Merriest little christmas!

It's the time of the year again! Shopping for gifts..downing all those yummy pastries and even more eating. Yep! It's Christmas day. Well, a quiet one for me at least. Maybe the christmas spirit is dampened by the fact that I need to return to camp tomorrow, bother, but still I had a wonderful little christmas nonetheless.

To start off, I haven't been blogging as you all have noticed so much so that i've even forgotten how blogger works! Anyhow, now that i've figured it out, I shall let my readers know, if there are still any out there, that I probably am in the process of creating a new blog if time permits.

Oh yes, Christmas... A very wet one this year. The weather has not been sparing at all! Town is even more crowded as before. I've been blessed by a long time friend whom I knew since the OI days. Yes..and it's a HER, apart from the usual all guy outings, this was a change. She's beautiful and in more ways than one. I seriously didn't dream that we'd meet up after such a long time but hey..what do you know. Been to the movies, had meals and I think she is just perfect.

I will be venturing into pro term as of tomorrow and I hope that all things will sail smoothly.

Once again, wishing all a Merriest Christmas! and stay tuned to a brand new blog..if I do come about to doing it that is. =) Cheers!

Life in OCS

Haven't had the luxury time to blog for a long time now. So my sincere apologies to all who have been visiting my blog only to be turned down by outdated bloggerings. Anyway, i'm serving the country now for all those who still do not know, i'm already 20. Have been in OCS (Officer Command School) for 1 month now. Training is definitely tough but it can be really fun if you take it in positively. I've really lost touch of the outside world every since entering into army, really changes you totally. Now, I'm just aiming to proceed to my senior term which is in 2 months time. Please help me get in touch with the outside world again =P

Unclassified

Us at Kranji war memorial

We will fight and die for our country

Band of brothers at Kranji war memorial ground

Our well deserved shower after 4 days


Some of my section buddies with our camo on

Surviving the outback

Holla! I'm finally back after spending two weeks away from home sweet home. I just completed my seven day field camp and boy, what an experience! Once in a lifetime, sure not to forget, experience for keeps. I managed to scribble some of the accounts that took place into my little notebook even under rough conditions. It rained four out of the seven days when we were outfield. What luck but an experience nonetheless.

Day 1 & 2:
We started our 8km route march from Tekong base camp to our campsite with our over-sized field packs, literally bursting at the seams, they weighed a ton! The march was draining but we made it nonetheless. I made it with a blister on my heel. The weather wasn't kind. Yesterday, only 30 mins into our field camp and while we just erected our tents, digging the water trench around our tents, it started to pour with no mercy shown. Great start. Everything was drenched, down to our essential undies, including the notebook in which i'm writing in.

Managed to survive the first night with a pretty good sleep, not forgetting having to hug the rifle to sleep and amazingly there was no mosquito attacks!

Halfway through day 2 and spirits are still relatively high although a new change of clothes is welcomed.

Day 3:
The heavens must be playing with us. It kept raining on and off, periodically. And everytime it rains, we have to take refuge in our very small, barely enough for two men, basahs. The irritating part is that we have to bundle our ground sheets up everytime we leave the basah. So when it rainswe have to quickly crawl in, spread the ground sheet and lie in our so called "water proofed" basahs.

And it rained on and off 3 times in one day! Each time only lasting for 10 mins or so. Imagine having to crawl in and out, bundling up your items only to unbundle them again.

Day 4:
It's night time now and i'm writing with a cloth over my head. We have to practice field discipline and conceal any kinds of light source. Today was quite fun. We fired blank rounds to simulate some movement drills. I was given a chance to be the leader in one of the drills. We also had our technical break which enabled us to take a shower only after 4 days of which we had to perform a powder bath. We had to bath with our mass tins as water flowed from the tap. Powder baths makes everyone look like frosty the snowman.

Day 5:
Second last day of this field camp episode. I just woke up after a surprisingly good sleep considering having no shelter above my head. We broke camp from our old site yesterday and we witnessed the worst downpour of this fieldcamp thus far. It has rained 4 out of the 5 days so far. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. But I just spent that night sleepingin a new location. Quite the experience. One very big open field, your vision extends through the perimeter of the trees surrounding this open area. No vegetation except for the very long la lang grass on which we have to sleep on. When you lay down on your back, you really wonder what's beneath you. Anyway, it's quite a view, with the uninteruppted vision of the skyline, starry sky above, the half crest moon, super chilly breeze and of course the sounds of the crickets. It was a really good experience sleeping out in this big field but i'm damn hungry now, ready for breakfast but before that, I have to break camp again. We're heading for new grounds. 5:51am wednesday. I just saw a wild boar walk pass in the dark.

