Goodbye 2009 Hello 2010

Today is the last day of 2009. Time has indeed past very quickly, I can't believe I am here tying this when the feel of me typing one on the last day of 2008 felt just like yesterday. Anyway, I would like to firstly apologize for not updating this blog of mine for ages because ever since school started, I was very busy and totally not in the mood to blog even when school ends. But still, I guess it remains a good annual practice for me to summarise my entire year on the things that impact me and my life significantly, as well as to set new year resolutions for me to achieve in the coming 365 days.

To me, 2009 was a fruitful year where I get to experience significant change in my lifestyle. However, it is also a year where time past very quickly, especially after I started school. To start off, I ORDed this year in March 15th, which marked a transition from military life to civilian life. The transition was smooth and it really leave me with a sense of satisfaction and selfworth for being able to survive 2 years as a soldier which I would not have imagined myself to do way before I enlist. Being able to breathe the fresh civilian air holding my pink IC was great.

I also fulfilled one of my resolution for 2009 and that is to exercise and stay fit. Although I would not say I am very fit now or comparable to my fellow friends but i guess with the "regular" exercises that I do, it makes me fitter than before. At least it makes me feel good to know that I am fitter. I started to visit the gym, though not regularly, perhaps once a week during holidays and stuff. I also started to run for once or twice a week. It makes me feel good to sweat but i guess i could have put in more effort and double the effect and push my fitness even to a greater extent. In overall, i guess i am happy that at least I made a move to improve my fitness if not i might still shun the gym and jogging around my neighbourhood at this point of time.

Thirdly, I am happy to participate in orientation camps organised by my faculty which introduced me to many friends and hence widening my social circle. It was also when I am able to let down my hair and play like i never used to. Where would I ever had the experience of playing beach game or visit haunted sites or run around the school doing crazy stuff had i not join these camps. And I do enjoy the company of the new friends i've made, even though some of which now becomes hi-bye friends, but still, I'm glad to expand my social circle.

One significant change in my life this year would be starting school in NUS. I always look forward to starting school in NUS during my NS days. And I would always remember the first day I started school because I turn 21 on that very faithful day. Perhaps due to a hiatus of using the brain for studying purposes for near 3 years, it has been a struggle for me to cope with the fast pace of learning and get back the momentum of studying and mugging. I seriously think that time past very very fast in uni: before i know it, i was into my recess week studying for mid term test; and before i know it, i was sitting for mid term test; and before i know it, i was into my studying week studying for the final exam; and before i know it, i finish my exams and hence marking the end to sem 1 in NUS. Things just happened too quickly and i do not have time to think properly. I recalled my first time doing lab reports coz we're not guided on how to do a proper lab report, or how to actually conduct lab experiements during lab sessions....we just gotta do what we feel is right. I was so psychologically against writing lab reports then, and now, i am sooo used to writing lab reports already. And also, uni is where the lecturers and teaching stuff do not care whether you attend lessons or not, everything was self-directed. I still can't imagine how i survived sem 1 and shall be entering sem 2 in a week's time.

Schooling life in uni was much different from that in JC or secondary schools. Given the freedom on what to wear to school and what modules to take and whether or not to join CCA. This year, i did a daring move to join a CCA in uni that I always wanted to join - Radio deejay !!! No one is interested to join it with me and i doubt i can enter when I had my auditioning. Nonetheless, i was one of the lucky few to be selected and now, I belong to this wonderful Radiopulze family, having to host radio shows and learn lotsa stuff...not forgetting the wonderful people i've met. Like my ex CCA president said, now I can go around to tell people I am a radio DJ in school. Lolx. Feels so good. Think back then, I was still hesistating to go forward to sign the application form or do the auditioning, hesistating whether to join or not due to academic and time factor, but now, i'm glad i've done so.

Nonetheless, I am into my dec holiday currently, bidding modules for next sem. I also got back my results for sem 1, which is disgusting according to my standard. However, I shall push on and strive for better results next sem.

To talk bout the things I did not do this year, 2009, i guess there are a couple. Firstly, I did not manage to find a part time job during the period between ORD to start of school so i spent my time idling at home and contributing to the unemployment rate. If i had found a part time job, i could have earned some cash, work experience and something to mention about in my resume. Second, I did not manage to find a girlfriend and thus still remain single. Made a resolution last year that i would find one this year but things aint as easy as it sound. I guess i would have to work harder next year in this aspect. Thirdly, I did not work hard enough in school this year thus contributing to my undesirable results. Well, I could have live off with the excuse that this is only the first sem in school and I still have problem adjusting to school life but i didn't. I take sole responsibility for my doing and I condemn myself for not working hard enough, hopefully taking this as a warning sign and push myself for better results next year.

Moving into 2010, I shall make a couple of new year resolutions for me to work towards in the coming year. Firstly, i want to work harder in my studies and score better result. My aim was to achieve CAP higher than 4.0 and i shall work harder towards that. Secondly, I want to pass my IPPT. I also want to sustain a fitness regime in spite of the heavy school work and hopefully I can be physically fitter than before thus healthier. Thirdly, I hope to find a girlfriend soon, lolx....this shall stay in my new yr resolution every year until I eventually succeeded i guess. Forthly, I want to expand my social circles and make more good friends. Hi-bye friends are plentiful but i guess i need to make more closer friends. Fifth, i hope to do things that i've yet to do before in my life. Perhaps its to travel oversea on a plane for a tour or participate in some events or stuff....

Finally, on this very faithful last day of 2009, I wish everyone a happy new year, a very fruitful year ahead !!!

Examzzz....

I almost forgot that I've got a blog. Exam is ending soon, I am left with one more maths paper on tues morning and i'm done !!! Thats it for sem 1. Woot. Had a long break btw my 2nd last paper on last thurs and my coming last paper this tues. Spent the whole holiday+weekend preparing my 2 pieces of cheat sheet. I am sooo proud i can actually squeeze so much stuff into 2 pathetic pieces of paper with ridiculously small handwriting. Sooo looking forward to holiday !!! FREEDOM !!!

Rants Of A Year 1 Uni Boy

I see cobwebs growing in my blog, for I've once forgotten about its presence after officially starting school in uni 4 to 5 weeks ago. And now, I'm left with one more week to recess week, which marks the start of mid term test after that. I'm still trying hard to catch the tempo and style of learning in uni but my brain which has been stagnated by NS for 2 years has been failing me over and over again. I felt like an car that has not been driven for a long time with a cold engine, and the engine keeps on failing to start despite many times i turn the key. But I hope i do make it, hopefully for this term and onwards. I'm still taking a step back and enjoying life, although I know its not the right thing to do at the right time now. Modern Chem and physical chem is killing me. And i was so demoralised by myself for not knowing how to do simple mathematics in MA1421 which i've learnt and mastered very well last time in school. Too much fact was fed into me from my Basic Bio lifesci module and the only thing I can fall back on my past knowledge is Econs 1301, where the tutors during tutorial class sux to the max. Guess I just have to keep on going....i have absolutely zero motivation to push myself into the lifeless mugger state i used to be in during sec sch and jc days. And for those friends of mine who have found ur ideal girlfriend in uni already, stop stressing me to find one myself !!!

I AM TWENTY-ONE !!!!

Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me !!! Woohoo, today is my 21st birthday. I am officially an adult !!! To make things sound a little more negative, i am officially OLD ! Well, i didnt really celebrate my birthday, coz age is just another number, no big deal. I would like to thank those who gave me well wishes and for not forgetting my birthday or me as a person. Also like to thank, once again, my pri sch clique who celebrated my birthday 2 to 3 weeks ago, its some advance surprise celebration, yah. And to those who wonder why i nv invite u guys to any party, the reason is, i didn really have any party nor did i celebrate my 21st. Well, 21st birthday is a very significant day to many of us, its rather significant for me as well since i am going to start school today. My first day of sch in uni!!! The screwed up thing is, my lesson started at 4 and ends at 8pm. What am i going to do now? Just enjoy every moment of freedom? Hahaha. Well, just like other years, i shall celebrate my birthday alone, just me myself and I. Happy birthday to me !!!!

Sci O Wk Part I + FIC + Flag Day

Ok i was back from Sci O Wk 2009 Part I 2 days ago saturday and i had a great time there. A great thank to the seniors especially for their patience and guidiance, especially in the area of module bidding. We played station games and sentosa war games and stuff, just like SCAMP, but we did not really run around the island or go for any fright night at old commando barrack like back in SCAMP. Joy and Javin were in my OG, there were my scamp OG mate as well. Tgt with us was a SCAMP shargen OG senior binglin who was my SOW OG Ninji senior.

