Ever seen how a cloud transforms frm one shape 2 another? Well, tht was wat i saw while i was doing guard duty on Tues. There were 2 shifts tht i had 2 do, 1st one was 8-10pm & � 2nd was 2-4am. � 2-4am one was � most boring one, since by tht time � area was really quiet & there wasn't much activity. Time was really passing by very very slowly. Each time i check my watch, only 20mins have passed by, though it feels as if 45mins have passed by instd. Really wonder whether time starts 2 slow down during tht period of time, in � early hrs of � day. H/e, it was tis period of time tht i saw � transformation of � clouds, tht is if my eyes didn't fail me tht night. It was pretty amazing seeing it changing constantly in2 different shapes & sizes. I knw it sounds a little childish or pathetic, but u seriously can't blame me, i had nothing 2 do. All i cld do was 2 stand there, holding my rifle & looking around � same area over & over again.

Nothing much 2 update abt my NS life, jus tht i'll be doing more practical stuff pretty soon as compared 2 attending computerised lessons, which can be very strenuous, tiring & boring. � feeling tht i had whn i'm in sch seems 2 be coming back 2 me, since going back 2 my camp seems like going 2 sch everyday. It's like � boring & restless feeling whn going 2 sch every morning, u knw like "So Sianz, lessons, lessons & more lessons. Why must i go thru tis everyday?". Not enough sleep, waking up early, sounds familiar right? Those are � days man....

Travelling fees are really killing me at � moment. Ever since going 2 tis camp for my course, i've been spending like $4+ per dy on my travelling fees. In addition, will be using NEL 2 get home, since it helps me 2 get home 30mins earlier, which also means a higher fare. Really hope tht they cld quickly issue us our NS E-Z Link card so tht i'm able 2 buy � concession passes, which can pretty much save me a little money. Having a sudden urge 2 read some books, esp Harry Potter & Lord Of The Rings. Feel like buying these storybooks one at a time, but am afraid tht i'll give up reading them halfway. It's quite costly 2 buy a book nowadays as well. Shall think carefully abt it. Gotta go now, still need 2 wake up early later, siAnz. TaTaz & gD NitEz.....

Not been in � best of mood recently. Feelin a little lost in my life, as 2 wat 2 do & which direction 2 head 2. � feelin of emptiness & loneliness inside, tortures me mentally frm time 2 time. Why do i hve 2 behave like tht, so childish & immature? Why am i such a nuisance, a burden 2 othrs, a weakling, a loser & such a disgustin & ugly person? Why do i hve 2 think so much? Why can't i be someone else, someone who is less sensitive & doesn't think too much abt things tht are happenin ard him? Can someone tell me why? Really wonder whether my existence on Earth is a grave mistake. Mayb w/o me ard, things wld be so much better & pple ard me wld be so much happier than before. Jus mayb...

Watched Hulk yesterday wth my bro, been ages since i've done tht. Sometimes i really enjoy his company, dunno why. Even if it's like watching TV, i really wish tht he was watching it wth me as we can talk abt � show or othr stuff. It was a disappointing show, very draggy, not much action & loads of crap. My bro almost fell aslp. � effects was pretty alright, Hulk doesnt seem tht fake. Wonder why Ong Sor Fern gave it a 4 star rating. Bought Jewel's & Tanya's new album on Fri night, after being conned by one of my frens 2 wear my NS uniform down 2 Orchard Rd. Don't like � feeling of wearing NS uniform 2 walk around town or anywhere else. Think it's really weird & uncomfortable, since i perspire like hell after walkin for sometime in tht uniform. Was given tickets 2 � Courage Charity Fund Concert at Sentosa after buying � 2 albums, which had many Taiwan artistes perfoming. Felt like going initially but after thinking abt � loads of 5566 fans tht wld be there, i thought otherwise & wld rather do sth else, since most prob i won't be able 2 see a thing. Besides, didn't knw who 2 ask along since it was a pair of tickets.

