lily and mind games

yesterday went for a lunch outing to celebrate our dear lily's birthday...me, zhemin, koonz, ben, tze, jingwen, shuying, meiting, sanmei, weishan, siaohui...met at somerset mrt before going to rice table...tze hwee lorz...cannot communicate properly one...make everybody wait for her...hahaz...=P...

ate the lunch buffet there until about 1415 like that...then tze, weishan, meiting and jingwen left...we walked to mind cafe near paradiz there to play some intellectual games! constance and yee hung joined us at the cafe...hahaz...started off with "i am the boss" which was a scheming game...all of us refused to deal with ben cos he was so scheming...in the end...he had the least money in the game! hahaz...then played citadel...which was another very scheming game...quite fun...cos li koon the birthday boy...always kenna killed by the assasin...gold stolen by the thief...or his precious good cards taken by the magician...no matter wad character he was! wahahaz...should have seen his face! hahaz...it was quite fun! then got "say what" in which yee hung was so natural in tricking siao hui to say "rock"...while we all schemed likoon again...making him "stand"...wahahaz...while...zhemin and i dug our own graves...hahaz....quite a fun day! =P

Job #2: Clerical Assistant

Tomolo going to work at my new job...a clerical assistant at IRAS...not through agency this time...but still quite low pay i think...hahaz...all the best for me! =P

oops...double oops...triple oops...

was tranferring documents between my computer and my sis computer when i realised that i was infected with a stupid virus that changes alot of my icons into a panda holding 3 incense sticks...darn...plus several other files...so it also meant that my sis computer also kenna...the starting-up got problem...then when try to back-up the stuff into the portable hard-disk...realised that both computer unable to detect it as is "malfunctioned" as stated by the computer...hard-drive corrupted! double darn!

then when i try to re-format my sis computer...run into more trouble as got problem reading from the hard drive too! triple darn! i seriously am quite jinxed with computers recently...my own computer got so many problems with my unreliable network...now this...my sister is so so so going to kill me...monday gotta send the laptop back to the Fujitsu Service centre...luckily new laptop...so still got warranty...the repair should be free...i hope...

but first things first...tomolo gonna go down to sim lim square to get a replacement 2.5" hard disk to replace the one that corrupt...argh...

My First B'Day Present!

Hahaz...although it is still 1 month away from my birthday...but i got my first present...from my sis! hahaz...she bought me a new watch! since my watch kenna destroyed during my days operating in the tank...haven worn a watch for quite a while...so she took me to City Chain @ Vivocity to look for a watch for my 21st b-day! Hahaz...Got this model from TIMEX...quite cool! hahaz...she say this b-day present will last for 5 years...so 5 years no more present from her...cos this watch set her back by 177 bucks! so giam one! hahaz...but i like the watch! thx sis!


my first b-day present - a TIMEX watch! =)

Job #1: AV Assistant

After a referral from RecruitExpress...went to work @ Civil Service College @ Buona Vista there...reported to the HR department there...then was sent to their AV Team...primary job scope was to help out in the installation of a security-based login system for the users there...needed to go from computer to computer...but most of the time when we went up to the office to do the installation...the user not around one...so quite sian...took 3 days to compete the task...then in the end was used to do manual labour to move comdemned materials to the store room...sweat sweat sweat then freeze to death in the office...hahaz...and office was just a small cubicle that i shared with the other temp for this period...at 5.5 per hour...think we are quite fully utilised by them...hahaz...but the week over liaoz...quite tired from all the carrying of equipment...next week...i will be unemployed again...oh no! hahaz...well...just continue looking for jobs lorz...hahaz...



my office - AV Team



the tiny cubicle that i was housed in...=P

Happy Birthday!

today went to meet up with 29th to celebrate the birthday for wan ling and siao hui...suppposed to meet at 1315 one...then in the end...only me and zheng wei were on time...maybe add in sophia and constance ba...hahaz...ming juan the organiser was also late lorz...=P

in the end, it was ryan, zhe min, ben, li koon, yu jin, zheng wei and i for the guys...then the gals had hui fen, sophia, constance, siao hui, pei geok, ming juan, wan ling and shu ying who joined us much later...went to eat a high tea buffet @ Siam Kitchen...cost us 14 bucks each...plus the cost of the 2 presents...talked and caught up a bit with them over lunch...and we talked a lot about our crazy china trip...the funny ones...hahaz...after that went the walk around suntec where wanling and sophia bought some clothes from G2000...while the remaining guys (yu jin, zhe min, li koon and i) were chatting with the other girls about our shen zhen trip...

split up from there and rushed back home to drive the car to fetch my sis from work...now i am like the chaffeur for her liaoz...bleahz...