Anyway i lost my voice on day 3 and got sunburnt on day 1. I regret not putting on sunblock which i reserved for the last day at sentosa. Thankfully after seeing a doctor on sunday, i manage to recover well in time. Well, my OG Ninji is made up of mostly reserved quiet pple but we are still a strong OG who remain undefeated most of the times during the few days of station games. However, if you still ask me which i enjoy more, i would still say SCAMP. Personally i think my scamp OG pple are really damn high, so is the OGL and seniors. Shargen was at super high mode then and we play out hearts out, we cheer our lungs out and we really enjoyed the time spent. I didnt enjoy as much in Ninji but i can sense the bonding improving with post-part-1 activities such as FIC and flag day which was held today.

I woke up damn early today for flag day and met Ninji at bishan. The entire university's freshmens were involved so theres some kinda small competition between faculities to see who get the most donation. Me weiyao n mariam went to Mayflower market to flag and having found myself a strategic location between the market and shop and save got me almost 2/3 to 3/4 full of donation funds in my tin. The aunties and uncles who went marketing there were lovely. However, things became different after lunch when we set on to our 2nd tin to flag outside MRT. The donation was significantly lesser, given the fact that many pple hav donated alreadi (coz NUS flaggers wearing yellow were all around the island) and they like in a rush. Haiz. Well, at least i feel i did some "gd deed" today hopefully improving my karma.

Fri is Sci O Wk part II finale but i will not attend the slumber party at night. I think i would giv sat's rag day a miss as well since i just landed myself a new tuition assignment from agency teaching J2 chem. Sch starting next wk. I got all my modules but now the troublesome part is tutorial and lab balloting. Damn chem modules' lab and tutorial registration coz its done first come first serve basis on IVLE unlike e rest thats done in CORS. So by the time i figure out how to register for my chem lab slots, the ideal ones were taken. Haiz. Wish me the best ba. Btw, sch is starting on my birthday !!! Wad a way to celeb my 21st !!!

我要开学了！

天啊，时间过得真快，一转眼我就要开学了。还有许多手续还没办妥，最重要的是心理准备还没作好。虽然说参加了一个迎新会和一个英文语言能力考试，但心里还处在一种庸懒的阶段，仿佛开课还离我非常遥远似的。再过一个星期我将官方登记成为学生，也将购买生平个人第一台手提电脑，也将参与第二段迎新会与其开始网上竞镖自己在第一学期修读的科目。好多好多事情和活动将接踵而来。已经两年半没有动用大脑的我不知又如何适应全新的学习环境与其即将面临的课业压力。现在的我是又兴奋又紧张，心理又害怕又复杂。就希望接下来要走的路将一切顺利。啊！！！ 开课咯！！！

SOW Brief + 1st OG Outing + 2205 Dinner

Yesterday was a long day. Woke up at 8am, had breakfast and went down to NUS for science orientation week brief. I arrived half an hour early at Sci Fac and i met up with BMT mate Xavier who is also attending SOW. Near 10am, i met up with a few of my SCAMP OG mates who are attending SOW as well. The brief was short but the queueing up for payment and submission of form took a long time. After the entire brief, the few of us Shargen pple went down to City Hall to meet up with the rest who are turning up for the movie. We had lunch at BK and then proceed on to watch Transformer at Marina Square. The movie was relatively ok, and megan fox is hot. After movie, we walked around for a while before i left Marina around 6.30pm to join my JC class for a farewell dinner for Jiamein. The train ride was fast but i waited for 45minutes for the only bus to bring me deep into the end of Pasir Ris park where the farewell dinner was held. Soon, the rain started to pour as i waited with increasing fustration for the bus. Just as the bus finally arrived, there was this china family who most likely were hawkers, moving sacks of rice, trolleys and all other things they could have brought from their stall onto the bus thus delaying the boarding process of the entire long queue behind. Finally reached the seaside bistro at 8pm roughly. I was the latest to arrive i guess. Just as we were having dinner the rain continued pouring, thankgoodness there was shelther above our heads, which i worried there werent when i was waiting back at the bus int. Dinner ended around 10+ when we made a sprinting dash for an approaching bus 403 which if we missed, we had to wait for another 45min. It was a rainy night. By the time i reach home, it was already midnight. It was indeed a long day.

SCAMP Day 5

Its the last day of camp and everyone was excited to break camp. We woke up at 11am and everyone changed to the standardized turqoise camp tee. We gathered at LT32 for prize presentation award. My OG won special mention OG award due to the unforgettable night we had at Old Hendon Camp. We then proceeded to the main folyer to have a mass photograph taking session. As the crowd was huge, it took quite a while to organize everyone. After photograph taking session, me and my OG had lunch at Science canteen, afterwhich, we officially break camp and go home. Me and 3 other girls who stay nearby shared a cab home. By the time i reached home, it was 5pm. I was burnt and shagged then. Anyway, no regrets joining SCAMP and i will be looking forward to round 2 of fun and friends at Science Orientation Week. 3 Cheers!!!

SCAMP Day 4

Probably the best sleep i've ever got in my five day camp, (coz i slept on the bed while the rest slept on the floor), i woke up early to brush my teeth. However, the weather wasnt good as dark cloud clustered. After all of us changed to our beach attire and gathered at LT 32, we were briefed regarding the programme at Sentosa, afterwhich, we set off to board the chartered bus which transported us to Sentosa Beach.

Upon arrival at Sentosa Palawan Beach, the sky was cleared, much to our delight. My OG started dunking our OGLs and seniors into the sea. We were so excited way before games officially started. Beach games started. There were six stations which involved us getting wet and dirty. But it was fun. We continued dunking seniors to earn more points. Red Bull sponsor girls arrived with cans of red bull drinks which served as refreshment for us after a whole morning of fun under the sun.

We sat down at a shady spot to have lunch before proceeding to the second part of beach game, which was War Game. The sun was very bright and it shined directly on us, baking every bit of us. I started regretting not apply sun protecting and predicted a very bad sunburn is eminent. We were briefed the rules of the war games. Basically every of the three houses had this many number of water bombs and we are to attack other houses' groundbase with the waterbombs. The house with the least number of waterbombs in their groundbase will win the overall champion house title. After filling up the waterbombs with seawater, i already felt the pain on my shoulders and back, but we still proceeded enthusiastically with the war games.

The war game started in a very chaotic manner. Imagine three houses attacking each other. I recalled launching a few waterbombs accurately into other houses' base inspite of their many defenders. The entire scenario was chaotic. Eventually, everything ended and the committee went to count the scores. In the end, my house miraculously won, inspite of the fact that we got the least number of bombs compared to the other two (they successfully bid more bombs before the game). As such, we won the right to bathe at the nearby toilets.

We were released to bathe and change for grand buffet dinner and clubbing at the night. We kind of agree that it was not a splendid idea to change in Sentosa into our clubbing attire. As the few hundreds of us started to squeeze into the limited number of available showers, a long queue is unavoidable. I recalled queueing for quite long before it was my turn. I bathed and changed into my all black attire. I had not club before hence i have no idea what is the definition of "clubbing attire". So i decided to wear what i wore to Ah Lu's wedding the other time.

Seeing everyone fresh and all dressed up was interesting. It was definitely another side of my OG mates i've yet to witness. We board the chartered bus which sent us to Hort Park for our buffet dinner. It was also where we were revealed who our SPs were. Unfortunately, my SP was not present as she sprained her ankle and was sent home to rest. The buffet dinner was good and we watched some games played amongst selected SPs pairs on stage.

It was 9pm to 10pm when we made our way down to DXO for clubbing night as a OG. We were initially planned to club at Butterfactory but due to some payment issues, the SCAMP comm was denied the venue one week before the camp and hence settled down with DXO as a last minute plan. Imagine if we really were to club at Butterfactory, there would not be any clubbing night because Butterfactory was shut down due to H1N1 outspread. So lucky of us. We played and chatted loudy along the whole journey, perhaps due to our extraordinary level of "high-ness". It was my first time clubbing and i was very excited. The first instance i entered the club, i knew it was not a place i liked. The dark and noisy environment was not welcoming to me, especially when the music was played at deafening volume. It gave me headache. But since i was already there, i told myself to let go, enjoy and have fun, it would serve as an invaluable experience.

Me and my OGmates danced through the night and i kind of getting the groove of it. Finally i've experienced what IS clubbing. The music stopped at 2am sharp and we were asked to leave because its closing. At that point of time, one of our senior was dead drunk and we have to send people within us to drive him back to school. The rest of us gathered back at LT32 before proceeding to NUH canteen to have supper, or rather breakfast (it was alreadi 4.30am when i had my bowl of meepok). Everyone was baked red due to the whole day under the sun at Sentosa. Me and a few guys even felt the pain on our shoulders with every single small movement we made. We did not bother to bathe or wash up after that. We just changed and fell asleep at LT32.