Managed 2 take a ride on NEL, which i must say, can help pple living in Sengkang area 2 get 2 town much faster. It really does save alot of time 4 them, though � cost of travelling is much higher. Guess thy won't mind paying more for shorter travelling time. Will be trying out a new route home frm camp by using NEL, 2 see whether it gets me home much faster or not. Quite apprehensive abt it since i'll be headin home during peak hrs & there mayb breakdowns of � train if i'm unlucky. We'll see how it goes......

Realise tht OETI is similar 2 a sch, it's like i'm going 2 sch evrydy. � feeling is like going back 2 studies, attending lessons, wth breaks in btwn & PT on certain days, except tht i need 2 go back on Sat as well & there r punishments if certain standards r not met. Afterall, it's still a military unit, u knw. Kinda reminded me of � lower secondary sch days, where i hve technical lessons, both theory & practical. � building tht i'm in seems 2 be like my technical block in secondary sch as well.

Got my textbks 2dy, a total of 14 bks, each bk on a different weapon. Kinda looked thru it & didn't quite understand it was saying. Quite stressed by it as well, since each weapon can be stripped to many different parts. Like for eg a normal M16 rifle, consists of a total of 106 parts. Don't really knw wat r � requirements yet, but think i must knw each & evry part of � weapon well, in order 2 repair � weapon if it becomes faulty. My whole course will take me abt 3mths, which means i'll be receiving my posting at abt late August or early Sept. Hopefully is somewhere near & i don't hve 2 stay in camp. 2dy was generally a slack dy, since we were doing all � Admin stuff. Even had a sleeping break during our lunch break, cool right? Hahaz. Ran ard � camp site for our weekly Healthy Life Run, b4 heading back home. Oh, Gavin msged me 2dy & heard tht he has gotten his license. Congrats 2 him! Dunno when it'll be my turn.

Kinda lost my way tis morning. Alighted at � wrong bus stop & initially thought tht i was still able 2 get 2 my new unit frm there. Instd, i got lost & ended up taking a cab there, which cost me $4. Damn! As expected, it was all � Admin stuff for 2day. Reminded me of � time when i 1st stepped into Tekong for my BMT, � only difference being tht i wasn't alone, everything was done in air-conditioned rooms & � waiting time wasn't as long (but still we waited for quite a while for � Admin side to settle our stuff). I'm in � Electronic Weapon Training Wing (EWTW), under � Small Arms section or watever. This means tht i'll be learning how 2 repair smaller weapons, like rifles & stuff, which wld be a much easier job as compared 2 other sections & wings. Quite lucky 2 be in it too, cauz only 3 pple frm my platoon are in there. � rest are mainly in � Armoured Vehicle Training Wing (AVTW), where they'll learn 2 repair tanks etc, if i heard correctly. PheWwW...

My course will last for abt 2-3 mths, till abt August, while those in AVTW hve a longer course duration, abt 6 mths. Advantage: I might be posted 2 somewhere nearer after my course, which definitely saves alot of travelling time as well as � need 2 wake up early, like wat i'm doing right now, 0500. Disadvantage: Heard frm my officer tht for my section, i'll most prob hve 2 stay in camp after being posted out frm OETI. SiGnZzZ. Oh well, think it wld be alright since i'm already very lucky 2 be a technician as compared 2 those in SISPEC, OCS etc.

My section is pretty alright, quite humurous. Officers are pretty nice too, joking wth us at times. Food wise, a little bit better than BMTC. Generally, there's more freedom as compared 2 BMT, h/e some rules still apply like paying complements 2 any higher ranking officers tht pass by etc. Volunteered for Guard Duty on 24th cauz i want it done once & for all, so tht � probability of me being chosen again will be minimal. Besides, never done it b4, so wld be a good experience. Wanted 2 do � one on 20th, but � places were all taken up b4 i cld tell � person in charge.

Tomorrow will be Admin stuff again, so pretty boring. Lessons will begin on Wednesday. Quite curious 2 knw wat i'll be learning actually. Hope tht it's something interesting, hehez. Gotta go now, need 2 wake up early tomorrow, CiAoZ & NitEz!