Looking for a job

since coming back from Shen Zhen...has been looking for a temp job until i start school in mid-May...search the classified ads...but the companies NEVER reply one lorz...then went to register at Jobstreet...which is like a directory of job agencies lorz...in the end liased with Recruit Express...

the initial offer was a QC checker or sth like that...at Tuas...plus the shift is 11-7...that is 11pm to 7am! what the...crazy hours...and paying only 5 per hour...no thanks man...then the next one is an AV Assistant at Civil Service College...normal working hours...paying only 5.5 per hour...1 week assignment...well...since nth to do and still trying to source for other temp jobs...just take first lorz...so yup...my first job since NS! hahaz...

starting work on monday...should be okay larz...since all i am required to do is to install programmes into their computers...nth can go wrong right? =P

cheers!

My New Room!

in preparation for my uni studies...and also to bring a conclusion to my 2 years of ns life...did major spring cleaning of my room and also changed some furniture...

in total...spent 4 whole days to do the clearing up! argh...din know that i had so much junk in my room...emptied bags and bags of rubbish...hahaz...but at least i know that my room is much cleaner and neater after this...after the cleaning up...removed the table and cupboard from my room...in preparation for my new furniture! hahaz...

my new furniture was from ikea...a GALANT L-shaped table...a LACK display cabinet...and an ALLACK chair...the L-shaped table idea came from my office cubicle that i had in Officer Training...really wanted the space to display my things properly...hahaz...then the display cabinet can help to do some space sorting for me! everything i bought was black-brown or black...hahaz....just like the colour...=P

the furniture finally arrived on Sunday...and after all the assembling...it was complete! hahaz...add in about an hour of re-arranging and moving of things...my new room was complete! hahaz...with my sword case hanging near my bed...i like my new room! wahahaz!

cannot visualise? take a look!

Shen Zhen-Hong Kong Trip!

After my extended ORD, went for a 8-day trip to Shen Zhen with the other male instructors + Tian Yu. More or less like an ORD trip...a relaxation trip after 2 years of NS life...hahaz...travelling with my red passport for once after flying simply through my 11B and nominal roll...=P

Day 1
Took off from S'pore to HK on a JetStar Asia flight...first time flying budget...real nightmare for me...cos the space was so constricted! my legs like going to die! argh...and so bored during the 3 hours flight...could only sleep and sleep and try to sleep...hahaz...

reached HK International Airport and linked-up with Yu Jin who went back to Shen Zhen 5 days before us...then as we were buying tickets for the bus trip...saw hordes of girls running about...we thought...must be some boy group or something...then went to poke our nose into it to find out...as it turns out...it was the Taiwanese group Fei Lun Hai...hahaz...it was crazy lar...the girls preparing the "convoy" of maxi-cabs to follow the group! after that...took a bus...to Shang Shui where we took the MTR to Luo Hu to cross the immigrations...once through...went to the hotel to unpack before going over to Yu Jin house which was just across the street! met his granny and aunts at his house there...it was the 19th floor and the wind was super chilly! hahaz...before long...we left to meet up with yujin's cousin who brought us to a restaurant for dinner...after a little bit of walking at night...went back early cos benji was not feeling very well...

Where's the leg space?


Us at the HKIA


Day 2
Woke up quite late and took quite a while for breakfast before we made our way to the Minsk Aircraft Carrier Theme Park...just an old carrier from the Soviet Union bought by china then subsequently converted into a tourist attraction...spent the rest of the day there before leaving to meet up with Yujin's dad...went for dinner at a local beef hot-pot restaurant...

The traffic zooming under us


Us at the Minsk


Day 3
Woke up early this time to check-out and transfer out bulky luggage to Yujin's house before we made our way to the bus terminal for the bus trip to Hui Lai. It was a 3 hour bus ride...and the bus was travelling super fast! if i not wrong...the average speed of the bus was 130km/h...reached Hui Lai at noon and met up with Yujin's uncle who was there...went for lunch at Hui Lai Hotel...after dinner went to visit Yujin's maternal granny who Li Koon picked up some medicine for his mother...after which his uncles brought us to take a look at the largest coal-powered powerstation in construction where we took some funny photos...and also the wind farms there before heading to the seaside town nearby...took more photos there...soaked in the beautiful sunset and tucked in to the simply wonderful seafood there! super fresh! super succulent! super sweet! i have never ever eaten such sweet and delicious crab meat! i think only the other guys can feel the sensations that i am writing about now! hahaz...the night was spent visiting yujin's aunt, uncle's house before heading back to the hotel...did not walk around at night cos his relatives said that it was not so safe for outlanders like us...