SCAMP Day 3

The commercial bus arrived promptly at 9am which transported us back to NUS LT 32. Everyone drifted off to dreamland along the way due to sleep deprivation. Upon arrival at LT32, we were given another sponsor talk which once again, hypnotised us to sleep. Station games around the entire NUS campus took place at 11am. It was followed by lunch and then wet and dirty games.

I was slightly reluctant to get myself wet and dirty at the start but as the fun kicked in, i did not really care much. We played alot of wet and dirty games. We had our whole shirt stained with ketchups and egg. We had our limbs and face smeared with paints and we just had alot of fun. Apart from that, we played with detergent and got ourselves in a big mess. The finale to the game was to tau pok one of our senior to earn extra points for our OG.

We did not bother to wash up and proceeded to dinner, afterwhich is mass dance again. Due to bad weather, we had to carry it out at the foyer outside LT27. Though abit pack, we did manage to learn the entire dance and have fun. Afterwhich, we got our stuff packed and checked into Ridge View Residence. Ridge View was freaking old and four of us have to squeeze into one single room. There was also toilet issue as many of us were fighting for limited number of showers available. We managed to get ourselves cleaned up and got ready for Day 4, which was sentosa day and clubbing night.

SCAMP Day 2

The day started much earlier than expect when a persisting handphone alarm sounded and woke everyone in the LT from the mids of our sleep. The time was 6.30am. Everyone was annoyed and reluctant to wake up but the irritating alarm kept on sounding until someone scolded the F word. We were supposed to wake up at 8am and prepare for breakfast. Breakfast was served. 2 loaves of bread with nutella spread. We then spent the morning making small gift for our SP - the guys made folded roses and the girls made paper minitures. The gift making session overan and spilled over to a boring sponsor talk which casted a sleeping spell on everyone in the LT.

It was around 1.30pm and we embarked on our Amazing Food Race around Singapore. We were supposed to plan our route and visit 6 or 7 food destinations before reporting at Changi Aloha Chalet by 7pm. We started off visiting Casuarina Roti Prata where we guys witnessed the overwhelming appetite of some of the girls in our OG. We then went to Bishan for chicken rice and subsequently Bugis for dessert, Taka for vegetarian meal, Katong for Laksa and Tampines for cheese cake. By the time we board the bus to our final destination at Changi Aloha, the sky was already dark.

No surprise we were the last OG to reach but that doesnt really matter. The entire house as a whole checked into one of the bungolow-liked chalet and we played more ice breaking games while waiting for the night games held at the haunted Old Changi Hospital and Old Commando Barracks off Hendon Road. Since we were the last house to report in as a whole, our house was the last to start the games.

We started around 1am. We were paired up in our OG, boys to girls and were briefed regarding safety precautions. The place looked spooky as it has been abandoned and emptied since long time ago, though the buildings still tower in the dark in the mids of the forested vegetation. I've read and heard stories of how dirty that place was with sealed rooms, mystery death case and satanic face appearance. But we did not care much at that point of time. All we wanted was to have fun.

As we made our way into the first barrack which was the furtherst, we sense spooked but we werent really afraid. We went level by level, room by room to check whether our game stations were hiden within. After clearing a few stations in the three designated buildings, it was 3am where we were given a choice whether to return and stop playing. But we persisted on as the only OG to continue playing after the 3am stop time. The seniors and gamemasters were also kind enough to stay for our sake. As we went on stations to stations, our energy level was dropping and i basically ended up like a walking zombie that i think, if there were any ghosts around at that point of time, they would really be scared by me. But we still pushed on to clear all stations.

Finally, we reached the finale station where everyone had to cross a series of web without sounding the bell. At that point of time, all the gamemasters and seniors involved were present. We cheered our lungs out for every single of our OG mate as they cross the web. We eventually cleared the station with high energy level. Everyone was very high with the constant cheering. The station masters and seniors and committee were very touched by our level of enthusiasm in spite of the time we were at - near 5am in the morning. And we hadnt have any sleep prior to the games. We as an OG also felt the sense of bonding and unitedness which gave us a sense of accomplishment. At the end of the day, the game comm offered to send us back to our chalet with their lorry and they gave us 3 cheers which we reciprocated back. This was also the night that made us Special Mention OG at the end of the entire SCAMP.

Reaching the chalet, it was alreadi 5am. We quickly bathed and had a short nap as we had to wake up at 9am to be brought back to school by chartered bus. It was really a night (or rather, a early morning) that we bonded the entire OG much more closer and a night we would never forget.

SCAMP Day 1

Well, i promised to bring you guys the content of fun and enjoyment from the 5 days orientation camp i joined last week and here are the details.

At 8am in the morning of day 1, i arrived at LT32 with my big luggage bag and my shoe bag ready to embark on a week of fun and bonding. Outside LT32, i checked my name against the list and was brought into the LT by my OG senior like customers being seated in a restaurant by a waiter. The crowd started pileing. I learnt that i belong to the OG Shargen which flag is a shark like warrior, which belongs to the house of Amanzia, water.

The camp officially started off with some basic ice breaking session. I was happy to learn that Kenneth, my cpmc colleague, was in my OG. Also in my OG were Javin (fellow AJCian) and his friend Weicun, Kenneth's MJ friend Don, one of the other OG senior's younger bro, Chii Yeh, 3 girls from NUS High Sch, Debbie, Joy and YY, 2 girls from SRJC, sheena and siting and finally Jac from ACJC.

Lunch was served at 11.30am as we get to sit in a circle and have our lunch, which was packed from the nearby residence. Surprisingly the lunch for that day, and subsequent days ahead was good, despite being just economical rice. After lunch, we played station games at the field. The final OG mate Jeremy, a PSC scholar who studied in Japan, joined in due to prior commitment earlier in the morning. We played some easy station games like sockings over head (the one i saw in Ellen Show), squeezing lime juice from the mouth, etc. While the fun was rather slow-paced, it served as a build-up to what is to come for the next 4 days.

After the games, we learnt Science Faculty cheers where i witnessed the bonding and spirit of the science faculty from the enthusiasm of the seniors. We had dinner and proceeded to the grandstand for mass dance. It was abit confusing at the start as our psychomotor problem kicked in. However, as we proceeded on the dance steps, things got a little more familiar.

Mass dance ended around 9 and the last event of the day was special pal. Special pal was when a guy and a girl freshie got blind-folded and paired up. So pairs basically get to interact with each other in private and blindfolded of cause. At the end of the camp, blind folds will be removed and we will to know who our SP was and what he/she look like. I was paired with this Indian girl from Green house. Do not ask me how i know but we kinda cheated the rules. We were not supposed to leak our identity but who cares. I learnt that she was from NYJC, attached, and intending to do Chemistry.

After the SP session, which ended around 11pm, we went back to the LT32 for a brief of what is to come for the next day and we were sent to the nearby residence to wash up, bathe and prepare to sleep. We layed our sleeping bags along the alley, stage and platform inside LT32 and fell asleep out of the tire accumulated over the day of events.

Back From SCAMP 2009 !!!

Woohoo, i'm back from SCAMP 2009 !!!! Yup, it is my Science fac orientation camp for freshies like me. Anw, it has been a fun and shagging five days four nights. I shall spare you guys the details first since i'm not in the mood of blogging about it now. But its damn fun. Woot. Day four's beach day got me totally sunburnt ! I am currently pain and red and chaota all over from head to toe. PAIN AHHH !!!! But still, enjoyed it alot. Concurrently there were fac of design and architecture and fac of eng camps going on and i heard design/arch camp was affected by H1N1 outspread in PGP residence. Thankgoodness we dont stay there. Despite the many outbreaks of H1N1 that disrupted many camps, my SCAMP still went on smoothly and everyone had fun. 3 cheers!!!

Runway Cycling 2009

The annual National Runway Cycling & Skating was held this morning at Paya Lebar Air Base. This is the first time I participate as a cyclist. However, it is not my first time involved in this event since I participated as a medic on cover during last year's event, hence getting to know of this special event, which gives the public an opportunity not only to step foot onto the restricted military runway, but also, cycling and skate on it.

I woke up at 6.10am this morning where i washed up, had a light breakfast and got myself prepared. Reached the busstop along Avenue 5 where i waited 15minutes for bus 72's arrival. I was scheduled to meet YY and James at Hougang Bus Interchange, where we will take a taxi down. While waiting at the busstop, I embraced the freshness of the morning air as I've yet to come in contact with it for a while ever since I ORDed and need not wake up early.