Got my posting yesterday morning & guess wat, i'm gonna be technician. Am being posted 2 Ordnance Engineering Training Institute (OETI) at Ayer Rajah Camp, which is very very very far away frm my home. It's equivalent 2 going 2 SA frm my house + a little more dist. Though one gd thing is tht i don't need 2 stay in camp, since i heard it's an 8am - 5pm job, � travelling time will be too long, which implies tht i hve 2 get up real early 2 report for work each morning. SiGnzZz... It's really bullshit tht thy base ur posting taking into consideration where u live. Wonder wat i'll be doing down there man....
Headed home after receiving my posting for a rest since i didn't sleep enough. Went Cineleisure later in � afternoon 2 check whether there were any seats available for Finding Nemo but cldn't get any. � rest decided 2 watch Phone Booth, while i walked around Heeren, waiting for another fren 2 join me. Dinner at Lips Cafe was not filling since � portion was really very little for a guy. � food tasted quite ok though, but wld rather eat at Cafe Cartel cauz it's definitely more filling & worth � money. Walking around aimlessly seems 2 be one thing we can't seem 2 hve enough of, everytime we r out. Is Singapore jus too small or r we jus lazy 2 go 2 places tht r far away frm our homes, but r still open after midnight? Oh well, mayb when one of us gets a driving license wth a car 2 drive, we'll be able 2 explore more places w/o worrying abt transport home. So headed home after walking around & chit-chatting for some time. Felt a little sad while i was on my way home, mayb it's becauz of wat happened...

13 June, Fri:
Gavin called & asked me 2 go down 4 a swim, h/e upon reaching there, dark clouds started 2 gather, ruining our plans of swimming + suntanning. Headed down 2 Bugis 2 walk around, b4 Gavin had 2 leave for his driving lessons. While waiting 4 his driving lesson 2 end, we went 2 Sim Lim in search of my handphone casing. Felt like a computer idiot while i was walking ard Sim Lim. There were so many shops tht were selling computer related stuff tht one might not even knw where 2 start frm, if he was planning 2 buy a new computer etc. Was thinking of checking out � prices of � latest computer around, since i'm planning 2 change my com, but didn't knw where 2 start frm. In � end, we jus merely walked around, exploring � place.
Managed 2 find handphone casings but � color i wntd was not available, so i left � place empty handed. Forgot 2 tell u peeps tht i accidentally drew $1000 frm � ATM, which made me panic for a moment. Wanted 2 draw only $40 but accidentally pressed � $1000 button instd. Luckily there was a cash deposit machine at PS, otherwise i wld really panic having tht much money wth me.
Bought 2 T-shirts frm Samuel & Kelvin at PS, for only $20. Headed down 2 Fish & Co Glass House for dinner, which was pretty nice. Met Derek, a classmate of mine in JC. Didn't really talk alot since i wasn't tht close 2 him, besides he was wth his GF. Didn't wnt 2 go back tht early, so went 2 Cafe Cartel for dessert. Ordered their Eastside Bownie (wonder whether they spelled it wrongly or it was done on purpose), which was absolutely delicious & worth � money. It was 2 pieces of brownies topped with a scoop of ice-cream & tonnes of hot fudge. Yummy!!! I was so full after eating it, tht i felt like puking out everything tht i ate. Zongfu's Bananarama Caramel Waffle (think tht's � name) was pretty nice as well. I personally recommend this place if u peeps wanna hve some dessert after dinner or something. Fabian said something tht dy which made me think whether i shld change wat i'm postin 2 my blog. It's quite monotonous posting abt my everyday life, as in wat i did & stuff like tht. Pple reading it may feel tht it's boring u see. Was thinking of writing something more in depth, like feelings, thoughts etc, but don't think i'm up 2 it. We'll see how it goes...