Sunset from the South China Sea


Day 4
Woke up and went to bade farewell to Yujin's granny and took a bus to Shan Tou...linked up with Yujin's uncle(another one...so many uncles and aunts! hahaz..=P) who brought up to eat some Teochew delicacies and brought us for shopping...bought my Kung-Fu Tea Set there...so someday can drop by my house for some Kung-fu Tea! hahaz...then went to an island near Shan Tou for some photos...at night...went to eat snake! first time eating snake meat...went for the experience...gave the poisonous-snake meat a miss since my stomach was not feeling well then...hahaz...after dinner met up with Yujin's cousin who was studying in Shan Tou...but was in the PLA for 5 or 8 years forgot liaoz...hahaz...she very good at bargaining...esp during the rickshaw rides...respect respect...the night ended when Yujin's uncle brought the tea leaves that we had pre-ordered at a shop near his house...

Us overlooking Shan Tou


Eating Snake!


Day 5
Checked out in the morning and went to take the bus back to Shen Zhen to check into the same hotel again...the rest of the day was spent touring Lian Hua Shan...which had quite a view of the city...at night went to Dong Men where we shopped for lots of stuff...wind-breaker...shoes...hahaz...

An old man writing calligrapy with...water!


Day 6
Woke up and lingo-ed with Yujin before proceeding to Window of the World...a theme park which has the world's monument in miniature scale...took quite a while to walk through the entire park! took the monorail there...went up the mock-up Effiel Tower there which was 1/3 the height of the actual tower in Paris...and took a roller coaster ride which was crazy cos the safety belt cannot be fastened and Jing Song had to hold onto the carabiner tightly for dear life! hahaz...soon our time spent in Shen Zhen would come to an end...

Big Big Me!


Day 7
took a cab to the Huang Gang Immigration point and it was simply crowded! cos is was a Saturday and the weekend of Christmas...so it was super crowded...was stuck at the immigration for 1 hr before crossing over to Hong Kong! Took a long bus ride to our hotel in Kowloon...upon reaching the hotel...Zheng Wei, Zhemin, Li Koon, Jing Song and I did a fast march over to the Hang Heung outlet about 300 units away from our hotel...hahaz...all for the egg rolls and the lao-po bing...after dropping our stuff in the hotel...went to meet up with JS, ZW and ZM's student exchange frens...went to this food court where there was a Toa Payoh Chicken Rice Stall! Tried out the Laksa Set Meal at HK$48...but it was not nice one...not fragrant...not spicy...not shiok one...hahaz...but for the fun of it one lar! hahaz...after dinner walked to Victoria Harbour to watch the Harbour Firework and Lights show...the scenery from Kowloon overlooking Hong Kong Island was simply amazing...thought i felt that some neon light decorations was overdone...went shopping at Esprit Outlet where i bought a shirt for HK$229...quite a bargain...then went to Lan Kwai Fong with Tianyu, Yujin, Ben and Li Koon...took the cab back to the hotel and waited for the other 3 to come back...hahaz...all of us squeezed into the room of size 3m X 3m i think! it was that small! 8 guys in such a small room! shared the bed with Li Koon...who curled up at night and gave me like 30cm of bed space only! argh...wanted to kill him...but that din beat the snoring orchestra by Tian Yu and Jing Song...it was thunderous! hahaz...it was like 30 mins before i could get used to the snoring and go to sleep...

Toa Payoh Chicken Rice in Hong Kong!


Hong Kong Island


Day 8
woke up early to get ready to head to the airport...bade farewell to Yujin, Tian Yu, Ben and Jing Song before the 4 of us made our way to the Kowloon Station to take the Airport Express...a high-speed rail to the airport...the ticket cost us HK$90! hahaz...reached the airport but found that it was to early to check-in...so ate our breakfast at the MacDonalds at HKIA which cost about HK$16 a meal...before proceeding to go check-in...before long...we were on the plane ready to head home...the flight was just as uncomfortable as the flight here...really cannot tahan budget flight...next time should just spend a little more for the comfort...haix...at 1500...finally touched down at Changi...we were home!