Half left down

I'm down with a pretty severe cough. I was doing fine until I caught the coughing virus after the last book out. Actually, it started off as a harmless sore throat but somehow flared into a cough.

The past week was physically less strenuous because we were training for our live range which occured over thursday and friday. Therefore, the routine for monday to wednesday was basically spent in the air-conditioned computerised mock shooting range. You have to pass the eleven mock tests before you are able to proceed to the live range. The mock is really fun! Air-conditioned room, an M16 duplicate with it's actual features and weight. It's like playing counter-strike on computer only you are holding the gun and firing at the targets. The main purpose of the mock is to learn all the shooting positions, how to react to the different commands and what to do in an event of a technical error, should anything happen to the gun or what we call, "IAIA!", immediate attention!

However, the mock test can only train one for the handling procedures but definitely not for the shooting itself. For one, the computerised gun for the mock is zeroed automatically but for the real gun, it has to be zeroed manually by our commanders. The environment is different. You can litterally sweat buckets at the live range plus you have to endure different weather conditions, I was unlucky enough to have rain during one of my shoot. The night shoot was an experience. We had to wait in an open field for our turn and while I was waiting, I glanced up into the sky and it was filled with stars! Plus you have to wear earplugs so you can't really hear anything else except for your breathing and pounding heartbeat as your turn draws nearer. I passed my live range, hitting most of my targets during the day shoot.

Another strange sighting that I witnessed was during our routine order, whereby our commander will give the routine for the following day. We were seated on the track infront of our company barrack and I somehow looked up at the sky and saw a shooting star. At first, I taught it was a commercial plane since they frequent the airspace above Tekong every other ten minutes or so but it was flying across too quickly to be a plane and then it expanded into a bigger ball of light and then as quickly as it appeared, it vanished into nothing. Meteor?

As for the phrase, "Half left down!". It's the most feared phrase because it's only a nicer way of saying push up position down. I'm sure i'll be hearing alot more of this phrase as time goes on but I must say, army is pretty fun. You get to make new buddies, face new challenges, gain a whole load of experiences and the best thing is that we pull through together as buddies, as a section, as a platoon, as Taurus, as brothers in arms.

With my rifle and my buddy and me

First glimpse of Tekong and its cookhouse food.


All my bags are packed and i'm ready to go. Parents say good-bye.


No turning back now. Where boys become men.

I'm back, finally! After my two week adjustment period in Tekong, which actually felt more like two months since we had to wake up so bloody early that one day seemed so bloody long. One day in Tekong is equivalent to three days, three dreaded long days. So if you are longing for expanded days, join the army and we welcome you to Tekong!

The training has been "shiok" so far. Shiok as in "shiok". I'm sure you've got a rough idea of army, enough so I need not explain in detail, the amount of physical training our bodies have to endure, marching be it rain or shine, shouting... You can list out all the shit and we've most probably been there done that.

Even in the army, I keep a small little log book in which I "try" to enter some entries before I sleep or sometimes even after lights out. Here are the entries in original context, typed as written. Read on...

11/7/2006 Tuesday:

5th day of army life. I'm writing with light only from my handphone since it's
pass lights out time. Training is already starting to get strenuous but i
suppose that's army life. I received my gun, the M16, today and sergent says to
treat the gun like your own wife. So i guess i'll start by thinking of a name
for it. Alright, i better get some rest. Training is only going to get more
tough or so they say, "progressive".

13/7/2006 Thursday:

Just woke up and my body is aching all over from yesterday's IPPT category test.
I managed to pass with silver because in the army, you have to do more than 10
pull ups, which I only did 8, to achieve gold and for the 2.4km run, we have to
complete it within 9.45mins, which is nearly impossible at this stage. I failed
my swimming because I don't know how to swim the breast stroke. I will
be having swimming lessons...woohoo but damn, no free admin time for
me.

14/7/2006 Friday:

Today we had our first 4km route march. The distance may sound short but we
had to mount our full battle order which includes the SBO, field pack with all
the items inside of course, rifle and helmet. Now my body is definitely getting
more accustomed to the training but I still suffer from the aches, blisters and
bruises. Army life has been good so far. We are starting to crave for our
weekend book out day.

Lights out now. The instructors and sergents are very strict on
discipline.

16/7/2006 Sunday:

I could not sleep last night. I was awoken afew times by some sounds in the
bunk. The sound was that of someone trying to fit his keyinto the lock and
trying to open the lock but failing to open the lock on the locker...banging
noises. It felt strange only because it was in the middle of the night. I didn't
open my eyes.