Did i tell u peeps tht i put on 2kg after my BMT course? Well, i sure did & i'm quite happy abt it, since i'm quite skinny. But i feel quite fat recently, since i've been stuffing myself up with loads of food. It's like i hve a huge appetite after enlisting into � army. Anyway, went back 2 SA for my Interact Club gathering. Had a great time chit-chatting & doing all sorts of funny & childish stuff. Reminded me of � days in JC, where wld always stay back in sch 2 hve meetings or 2 prepare souvenirs for our fund-raising events etc. Those were � days man, when we wld complain abt � loads of homework we hve 2 do, when we wld complain abt how little time we were left 2 study for tis particular subject, when we wld go out after sch or in btwn lessons for our lunch, etc. Really miss those days man. Funny how we never appreciate things when they are happening, only realising it after it happens. Sounds clich�, i knw, but it's really true.

Had my dinner at McDonald's at Harbourfront Centre, � former World Trade Centre. Ages since i've been there & there r major changes man. It looks totally different & there r more shops down there. Quite quiet down there though, guess mayb it's a weekday & tht it's not fully renovated yet. Stayed over in sch, slpg only at abt 2 - 3am in � morning. Oh called thru 2 � morning show of Perfect 10, where they had shout-outs before their real programme starts at 7am. Since Carrie shifted 2 � morning shift, didn't get a chance 2 call her. Wanted 2 email her, but cldn't get her email add. Had � same nervous feeling tht i had when i 1st called thru 2 � radio station. It's like once � line was thru, u jus forget abt everything tht u were planning 2 ask or say cauz u were so nervous. Felt quite stupid after hearing it being played on air, it's like i made a fool out of myself. Besides, Carrie didn't really seem 2 remember who i was. Hey don't think i'm crazy over her or something, jus tht she's � 1st DJ tht i managed 2 like call thru now & then and tht it's a hobby i picked up since my J2 yr.

Think SA's new batches are getting frm bad 2 worst. It's like getting nerd-ier & geek-ier. Happen 2 see � new batch of Student Councillors, since they were having their camps, & think tht thy simply cannot make it. Actually wonder why i hve � notion tht Councillors must be pple tht r good-looking, talented & hve leadership qualities. My ex-CCA was even worst. HaizZzZz. Anyway had a great chat with Zongfu while we were lying on � floor, trying 2 get 2 slp. Chatting abt our lives in Sec Sch, � frienships we've made & how each & every one of our frens hve changed. How time flies.....( not again )

Took my certificate b4 heading home 2 rest. Was suppose 2 like celebrate Zongyao's Birthday, but was too tired. Really sorry Zongyao! Stayed at home � whole day, feels like i'm wasting my block leave, but wat 2 do, nobody 2 really go out with. Gonna go catch The Bachelorette, knw it's a stupid show but dunno why, jus enjoy watching it. CiAoz....

Spent my day at home 2day. Felt like going out, but was too lazy to, besides was stuck 2 my com, surfing � net & downloading stuff. Days at home are really very nice, something tht i've been missing out alot. Sometimes u jus wanna stay at home, though there's nothing much 2 do. Initially was thinking tht i'm wasting my time staying at home, but on 2nd thoughts, u can't really go out everyday right? Unless u hve a million, billion or trillion places 2 go to. My section was asking me 2 go chiong at some place in Tanjong Pagar, but wasn't really interested in it, so didn't join in. Sometimes really wonder why pple like 2 chiong so much. It's like whenever my bunkmates get 2 book out, � 1st thing they'll do is 2 chiong. Anyway, finally hve something in mind 2 buy, Jewel's upcoming album 0304, which i downloaded & listened 2 it. Think it's pretty nice, with her unique voice & stuff.

Will be going back 2 SA for an Interact gathering. Really looking forward to it since it's been a long time since we got together. Before tht, think i'll either be having lunch with mum & some relatives or 2 go HMV 2 check out new albums as well as 2 shop ard town. Need to buy a present as well for Zongyao. Hve 2 crack my brains again...