I arrived on the dot at 7.20am. James was late. However, we found out that there was free shuttle bus servicing between Hougang Interchange and PLAB, much to our favour. We board the shuttle service and arrived at PLAB at 8.10am. The place was packed. We had to go through security check and then proceeded on to redeem our bike which we reserved before hand. As the crowd was rather large, we were kind of lost for directions. We finally managed to make our way to the centre of the carnival where i met up with Nelson. Yongbo was also present. We promptly advanced to the flag off point where i can see ten of thousands of participants in bikes and skates.

We cycled the 15km leisure route, which is one round the runway. Along the way, the sun got brighter and the weather hotter. I managed to spot people i know, mainly those I've worked with during my NS days. Basically they're there as medics on cover. I saw 1ms's staff richard, my ex 2ic ah lu, my understudy dillon and also alex. Woot. Basically went over to say hi. Well, there was a small incident that happened. Two cyclist happened to narrow me and cut into my way from both sides which caused me to brake suddenly to avoid them. However, this caused a lady cyclist to crash into my bike and fell off. Thankgoodness she was not seriously injured. Well, i guess she must be cursing like mad despite my apologies.

We finish cycling at around 10am. The weather was freaking hot then. We seeked shelther at one of the hangers and rested for an hour or so. Afterthat, we return our bikes and went on board the free shuttle service back to Hougang where we had lunch. I also bought some standby medicine and a small pouch for tomorrow's orientation which will last for a week. Basically, I've never participated in any major mass physical activity event like marathon or something so i guess this year's runway cycling would well be my life's first. It feels different to participate for 2 years, last yr as a medic on cover and this yr as a participant. What an eventful day. What an experience.

Sci Camp Briefing

I woke up early in the morning today to attend sci camp briefing held at LT25. Its basically my first uni orientation camp and i know this is a great opportunity to know more people and open up while entering this new phase of my life. Anyway, i left the house early around 8.30am coz i gotta meet up with kenneth at 9.30am at buona vista mrt. So i took bus 74 which arrived promptly, unknowingly entering an arduous bus journey to school. The bus moved very slowly, perhaps the driver has too much time. When the bus reached bukit timah, i was only left with 10min to 9.30am so i asked kenneth to proceed to the busstop outside LT27 first and wait for me there. I decided to take the usual shortest route to sch, i.e. 74 then 151. However, just as i finished msging kenneth, 151 just zoomed passed my bus 74! I was hopeing that 74 will overtake it infront but it didn't, rather, it moved even slower. I alighted 74 after maju camp to wait for the next 151 which took 20min to arrive, after witnessing 3 more bus 74 zoomed pass my busstop. Its just not my day today. When i finally boarded 151, it was alreadi 9.51am. And when 151 dropped me at Yusoff house, it was already 10.02am. I was hopeing that a shuttlebus will come and pick me up but no there isnt. I saw the sat interval was 15 to 20min so i decided to sprint 2 busstops down, knowing that i was already quite late. It was upslope then downslope and by the time i reached the busstop, kenneth and his friends cheered me like i just completed my first marathon.

As i made my way into the LT, already drenched, the crowd in the LT disapointed me coz its, in chinese saying, little cats two to three of them. I do not know its pull strings or wad but alot of them r from kenneth's sch. Hurray, i am sole ranger again. But anyway, was given a short brief on what to expect and what to bring for the 5 days camp. Theres gonna be a clubbing night on day 4 so its kinda "exciting" coz it will be my first time to a club. And i do not know whats "clubbing attire" - can anyone enlighten me? The brief lasted less then half an hour? And we made our way outside to pay up, submit the consent form and get our photograph taken. Oh i met Jeslin, my sec 3 - 4 classmate, who happened to be in the camp committee or something. But anyway, everything finished around 11+ where i took another boring train journey back home. Alright, apart from the stupid dermatitis which i googled online only to find out the real name is dyshirosis, i am down with sorethroat. Brought some danzen, hopeing it will subside soon. I wanna go sci camp fresh and healthy to enjoy the full essence of it.

...

When i stepped out of the tunnel connecting Dhoby Ghout station and Plaza Sing on saturday evening, i see crowd made up of mostly NSF....whats more...recruits. They were everywhere...carls junior, pizza hut, etc...clusters and colonies of them. Well, they can be easily identified coz of their short, if not, botak, hairstyle. So yah, not that i wasnt an NSF once, but it just amazed me how easy i can identify this group of young guys now that i've orded compared to last time before i enlisted. Anyway, its something worth celebrating for the recruits coz i heard they're pop-ing soon this week. So girls out there who are attracted to fresh hot-blooded NSF, please head down to PS during weekends....hahaha. For pple who dislike crowded area like me, juz stay clear from there. =P

Cycling @ ECP

What was planned to be a sentosa beach fun turned out to become a cycling session for four at east coast park. I met GR, Dil n lerh at Parkway Parade yesterday at 2.30pm when we proceeded to ECP to cycle. Rental was $6 for 2 hours plus a bottle of free mineral water. It was not very taxing on my wallet indeed. After not cycling for years, i had a hard start at first, trying to master the balancing and starting as i wobble around for the first hundred meters. Nonetheless, i got the hang of it and everything after went smoothly. It was good practice for my coming runway cycling. We cycled all the way down to Bedok Jetty and then to Shrub Garden, stopping at some points to take photos. I coincidentally met my lower sec classmate Sharon Soh at the Shrub garden and we took photos too.

After the 2 hours cycling session, we went to rest at ECP Mac where i passed by Radio 913's roadshow and saw DJ rod. I guess that was part of the National Family Day thing. After washing up, it was near dinner time. Went back to Parkway parade and played some arcade. After that, had dinner at Mos. Me and lerh talked GR into changing his old boring hairstyle and shoved him into the $10 QB cut, waiting for some surprise new look to emerge. However, the barber failed us as he didnt look any bit different from before. Well, it was already dark, roughly 8.30pm....and hence i ended the day by taking a one hour bus ride back to AMK on 135.

Atopic Dermatitis + BK's New Spicy Burger

It has been nearly 2 weeks and my skin problem has not been cured, rather, it aggrevated. Went to see my family doctor again yesterday morning. It was such a long queue that i have to wait outside the clinic. It took me an hour before my turn arrived. After the doctor observed my condition, she stated that its not tinea but rather atopic dermatitis, something to do with contact allergy and is a family of eczema. I was then rather overwhelmed, not by the fact of the new diagnosis, but by the fact that one week ago, the young doctor from my father's company clinic whom i saw for free, diagnosed me with tinea with just one look and all along i''ve been treating my condition wrongly. Anyway, i was told to discontinue the use of the anti fungi cream and was prescribed PP wash, beprosone cream (which is betamethasone 0.05% w/w) and piriton/lorathadine for the itch. It is exactly one day since i've been using the new medicine now. I shall observe how effective the new medications are to my condition. Was rather scared by stories from my friends stating they had such conditions before and took months to cure, blah blah blah....i wanted to join orientation and start school in my best form okay!

Anyway, recently if you are waiting for bus you would hav observed the promotion on BK's new spicy tender burger or tender spicy burger or wtv its called. I've tried it on sunday and i advise you guys not to try it. Hahaha. I'm not some kinda food critic here but I shall give my two cents worth regarding this. On sunday, i decided to try the new burger for dinner. It was all well until i took my first bite. And then i was like...."oh shit"! Not that it taste bad, but it just taste like any other spicy burger you can get, e.g. McSpicy. What shocked me more was the fact that the pure chicken thigh was extremely oily upon deep fried. I can see the layer of skin soaked with oil like a giant piece of fibrous sponge. Well, i have this weird habit of not eating chicken skin or any kinda skin since young coz i was taught that its unhealthy and should remove it. Even when i eat Mcspicy, i would remove the layer of skin first before continuing my indulgence. As for then, i could not remove the layer of skin from my BK spicy tender wtv burger coz my hands were applied with topical cream! Taking a few more bites, i've decided to do experiment it more. I "gently" compressed the burger infront of my eyes and there it was....freaking so much oil flowing out from between the skin and the meat and i almost fainted. The oil just flow out endlessly and soaked the bottom component of the burger's bread. Just as i thought most of it were out, i compressed it again and more came out. I wanted to gave out eating that sinful thingy but was scared to be ticked off by my parents for wasting food. In the end, i removed the bottom burger bread soaked with oil and ate the rest with guilt. Guilt of eating so much fats into myself. Argh !!! So much that i've to seek courage to forgive myself for that sinful indulgance : dear cMh, forgive me (myself) for i've sinned. Anyway, moral of the story: 1. never try new suspicious things again. 2. Always remove the skin whenever it exist before eating.

