to go in. I met 2 of my primary school friends on the way back home. Haven't seen them for quite some time, kinda nostalgic. So what's next for me? Do I continue working till enlistment? I've got no issues with my current job at Maybank and my supervisors treat me really well, just that it's not something that I'll want to continue doing for such a long time.

Chronicle II - 1st & 2nd Martial Arts Competitions

2008-12-01T03:29:00.000-08:00

My 1st martial arts competition was on 30/03/2008. It was a grappling tournament. I had no previous experience of any sort and was entering the competition as a complete novice. I had just watched a few instructional videos on youtube and and it just totally captivated me. I had to wait for quite some time before my match began, and to cut the long story short, I met the champion and was knocked out in the 1st round with an aching elbow to boot. My friend Joel accompanied me and recorded the whole match. After analyzing the match, I seemed like a total idiot. Alas! It turned out there would be another competition on 31/08/2008. I began to get ready for the competition by WATCHING MORE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS haha, and of course I had about 4 sessions of sparring sessions with my friends although it's more of a session for me to test out some moves. Compared to those who train at least twice a week with competent training partners, suitable facilities and an instructor, I seemed selfish to want to pull a win, but humans are selfish by nature anyway. The competition this time was held in Tampines SAFRA. Two huge mats placed on the badminton hall greeted me when I first walked into the venue. When I went over to the registration counter, the man asked "which school?" which I replied "no school". That guy gave me the "huh" look and asked "then which gym?" to which I replied "No gym, I'm self-trained". I then had to weigh in to see if I'm within the suitable weight range for my category. Being severely underweight, I passed the weigh-in with flying colours. To top it all off, my 1st match opponent was beside me all the while. He knew I had no experience and was super light, I wished I didn't give him that confidence though.To cut the long story short again, I won the 1st match but was injured thereafter and was forced by the ring doctor and organizer to stop. Some of my friends pang seh and I had to go alone. No support and no video of my 1st win. In short, my 1st 2 experiences at martial arts competitions have been disappointing. Can't wait for the 3rd one.

By the way, I just received a letter calling me up for my medical review on 17th Dec. If only the review would end with "In view of your current medical condition, you are hereby exempted from National Service." Joke!

Chronicle I - Just Me

2008-11-29T00:11:00.000-08:00

Hmm...I wonder why, but out of the blue, I decided to set up this blog. Lots have happened that I would like to chronicle so I'll unload them here. Here's a brief summary, I went to JC after my O Levels but during my 2nd year, I decided to withdraw. I ended up in the polytechnic where i withdrew again during my 2nd year. Sounds kinda stupid I know, but don't go lecturing me over it, I've gone through countless sessions before, so spare me for now. Currently I'm working in Maybank to minimize the reliance on my parents as well as to kill time before I am called up to 精忠报国. Congrats to Wing Kin on finishing his A Levels, guess he's enjoying a temporary 自由人生 for now. Guess I just have to take it one step at a time now.