Zheng Wei and I with Li Koon's Mr Bean bear! =P


Epilogue
All in all...the 8 days was quite fun...spent travelling around with the guys...a nice way to relax and enjoy oneself after 2 yrs of NS! must really thank Yujin for helping to make the arrangement and his relatives for being such good hosts!

Finally...a PROPER phone after NS! =P

after 2 years of ns...finally could get a new phone! hahaz...was stuck with my Nokia 3350 and Nokia 6510 for the entire period...really pathetic phones....but no choice since the SAF have this strict policy of no camera phones for security reasons...being the obedient soldier that i am...of course i never had a camera phone! =P

so after coming back from my Shen Zhen-Hong Kong trip, went with my sister to change our phones. went to change alley and got for myself the Samsung Z400...a slider phone...a proper phone since ns! It can also act as my mp3 player...since i re-equipped it with a 1GB micro-SD card...hahaz...next time when saved enough money then go buy a proper mp3 player ba...hahaz...

enjoying this new phone now! hahaz...

my new phone!

Post-NS Thoughts...

Having gone thru 2 years of national service...i can say that it was quite an experience...so let me do some recap and talk about some of my post-ns thoughts...

BMT
BMT started on 060105 for me...that faithful day when i went to Pulau Tekong...was assigned to Hawk Company, which every one calls the "White Horse" Company...haix...dunno why...but was in platoon 3 along with some of my school mates and got to know a few other friends from the platoon as well as the section. the 9 weeks there went and past quite fast and before we knew it...we were getting ready for out passing out parade into full-fledge PRIVATES!

OCS
After BMT, i was lucky to have been selected to go to OCS as an officer cadet. i was part of the 59/05 batch of officer cadets...assigned to Delta Wing...again called the "White Horse" wing cos Eng Siang was there...hahaz...again was in Platoon 3 under CPT Justiin Ang(the spelling is correct), LTA Kelvin "What-Thumb-Is-It" Kua, LTA Bryan and LTA Hairi. Eng Siang was in my section...but as a platoon...think we really bonded quite well and performed pretty well...but it was sad that PLT 3 was disbanded after Service Term cos of the small size after we left for the other Formations. During one of the days before the end of Service Term, CPT Justiin sat down to talk to all of us and praised us for performing exceptionally well...parting our ways with a salute...in returning the salute...i cant help but to feel so proud of what we have all achieved in this 14 weeks as Delta Platoon 3. Met with CPT Justiin during ACPC and he said that if he was to re-assemble the old Delta Platoon 3 during Pro Term...PLT 3 would have beaten the others(including the Commandos) hands down...that was the pride that he had in our platoon...it felt good...it was also in Delta that i was awarded the Best Knowledge and Wing Best...=P...

SOA
during my Pro-Term...i went to School of Armour for training as an Armour Officer...then was selected into the Tank Officer Cadet Course as a Tankee...it was the starting of my 1.5 years in Sungei Gedong Camp...training was tough...because of the sheer pace of training that we have to learn everything from scratch be competent enough to get commission! the 21 weeks spent there was not at all easy...but the fun that i had with the rest of the 11 tankees and 37 AI cadets was amazing! hahaz...the live-firing with the 75mm Main Gun...the "BOOM" was just...awe-inspiring! Went to Wallaby for my overseas training...absolutely memorable...for the fun and mistakes that i made there...but the scenery was simply unforgettable! Upon completion of training...the moment that we have all been waiting for...Commissioning Parade...was here! To be on the SAFTI Parade Square...wearing our smart No. 1 uniform...adorning our black beret with so much pride...it was unbelievable...how we felt that we knew we commissioned...after 48 long weeks...to wear the rank of 2LT after so long...simply...awesome...

SOA - Pt 2
As an officer, i was appointed as an instructor back at SOA to train Tank Cadets...same place...different roles...different feeling...i can say that i was during this period that i learnt the most and grew a lot from...taking the 01/06 and 02/06 TOCC under me...i leave SOA knowing that i tried to do the best that i did and i am leaving with OTW a better place than when i first came...the stress and challenges as an officer...as an instructor...as a coach...as a student still...moulded me and provided me with lots of working opportunities...the year as an instructor just went by so fast....and before i knew it...it was time for me to go...my original ORD was on 051106...but i extended to 051206...alot of people asked me why the decision...simply put...i felt a certain responsibility to be there to help in the transition and not just leave when time is up...it was something that i felt i had to do and be responsible for...