Updates

I realized how long i havent been blogging over the past few weeks. Not that i hav no time to do so, but rather, i really have nothing much to blog about. So heres a short brief update on what i'm up to now:

As you know, i cant find a temp job, so i spent most of the time at home nuah-ing. Too much nuah-ing is not good coz i will not be used to the momentum of hard work once it starts. Well, i am like living with minimum income, only from my two tuition students, which is 2/3 of my NS pay in total. But still, being rather thrifty (or rather, stingy), i spent quite little so i managed to survive through these days. Have saved enough during NS days to pay for my uni laptop and other micellenous stuff so i wasnt much worried bout that. I spent $60 on another uni inorganic chemistry reference bk and started reading. But i totally do not understand what the shit it is talking about, when i am only on the first chapter. It was demoralising. I guess my brain has been too accustomed to not thinking hard. Sad.

This morning while i go to swim (as i always do at least once per week), my goggles broke into half! Meaning i have to get myself another pair of goggles which would probably cost me at least another $20 to $30? Its money to be spent again! Been saving money these days by settling lunch at home. Stock up my kitchen wif all sorta food stuff during weekend grocery shopping at NTUC with my parents. Well, they pay for the grocery bills, so i did save on that. But still, i only bought cheap stuff like pasta and frozen food, so yah...not really too taxing on their part.

I am down with foot rot at my right toe, yes for those who guessed the medical term for it correct when i post on facebook shoutout, it is tinea pedis. Clusters of small vesicals start popping out around my toe and the web space between big toe and index toe and its really an eyesore. Sometimes i use a needle to burst the vesical and those clear liquid oozing out being dried by tissue. Although i know thats like not the right thing to do but my hand is just as itchy. Haha. Got some anti fungi cream from the nearby clinic to apply but after days it seems to be getting worse.

Waiting for orientation and uni start to school to approach. Cant wait to start a brand new phase of my life, making new friends, learning new things, getting used to new routines. Also waiting for my dream phone - Sony Ericsson C901 or C903 to be out in the market so i can get it (either one) while renewing my singtel contract. Both are 5 megapix cybershot phone and they look rather cool. It is to be out early this year but i guess due to the global recession thingy, the release has been delayed. Oh well...i'm still using my NS phone which screen was been scratched until beyond recognition. Oh well...perhaps i shd ask that from my family member as a 21st birthday gift. Hahaha....juz jk.

NUS Pre-Enrollment Checkup + B&J Free Cones Day

I left the house early at 11.50am, and took a 10min walk to the busstop along AMK Ave 3 opposite the train station. My bus 74 arrived after a 10 minutes wait and there, i squeezed into it, which is packed by students. It was not known to me where these students belong to since the bus is taken by students from 4 varsities - NP, NUS, SIM & SP, my guess was ngee ann poly. I alighted at Bukit Timah Road in front of Mad Jack and took bus 151 all the way to Yusoff Ishak House - NUS where i was supposed to meet Nelson and Yongbo. We scheduled our pre-enrollment medical checkup today as it coincides with Bens & Jerry Free Cones Day which we indulged in after that. We had lunch at Subway because Nel felt like eating bread. I observed that the compound was rather quiet, probably due to a one week term break or study break which i was informed of by Jas.

After lunch, we made our way to the health centre which reminded us of our days as medics in SAF medical centres. We registered ourselves at a separate booth and had our height, weight taken and eyesight tested. Afterwhich, we proceeded to have our BP taken, where i commented on the inaccuracy in using an electronic BP cuff. Urine test was next where the medic professionalism in me set in to remember on taking midstream sample. A CXR was done which reminded me of the last one i did years ago in CMPB. Finally, we were reviewed by a lady doctor who tested my normal brain functioning (the PEARL, no nystagmus, no dipliopia, etc), my stomach (abdomen soft non tender, no voluntary guarding) and also my cardiac functions (hearts lungs clear, S1S2 no murmur, no creps, breathe sounds equal bilaterally). I can actually recall all these things from my 1.5 years of medic mopa experience.

We started to talk medical stuff while waiting for each others' turns and the conversation turned out amusing. We strolled down to the science bookshop where i intended to buy an inorganic chemistry book. I dismissed the intention after noticing that the price was not stated. Again, it was an excuse for my procrastination.

We took a train down to Cathey to have our free cones. It was Ben's & Jerry's Free Cone Day and thus we shall not miss out the annual fun. Upon arrival, we were rather shocked by the influx of students that formed a homogeneously long queue. The thing was, Jas and her friends happened to be in the mids of the queue and her friend whom i do not know offered for us to cut in. However, being rather moral or infact, scared that the back people may complain, i declined politely and walked to the next outlet at Raffles City. The queue at Raffles City was much tamer as i would described and we got our cones within 30 minutes of queue. Students in uniformed formed majority of the queue as usual and i was then, joking to the rest that i would deliver a complain letter to the MOE on schools releasing their students too early. Ngiap and Jonathon joined in half way through.

Finally, we had our ice-cream and we ate it down with sense of satisfaction after a long queueing up process. However, not having enough kick of it, we decided to queue up for the second time. We finished our first cone though and remove all evidence that we already had our free cone to avoid others putting us in the bad light. Nonetheless, it was shocking that many students in the queue infront or behind us were still in the mids of their first or second or third or whatever number of cones. Having chocolate brownies flavour for my first, i went for chocolate macadanium for my second cone and both were equally good.

After the ice-cream indulgence, we walked to Marina Square where Nel supposedly said he wanted to eat something. He did not in the end and we went home. I took a one hour bus ride home on service 162. It was a fufilling day. The only regret i had was to procrastinate at the point of buying my second reference book - Atkins & Shrivers Inorganic chemistry. If only i had bought it.

Tampines One

Visted the newly opened Tampines One this afternoon with ZC. Great appreciation of him travelling all the way from Jurong East. The first thing we did is to visit the famous Uni-qlo shop, which is a famous japan fashion outlet that opens its first franchise in singapore. We needa queue to enter as there is this marshaller controlling the 3 lanes-long queue. Finally got in after half an hour wait, it was kinda disappointment coz i didn really like the clothes there. And its not especially cheap. A plain colour polo tee cost $30. Wow. But the pants and jeans were nice, not the shirt i guess. The new Tampines one was small but long and it is 5 storey high. But the shops were kinda repetitive. So there wasnt much of a surprise factor i guess. Took a bus ride home. Reached home just in time to catch my daily dose of Ellen show.

无字的情批

Mr. Emo King a.k.a. CMH loves hokkien songs in KTV. Happened to browsed thru this song in youtube and i tot not only the tune is tragically nice (its written by you hong ming, btw, thats y its tragic and nice), the lyrics also very 画面感. Lalala....this will be the next hokkien song i will conquere !!!

Random Friday

The weather is good today and i am supposed to go for a swim but i am lazy. Its friday, doing the usual stuff slacking around. Had K-lunch yesterday at marina infact with 2 friends and really had a nice time. I confess i am a terrible singer but those hokkien songs just keep me high. After K, i did not want to go home first before going my sec 4 tutee's house for tuition at 4.30 so i decided to hang around, only later to found out my northbound bus trip took quite alot of time, leaving me strangled with half an hour to transfer a bus at thomson road. Still managed to make it there in time. My hair is getting longer and i am not used to the volume. Had been religiously cutting my hair for the past 14 years - 6 yrs pri sch, 4 yrs sec sch, 2 yrs jc and 2 yrs NS, so i hardly had any experience keeping long hair. Well, its not too long infact but just the thick volume makes it hard to tame. Perhaps i shall visit a barber or hairstylist this weekend to thin my hair a little while keeping the length of the sideburns and the back. I dunno what i am talking about. Tuition tml for my J2 student, will be teaching phenol and carbony. Well well... oh yes, did i mention that i suspect there are a few mosquitoes that flew into my house and now i keep on getting itch and bites around the house. Irritating. I once vowed that if i become a great scientist, i shall make mosquitoes extinct. Like thats gonna happen for a creature that outlives dinosaurs and our generations of ancestors. Oh well, its just another random friday....i shall go out and buy lunch.