We are sitting in a first aid lecture now. Some of the rare few moments to
sit in a lecture room with air conditioning. It can get pretty hot here in
Tekong and marching around the camp makes you sweat even after a shower. I just
realised that 2 others from my section share the very same birthday as me!

18/7/2006 Tuesday:

We had another road march yesterday but this time, it was increased by another
2km which meant the total walking distance was 6km. Sleeping for the past couple
of days was easy since I was totally drained of all my energy. There's a NE
(national education) talk now but i'm super tired after lunch and after the run
this morning. They make us run for 15 mins without stopping, around the parade
square. I'm trying to stay awake.

19/7/2006 Wednesday:

It's already pass lights out but movement cut is not until 11pm which leaves me
abit of time left. The sunsets at Tekong are spectacular and I can see the jetty
from my bunk. Every other 10 mins, a commercial airliner will fly above us and
the sight of the plane gives me added hope and a glimpse of the outside world.
Only one more day before our first book out and we are all enthusiastic. Tmr, we
will be going for our computerised shooting range.

Those were some of the entries that I managed to log. I hope our Sirs and Sergents do not grow horns and tails over the weekend. Sigh... I will be booking in tonight.

"Show me the leader and I can tell you about the soldiers, show me the soldiers and I can tell you about the leader."

The last supper

Army survival kit

List of items:
1. Huge black bag, good for chucking in all my items without having to pack them neatly.
2. Important army documents.
3. Six clothes hangers to hang my uniforms and smelly wet PT attire.
4. Extra plastic bags nicely folded.
5. Clothes pegs and rubber bands in a plastic bag.
6. Washing detergent to do my own laundry. I hope nothing gets too muddy but who am I kidding.
7. My funky blue goggles.
8. Silver chain cross for me to wear when I go to bed.
9. Wooden cross to accompany me.
10. The good book.
11. Daily bread book for simple reads.
12. Pencil boxwith all the necessary stationary.
13. Small notebook for me to do daily logs or take notes in lectures. "Take notes".
14. Wallet containing my Identity Card, not too much cash and of course my EZ link card, awaiting to be used when I book out.
15. Watch and I need to get used to the 24hr mode.
16. Toiletries bag containing a small bottle of shampoo (not like i'll be needing it), shower foam, my toothbrush and tooth paste.
17. Facial foam, very important.
18. Small lock.
19. Nail clipper.
20. Spectacles hooks so that they don't slip of with all the sweat.
21. Torchlight so that my night will not be so dark.
22. Alarm clock.
23. Spare tissue wipes for emergencies.

Still to be added:
Slippers
Prickly heat powder
Electric shaver
Extra change of home clothes

One bold step for mankind

I woke up pretty early today, considering the times I woke up for the past few days, to smell the beautiful breezy fresh air of my last remaining day before I head off for the much talked about, escape of lifetime, calm and unruffled off-shore island, Tekong. Actually, I was awoken by all your wonderful messages which turned my handphone into an alarm clock really.

I AM NOT OLD! I am just older. period.

I'm taking the bold step from the "teen" age into the "ty" age. You know, nineteen to twenty. As much as that sounds "old" to some, there's still undoubtfully a teen in me. So thank you again for all your messages. It will certainly play a part of making me feel a sense of nostalgia when i'm away in Tekong, serving the country.

Last night, Celest invited me to watch, "Just my luck" with the tickets that she had won from some magazine contest. Speak about lucky! Anyway, the movie was hmm... the gist of the story is when ever the couple kissed, they would switch each others luck which unfortunaely was good luck and bad luck. So it was hmm... then hmm... and ended hmm... but it was a feel good movie. We went to eat at Swensen's after the movie and she couldn't laugh enough after I said that it was my first time eating at Swenson's. Hey! Everything has a first time. I wasn't really expecting anything from Celest since I thought it was just one of those "catch a movie and have dinner" days. So when she pulled out a gift, I was really suprised. I also gave her a photo card gift, my promised "house warming" gift. Too bad, she had to meet up with her secondary school friends later which meant I couldn't catch the breath taking view at her house again for the last time. But I had fun nontheless. If only I had one of Adam Sandler's remotes, i'll go slow mo. Thanks for the present again.

My last day. I'll probably spend it getting the remaining items left on my packing list. My bags are packed and i'm all set for the adventure of a lifetime. This could pretty much be my last entry for a long while to come.

Nostalgia continues to fill my thoughts. Peace out.

Just my luck!

Mezmorised. je l'aime.