After-Thoughts
MAJ Pat, my OC at Officer Training Wing, School of Armour, asked me what were my 5 key takeaways from my tour as a Tank Instructor...to which i listed the following...

Tank Skills Having gone through training as a cadet...i have always felt that what i possessed was only the bare minimal for me to have commission as competent...but never was really skilled or good...so being an instructor and training cadets provided me with the drive to continually learn and brush up on my skills in order to fulfil my role as an instructor. After 2 batches...i would say that i have improved...but there was always more room to improve further...the learning never ends...

Paperwork and Planning My role as an instructor was not all about training only...there was much paperwork and lesson planning involved and i am proud to say that most of the lesson plans that are in use now have my name in it as the one who produced it...and my skill in handling paper work has also improved during the year...

Networking In the army, and in the outside world, networking is extremely important if tasks are to be completed...there are alot of times when ad-hoc task pops up and we cannot handle on our own...then we had to depend on our connections with other people to ask for help in order to get things done. It does certainly help to have frens around...you never know when you need them and they need you...

Responsibilty of having surbordinates As an instructor, we do not only instruct in terms of skills...but also instruct in terms of certain values...ethics...cos we are certainly slightly more experienced in the army (by 6 months at least) compared to the cadets...what we have seen and what we have experienced...they would not know...so we try to equip them with what ever is necessary to be a good officer...in terms of skills and values...My cadets from 02/06, who are from the JC batch one year junior to me, once told me...comparing themselves and the 5 JC instructors...they can really see the difference that one year of officership has made...the maturity that we possess as compared to them...guess army really does make people grow...

Friendship This especially to Wen Jin, Shun Hua, Eugene and Derek, my fellow instructors from the 02/05 batch...we were really close and bonded really well during our tour as instructors and this friendship is something that i really treasured...and i felt that our relationship helped to bring TOCC and AIOCC closer during our times... ONCE ARMOUR, ALWAYS ARMOUR!

All in all...think i have gone thru quite a fair bit during my 2 years...it was eventful to say the least...but i really believe that the ns experience have really benefitted me...and it would benefit most guys...in terms of maturity and growth...rather than skill...it should definitely be enforced! =)

Wen Jin, Shun Hua, Derek, Eugene and I

Me and My Driving License!

after 8 mths of driving lessons...weekends spent at BBDC and countless rounds around the Bukit Batok estate...it was finally time to take the Traffic Police Test! hahaz...it was before my trip to Taiwan for training...28th September...a Thursday morning!

was pretty much very nervous then...rushed from camp down to BBDC for the warm-up practice...and it went quite okay...then when it was my turn for the test...was allocated to this white-haired driving instructor that looked very strict...and it began...in a horribly wrong fashion...everything in circuit went okay...until...i forgot to stop at the "STOP" line! argh...i thought 'die die die...finished liaoz...instant failure liaoz...' and was so demoralised to continue onto the road segment...but decided to just do as best as i can...after the road component...went for my de-brief...and what do you know...the examiner consider that as causing obstruction at a road junction and gave me 6 demerit points! in the end...a had 18 demerit points...i PASSED! hahaz...woohoo! on cloud nine!

some may say heng-heng one...but aren't all tests like this...based on luck on...after spending $1600+ on the lessons and test so far...it was over! hahaz...went to get my driving license application done...hahaz...and it was back to work!

now only get to drive my dad's old HONDA CIVIC...the clutch everything quite different from learning model...the new HONDA CITY...but getting a hang of it liaoz...so quite okay...it is a small car...making it quite easy to drive...gradually clocking my mileage to allow me to drive further by mself...hahaz...


the car i driving now...

a new beginning...

hahaz...after the long hibernation...decided to re-inject some life back into this dormant blog...take back its place as the emotion junkyard for me...and posting some thoughts to things happening to me and around me...

but...it would take some time to get everything into place...so...as for starters...a like sneak peak of what is to come! =P

[-] Me and my Driving License!
[-] Post-NS thoughts...
[-] Finally...a PROPER phone after NS! =P
[-] Shen Zhen-Hong Kong Trip!
[-] My New Room!
[-] Looking for a Job...

stay tuned for more...