Journey To The West

On monday noon, i went to explore the newly extended Jurong Point with my friend, biggie, who is a fellow resident of the outskirt estate of singapore. I was amazed by how huge neighbourhood malls can be, especially with the range of retail outlets located there. I wouldnt mind visiting it again, considering the fact that it was an hour train ride from my house. He later accompanied me to NTU bookshop to find a reference book i am sourcing for months but learnt that it was not available there. When we got back to Boon Lay station, we took the train ride to the newly opened Joo Koon station. I couldnt believe i was so fantasized by the 2 station ride which turned me into a 5 year old kid. We were rather fascinated by the PA announcement of the 2 new stations - Pioneer & Joo Koon, as well. Haha. It was kinda stupid but there wasnt many passengers on board to witness our stupidity. Went home after the train ride. It was then already 5.30pm.

Random Rants

I think my life sux.

My social life sux....

I have no close friends...

I have not no girlfriend...no love...

99% of my weekends are spent ALONE at home unlike other people i know who have outings and gatherings almost every weekend.

I find it hard to socialize with people...i am a complete failure at that.

Pple just think that i am a non-contributor to conversations....no common topics at all....

Living every seconds of my life in complete loneliness and boredom. That sux.

My work life is fk up....

I cant find a job after i ORD... maybe i've not tried hard enough...

But other people got theirs so easily.... those jobs that i applied for as well ....

Why pple can find a school to teach in with just one call and i can call the entire estate but no one needs me....

Why pple can get so many students for tuition but no one contacted me....

Luck is not on me....

My future is not bright at all....

Average results getting into a uni course that leads to no where....

I dont even know if i can do well enough or i will juz flop....

I dont even know what i want to do....

People stereotyped me.... as a boring person .... and just another person.... not someone special...

I am a coward....i cant even pluck up the courage to do simple things....i am only waiting for things to happen....

I hate the life i am leading for the past 21 years....

I need to change....but how....

I wish i could have been reborn and live my life again....but i think no matter how many times i can be reborned....i will still end up as a failure here ranting bout my imperfections....

At most pple in sch envy me for my "gd results"....so wad if my result is slightly better....i am not happy at all....

I am a failure....my life sux....i am not happy...

星光4 总冠军赛

昨晚最新消息，恭喜方宥心奉为台湾超级星光大道4总冠军。相信是华人歌坛上最受瞩目的歌唱比赛推出一代又一代的优秀歌手，如林宥嘉、萧敬腾、杨宗伟、神木与瞳、梁文音、黄靖伦、等。虽然无法在昨晚现场观看，但就是追分数方面就已经够刺激了。好，回到主题。昨晚前五强就进入了会后一战，结果人气王方宥心虽然成绩稍微不如亚军，却以过高的票选成绩击败了亚军的张心杰，两人中分差距只有0.02。积分赛上的第四名林鸿鸣带来他的重金属乐队应战，夺得高分，把当时积分赛的康康压到第四名，顺利挤入前三甲。恭喜各位表现一流。我本身较支持方宥心和张心杰，对昨晚的成绩感到满意。目前为止，四届里仍然出现同样两个现象： 1）比赛过程中，最先拿下满分的参赛者（除了二班）都拿下冠军。 2）在前一届来踢馆的踢馆魔王都最多是亚军 （梁文音，林芯仪，张心杰） 3）很可惜的，星光四没有一人维持不败记录，要否可以说所有的冠军都维持不败纪录，这个现象被破了！哈哈。最后让大家来观赏一下冠军的压轴演出：

Detroit Metal City

Watched Detroit Metal City yesterday. The story line was actually from the same anime series, about a guy having split personality between a musician who wants to sing and give hopes and dreams to all listeners, and a death metal vocalist who sang about satanic violence of rape, death and wads nod. The movie was quite funny, in my opinion, other than the heavy metal music that may prove deafening at times. But still, i have a good laugh in the theatre.

I was actually amazed at how that lead actor guy (who acted as L in death note) can actually don off his costume and make up in such a short time at any location. I also like how he scared off the kids in the amusement park and stuff. When he was back to his own self, the way he behave as a wimp is also quite funny.

Anyway, it was quite a nice show but definitely not for those who cant stand crude vulgarities coz they sang alot of it in their heavy metal songs. Haha.

ORD LO !!!!

ORD LO !!!! Finally 2 years have passed. Went back to HQMC to collect my pink IC yesterday. The feeling was never that great to have completed another milestone of my life journey. Together with my IC comes along with my certificate of service and a page long testimonial, which i guessed was written by my MO. Very grateful for that piece of testimonial, coz i know some of my friends' testimonial was f**ked up as their superior cant be bothered to write a proper one for them. I was, however, saddened that i am posted back to army for reservist, it was 3 C S H i thing. Heard it was quite xiong, have to build and tear down those big big tentage and containers that spread across soccer fields and what 12 hour medic/patient role-switch shift. Not sure bout that but to console myself, i would say, at least in times of war, i wont be the first few to die. Hahaha. It feels suckie not to be posted back to airforce la, given all my ex colleagues who orded were back in some airforce unit. Haiz.

Anyway, after collecting my pink IC and my testimonial, which i proudly stride out of nee soon camp, i went back to give a proper farewell to my current colleagues in CPMC. It was the place i spent majority of my NS life in, witness the sequence of developments, rise and fall of the medical centre, where i spent my time and effort as a dispensary ic, clearing piles of shit, discrepancies, work and stuff, making friends with ex colleagues, current colleagues, MO(s), senior medics, patients, officers from the units in my camp, blah blah blah. Nostalgic.

Its time finally !!! My time has come, for me to say goodbye, after witnessing so many batches of medics come and leave. Seeing how different pple display different work attitude, how new medics, under the supervision of us older ones learn the procedures of running the med ctr, pass their OJT test, do their first edrills, do their first D1 D2 duty, succeed their upper study to bcom dept ic and stuff....woot...it seems like a long journey, 1 yr and 3 mths. Now, i gladly leave with the med ctr under the good hands of my juniors and future batches of medics to come, under the hand of a new MO (my MO is ording also in 2 wks time) and wads more to come. Most imptly, my dispensary under the good hands of my wonderful self-picked understudy dillon. The only small sense of lacking comes from me unable to bid farewell to my MO, who is on oversea ex and also the medic who worked with me the longest - my dear store ic, oso on oversea ex. Hahahaha.

As i pulled my duffle bag out towards the main gate, just like how i pulled it into during my posting to cpmc, the sky started to rain, just like the first day i came in. How coincidental. This could be the last time i step foot onto the camp, coz i am now back to army. 2 years of service, learnt alot. Learnt alot of clinical skills esp in cpmc, esp for my role as dispensary ic and a mopa, all the drugs and stuff, all the basic consultations for normal sick cases....very much useful in the future. And now, i shall embark on my next milestone in life, and that is the start of uni sch life. Very excited, heard its gonna be stressful....however, i will say....BRING IT ON !!!

PE's 21st

Yesterday, my pri sch clique celebrated PE's belated 21st at Suntec. Just an hour before i met them for the event, i was at home making the birthday card (coz times are bad and cards from hallmark cost a bomb). Due to some miscommunication, where i interpreted it as the girls meeting each other at city hall at 6pm, i told yy to be there at 6pm and the birthday boy to reach at 6.30pm. However, the fact is that the girls are meeting at AMK at 6. Oh well, somehow or rather, we did got the card signed and the cake bought "secretly". We treated him dinner at fish and co, afterwhich we went to PS and sang birthday song for the birthday boy with his mini cake from breadtalk, at the corridor outside PS, which is kinda pathetic. Haha. Since the night is still young, we went to the arcade at dhoby ghout mrt and played time crisis until 11pm. We were horrified and disgusted to witness a tranny dressed up in kawai anime schoolgirl there. It was totally gross. Took the train home, managed to reach home before midnight. Lalala...happy belated 21st to FPE !!!

Yesterday I Attended A Wedding Dinner

Yesterday evening, i attended my senior medic 2ic's wedding dinner at Grand Corpthorne hotel. Most of the orded personel were invited since preparation for this dinner had been done like a year ago, and we happened to be present in camp back then. It was my first personal wedding invitation so i was kind of excited then about this.

The first thing that came to our concern is how much angpow to wrap. After asking each other and getting "i dunno" as the standard answers, we wrapped as according to our financial status but definitely within market range. It is a good number ending with 8 though. Second, what to wear. I wore more of a casual smart cum abit of hip hop element though. Ok its rubbish but i wore my shining black demin jeans and a newly bought black jacket with a printed tee inside. I have friends wearing ranging from extra formal blazer (he looks like a valent parking guy) to blue jeans and long sleeve office wear. So it was quite interesting to see actually. Thirdly, how to get there. Most of us met at Orchard MRT where we took a bus there. Alighting one stop before the desinated one due to human error and misjudgement (it was dark okay), we have to walk one more busstop before arriving to the hotel.

Upon arrival, we saw our dear bride groom and went ahead to congratulate him. It was weird to see him in that outfit but its okay, we look weird ourselves in each others' eyes. Settling down on a table for our own, the banquet started promptly. After not attending ceremony for like n years, where n is a significant number, i would expect present wedding banquet to be kinda different from the past but it was all the same. I mean, what i experienced when i was a kid attending my long distance relatives' wedding, kinda resembles the present one i attended as a soon-to-be 21 yr old adult. The dry ice and the "march in" and the video presentation and stuff. Even the "grand entrance" of the cold dish with lighted candle was kinda similar, just that the music was no longer that old japanese musician's one (you all know which one i am referring to...the one with the flute and stuff). Instead, english pop songs were used.

The dish was okay, just that our table seemed always to be the last to be served. Perhaps its because we were sitting near the back. The taste.....not fantansic....just plain normal. Haha. I had tasted better ones. But its still okay. As the usual sequence of events took place throughout the dinner, the entire banquet ended around 1030. I had 2 glass of wine which turned my face red. I was not drunk though. Did see one or two case of pple getting drunk but its ok. Took MRT home. Reached home around midnight and went immediately to bed after a hot bath.

ORD Approaches

Its 16 days to my ORD and believe me people out there who have still long way to go...ORD is really not that happening after all. Not that i am not excited to leave this damn lifestyle but then, the eager of reaching day 0 is not as significant as expected. Was super high in the past...perhaps 3 months mark but then....now as the day approaches, the excitment wears off. Went to do dental FFI ytd, it was fast. The female dental officer just checked for not more than 10seconds and i am done. Including the queue time, it just took me half an hour. Went back to camp afterthat and slack since i did not apply off for that day. The medical centre is much more quieter than before. The contrast is significant as compared to when i first entered. Perhaps its due to the different batches of medics present. Had been taking things slow these days. Even my clearance form...i had no idea when and how to start. So hopefully taking things as it goes proves useful. This sunday i will be attending my snr medic 2ic wedding, will be seeing the other ord-ed medics. My first personal wedding invitation. Haha...(look into wallet)....ok. Hahaha. Later going gym. To escape RT in the future i.e. Oh well. The weather is moody. Waiting for breakfast to be ready. Bye.

Today I Built A Bookshelf

This morning, i bought a new bookshelf from IKEA to replace my existing one that is in extremely chwee condition. Its the same design but its longer in width. Anyway, after lunch, i spent an hour trying to fix this thing. It is one of those things MAN has to learn how to do you know...like getting things fixed here and there. Despite failing my D&T exams during sec 1 and 2 days, i managed to comprehend the idiot-proof instruction manual and get the bookshelf fixed:

The box opened out to be like that.

Idiot-proof instruction manual which i followed.

Almost done !!! (After all the hammering and screwing)

Ta-dah !!!

Okay, so at least i CAN do this on my own. See girls, who say i aint gonna be a good husband in the future? Hahaha. I felt an instant sense of manliness. Hahaha. =P

终于下雨了！

轰隆一声，我视线顿时离开电脑荧光屏转向左侧的窗口，外头乌黑一片，值得庆幸的是，老头终于下雨了！热浪来袭，相信国人一定吃不消。最近本地天气干旱，已经好几个星期没下雨了。不知从何开始，应该是新年前一个星期吧。在外头走，炎热的天气真让我烦感，一头好想跳进泳池似的。除此之外，外头的草地都干得发黄，一头路过一片草丛森林还发现有被烧过的痕迹，连树上的叶子都被火烧的痕迹，相信应该是天气太干热而引发的火灾吧。河里和溪水池里的水位也低到见底。据报道，这段时期是新加坡罕见的干旱期，相信会维持一段时期。这怎能让人吃得消啊？不止呢，在世界各地如澳洲和中国也面临天气干旱。澳洲森林大火火势无法控制。中国当局还得向天空发射火弹来摧雨。上个星期天，我国天空也一度乌黑，整当以为大雨将来临，洗涤本岛，但是雨没下几滴就停止了，隔天还放大晴，真是气人。如此，希望这场雨能够下久一点，下大一点，灌溉本岛的草地、树木、森林，也为本岛将一将温。

人是“犯贱”的

曾有人告诉我，人是“犯贱”的！听了他的一番解释后，认为“犯贱”这个词太强烈了，但我很同意他的看法，只是觉得“矛盾”是个比较适当的词汇。从何说起哪？之前我军营里医疗中心是得入住（stay-in）的，就是说5点放工后不能回家，得在军营里过夜，只有周末才能出去。当时，同事们都强烈反抗，认为放工后留下来没什么意义，也强烈请求上司考虑让大家放工后能够回家（bookout）直到隔天早上上班时才报到。果然，这项请求被批准了。我们也成了军营中唯一可以朝九晚五，傍晚回家，早上报道的一群士兵。可是，大多数的同事都选择“stay-in”，原因是懒惰回家，隔天也能迟一点起床。这还搞得医疗中心里不够床位给入宿的人睡。既然这样，起初为何要求“stay-out”哪？真是矛盾。

当我们同事还在德光岛或医疗总部学院受训时期，都得吃食堂供应的免费餐点，即使食物再不符合胃口，都得应承把它吃完。当时，大家都很希望有机会到canteen还是mess购买食物，那应该是给受训者（trainees）很大的优待了。可是毕业后，到医疗中心或其他的部队工作后，大家仍然选择吃食堂的餐点，原因是省钱，不需要付费！

从上面两个例子可以看出，当我们没有选择，被硬逼时，都很渴望得到更好的福利的优待。但是一旦有了选择的权利，我们还是会做出最初已经拥有的唯一选择。人太矛盾了。

说说自己吧，一直说他人，有如自己也没有过这样“犯贱”。记得上初院和到德光岛受训时，都很讨厌上体育课。因为自己身体不强壮，也不喜欢运动，常常被体育官逼得死去活来，有如逼一头猪上树，真是活受罪！体育老师和体育官做的一切都是为了让我们跟强壮，达到应该有的一个体能标准，自己却不愿受惠，坚持拒绝与体育健身有什么来往。但是现在没有什么老师或体育官来督促我，强逼我运动，自己却开始加紧运动，希望能够达到一个底线的标准，让将来身体少一点毛病，也让以后的体能测验能够通过。大家看，有机会在适当的环境和设备训练体魄时自己却不以为然，当自己已经“重获自由”时却开始注意这一点，你说是不是“犯贱”呢？

I Toured NUS Today

After having a simple breakfast of bread with omlette this morning, i walked to YY's house to use his computer for applying my relief teaching thingy online. I have totally no idea why everyone's internet except for mine can access to the online application. But its okay, i've settled it within half an hour.

After i settled my online application, i accompanied YY to NUS coz he wants to buy books. He didnt buy any in the end but nvm. We took a bus down and when we got there, it was 1.45pm so we waited for mk's lecture to end at 2 before having lunch at Arts canteen. With limited funds in my pocket, i settled for my lunch with just $2.60 and an additional 75cents on drink. At least i was consoled that NUS food wasnt as expensive as i think it should be. We walked around aimlessly at Arts Fac until mk's next lesson was bout to start.

Then, we took a shuttle bus to Sci fac and we toured the bookshop. I personally feel the books sold there were much more expensive than NTU. The range was also quite limited. In the end we didnt buy anything. Hmmm.... It started raining and YY, who had many experience doing sch lab attachment there brought me on a tour of my future sch. The layout was messy and i often find myself arriving at dead ends. Old can be a word used to describe the sci fac. Disappointment set in coz i am supposed to spend my next 4 yrs there. The canteen, as known to all, was the worst of all in NUS. Oh man....

As the rain subsided, we went to SRC. I wanted to see the free gym and swim pool i can access to when i am a student next time. The gym i saw was utterly small and there is only 1 competition pool to support the entire varsity. Abit disapointed really. Hopefully there are other bigger gyms in the school that i have yet to come across.

I took a feedle bus out to buona vista and took a train back home. I will be matriculating soon to NUS sci this yr and hopefully i wont regret my choice. Haha. Though some kinda disapointment has set in already but then...i always hope for the best. Haha. At least thats the only thing i can do.

新年聚会

短短几天就参与的几个聚会，好充实哦。哈哈。就在星期四旁晚，与其他三位BMT认识的好友聚餐，真难得我们四位全都能在时间上配合。星期六早上到了朋友的家拜年，一共有我们五位从小学就认识到现在的好友。午餐时分，他们就到了我家。我们就一直在打麻将，还教了其余两位不懂麻将的人怎么打。旁晚时分，我也到初院同学家参加同学聚会，有火锅晚餐也又有麻将打。今天星期天早上和军营里的一些前同事聚餐，好多曾一起工作打拼过的前同事都出席了，真难得。希望以后还能有这一类不同的聚会聚餐，大家叙旧一下。

今天年初三

今天年初三，我依然在放假。前几天忙着团圆饭和拜年，没什么时间可以在部落格上留言。说到拜年，每年都一样，来来去去就是那一两家。嗨，想找朋友出去玩他们都没空。本人家庭小的关系吧。安排了一些聚会，将在这几天进行，有点期待。今天初三，在家没事做就在中午时分去游个泳，非常享受在大太阳底下浸泡在冰冷的池水中，再随着自己的速度自由自在地在水中游行。怎么今天写的都那么random。一定是自己太闷了。好友们请找我打几圈麻将吧，手好痒哦。前几天一直都在打网上麻将，真是不够过瘾。啦啦啦。。。

Spring Cleaning + Red Cliff 2

I started the first day of my 1 month plus pre-ord off spree doing spring cleaning at home. I realize i'd not done any serious spring cleaning ever since i graduate from JC. I started around 10 in the morning, starting from my study table to my bookshelf and then my own walldrobe. I started rearranging the storage of my books, files and cleared alot of unwanted stuff. I was much more merciless than before in terms of clearing unwanted things. I basically threw anything and everything which i feel i would not be using again. By 3pm, i had 5 bags full of rubbish to be thrown away, 2 bags of magazines and old textbooks to be recycled and 1 bag of clothes to be sold to karang guni. My room feels so much neater and emptier. Great sense of satisfaction. Making space for my army fieldpack and stuff coz i will be ord-ing soon and i need place to keep them for future reservist use. In the process of spring cleaning, i stumble upon some old photo albums dated back to primary school days and i realize zomg, i was so cute back then. Hahaha. But of coz now i am turning 21, i am also very "cute and handsome", just in the "more mature ways". Hahaha.

At around 5pm, i met GR at AMK Hub for movie. We previously had an arguement on whether to watch Red Cliff 2 or Ip Man. In the end i won. I initially thought the movie is going to start at 5.45pm, but only to realize i checked the wrong date of movie schedule on yahoo last night. I checked yesterday's schedule instead of today's. It always happened to me. In the end, we tried out luck at Jubilee's Eng Wah and managed to catch the show half an hour earlier than what was offered at AMK Hub's Cathey. The movie was an abstract from The Romance of Three Kingdom, showing how Zhou Yu and Zhu Ge Liang outwitted Cao Cao in war stratagies. It was very enticing. The story of 草船借箭 and 万事俱备只欠东风 was depicted in the movie. The final war part where lotsa fires and explosions were very impactful. I love it. They removed more of the glore violence and built up more of the storyline. After the movie, the two of us had dinner at Astons. Reached home around 10pm. Eventful day.

HOTO + ORD Treat

These few days were one of the happier days in my NS life. Lets start with yesterday. After assuming the role of Dispensary IC for 1 year 3 months, I finally did an official hand over, under the witness of my boss, to my understudy. At the moment when my boss signed the form, followed by my understudy and then me, i felt a sudden relief as though all responsibilities have been removed from my shoulders as i pass my department on to someone whom i've picked, trained, work with and learn from for the past 4 months. Recalling my times as the IC, i started from scratch, not knowing any work procedures and with the department in a mess, filled with discrepancies. I have no upper study to teach me what to do and how to do. As part of my own initiative, i read the directives and work manuals, consulted my luckier friends in other medical centres who have an upper study to teach them. I established a brand new system under my charge, taking a bet to see if things worked out. Over the months, the discrepancies were cleared and this department is well established as for now. Compared to the time i was picked to take over it, it was a 180 degree turn for the better. Now that it was time to past on to my understudy, i feel that he was much more luckier than me, at least there was something for him to sustain compared to nothing for me to start on. Speaking of my understudy who is now officially the new IC, i strongly believe he is up to the challenge as he is responsible, diligent, hardworking and also, intellectually capable. He is a good natured guy and its my honor to know him. All the best to you, Dillon, remembers the constant reminders of cautions and you will do fine.

This afternoon was our ORD threat. Me, together with 2 other colleagues who ORDs in Feb treated the entire medical centre Botak Jones lunch. I never thought this day would come as i was always the one being treated, batches after batches. Finally its my turn. Although some money from my own pocket was sacrificed, but it was worth it as it marks the near end of our journey in NS and a joy we wanted to share to the rest who ORDed later. As i always tell them, endure through and your time will come. After lunch, i started my off/leave spree which will last until when I ORD in march. In between, during the last 4 weeks before i ORD, i will return once every week. Being one of the last to start clearing off, it was quite miserable before, but now, its nothing more than feeling relax. The next phase would be when i ORD and start preparing myself for uni days.

Random Day Near CNY

Long time no blog. Really, i have nothing much to blog about. Life is soooo boring. 1.5 more days of work and i will be on off/leave spree for 1 month plus. CNY is approaching and i am still not doing anything productive. Well, guess i am really a procrasinator. Tml is HOTO day, so happy. Can finally hand over my department to someone after being IC for 1 year plus. Ok, i think i need to put on my track shoes and do some serious exercising. Argh !!! So sian...anyone free during CNY can jio me go play mahjong?

Random Weekend

I bought a new pair of Everlast shoe for $49.90 (usual price $79.90). That would be my CNY new shoe. The pair of old nike shoes that i wore everyday for all possible occasion/outings/events were beyond repair and beyond hope. Condemn !!! So boring, i think something bite my face, abit puffy and very itchy. Bought some piriton from pharmacy to treat and see if the swelling subside. Yawnz...boring weekend...

回顾2008。。。拥抱2009

2008年在烟火点燃夜空的那霎那匆匆离去，牵着2009年从容地上位。在列出我在2009年的希望前，先让我回顾一下我的2008年，给他做个总结。

2008年对我来说，过得很单调乏味。并没有什么人生巨大的事件发生。一年就顺顺地过。可能是因为全年都处在服兵役时期，所以也没什么特别重大的事情发生。每天上班、看病人、出郊外受训、值夜班、值周末班，过着同样重复性的生活。若要说出一件自己发生在2008年重大的事，那应该是考到驾驶执照吧。在三月份正式开始学习驾驶，到九月初才成功一次通过，考到驾驶执照，真是可喜可贺。

2009年，相信对我来说又是一个重大的一年。这年将会出现人生旅途中的一大转捩点。因为，我将在今年3月正式退伍，8月正式开学，开始接下4年的大学生活。蛮期待的。3月退伍，终于结束了2年的国民服役，开始新的人生，也跟好久不见的粉红色身份证重逢。预期6月尾将开始参加大学新生营（freshman orientation），8月初就开学了。到时将进入一个全新的环境，认识一群全新的朋友，过着从未有的全新大学生生活。除此之外，今年2009年将会是我迈入21岁的人生关卡。21岁了，对很多人来说，这一年的生日意义重大，因为他代表成人生活的开始，自己也将能享用成人的公民权，officially declare myself an adult。

对于2009年的到来，我也想为自己立下新年的新目标：首先，我励志要多加锻练自己的体能。在08年，原本以为服役生活将对体能锻炼事半功倍，但由于自己服役的工作无须太多体力，再加上自己天生的惰性，最后在体能锻炼一方面竟然一事无成，原地踏步。所以，为了自己的健康和体魄着想，我励志今年要试着开始光顾健身房和进行其他有氧运动，把自己锻炼得强壮一些。第二，我想增加社交圈子，放下自己孤僻的一面，认识更多新朋友。相信大学生活动的开始将会是一个很好的机会，也希望从中交到一两个lifelong buddy。若可以的话，也希望能交到一个女友，借宿20年来的感情空窗。

第三，我希望自己能在2009年学习一项新技能，考虑参加大学的一些从未想过自己会参加的课外活动，学习新东西。它可以是一项运动，也可以是其他技能如播音、专业流行歌唱等，但暂时还没想到自己想学习什么新尝试。第四，我励志自己参加一些大型活动，见识一下大场面。暂时已经有打算参与空军部队在每年中旬举办的runway cycling，考验下体力。不会排除参与才艺或歌唱比赛的可能，不是爱现，而是为了增添生活经验。最后，我希望自己在大学的学业成绩“增增日上”，最好在四年后能考取一等荣誉学位。

在此，我祝所以家人亲戚朋友们新年快乐，有个美好的2009年！