An utter waste of time, booking in jus for my POC. I don't even consider it a ceremony at all. We did practically nothing, except area cleaning for an entire morning & afternoon, till abt 1600hrs, where we had our "ceremony" at a training shed. � "ceremony" was jus a simple speech by our officer-in-command, afterwhich we were treated 2 some refreshments, which totally sucked. Tht's it. Stupid right? I mean at least hve sth a little bit more grand so tht we pass out feeling accomplished, instd of feeling tht � pple in SAF do not treat us as NS men but as useless pple. It's like their parents get 2 witness them passing out, which can invoke a very heartwarming feeling. I hve 2 admit tht our trainings are less tough & we do less stuff as compared 2 those in PES A/B, h/e we are here for a common purpose, to serve our nation so tht when it needs our help, we can protect it. Oh well, nothing much i can do abt it.

Besides � numerous stand-by-areas tht we had yesterday, we took alot of photographs as well as slept alot in � afternoon. Oh forgot 2 tell u guys abt � celebration we had on Sunday night. Apparently, our sergeants allowed us 2 bring food tht needs 2 be consumed immediately, like satay, KFC, etc. My section bought KFC & satay while some other section bought Canadian pizzas. I didnt really joined � gang in staying awake � entire night, slept at abt 0100. Got 2 booked out earlier at 1900hrs instd of � originally planned 2145hrs. Wonder why we get 2 book out only @ 2145hrs, if our officers didn't bring � book out timing earlier.

Being in NS really made me realise alot of things abt myself as well as to appreciate watever tht i hve, instd of taking things for granted. I've realised how lazy & selfish i can be at times, as well as how weak i can be. I've also learnt how 2 appreciate � freedom tht i get 2 enjoy when i was a civilian & � things my mum had done for me. NS really makes me think alot abt my home, how much i miss it & how i yearn 2 be at home instd of being in camp. Overall, i think NS is quite a good experience, training guys 2 be more independent & mature. Though sometimes it can be really tough, once u get it over & done with, take everything light-heartedly & look forward 2 a brand new day instd of continuously think abt how tough � training was. I'm quite happy tht i've passed out frm BMT, h/e there's still a long way ahead & i need 2 look forward 2 my next phase of NS. Guess i'll probably miss BMT in some ways or another. Feeling quite sleepy now though i did slp in � afternoon. Gotta go now, CiAoz...

Didn't watch any movie yesterday, jus went out & walked around, nothing much. Realised tht most of my frens frm my clique got into NUS, which leaves me � only pathetic soul tht's gonna go 2 NTU. Oh well, jus hope i didn't make � wrong decision. University stuff aside, also realised tht many pple hve gotten their driving licenses already. Congrats 2 all those who hve gotten their licenses, jus remember 2 give me a ride, hehez. As for Gavin, i wish u all � best for your TP test tht's coming up. Jus don't get too nervous & i'm sure u r able 2 do it.

Will be bookin in later for my POC on Mon, which i think is pretty stupid. It's like i'm booking in jus for tis ceremony. They shld hve pushed it forward 2 Sat & settle everything once & for all. My bunkmates were plannin 2 hve a feast tonight, as a form of celebration. As in, they r plannin 2 buy food like Hokkien Mee, Char Kway Teow etc, bringing it back into camp 2 eat. I'm quite apprehensive abt � whole idea actually & i really think tht it's not allowed. Haiz, my section is always like tht, doing things tht r different frm � rest, more daring & loud. In a way it's good cauz i rather hve a happening section than one tht doesn't do anything at all. H/e, � things they do sometimes make u worry, cauz they don't go by � rules, they do wat they like at times.

Honestly speaking, i'm not really very close 2 my section mates. I'm more of � quiet one down there, which i hve always been. Sometimes i really do wonder whether i'm an unsociable guy or wat, always not being able 2 fit in. SiGnz. Guess i'm weird. Am i? Dunno whether 2 go out or 2 stay at home 2day. If i go out, i'll hve 2 come back early 2 pack my stuff. If i stay in, i'll hve more time 2 rest. SiAnz...

Continued...

3rd time at range was similar, jus tht tis time round u only had 2 shoot either in � day or night or both, dpding on whether u passed it during � previous range session. So for those tht passed both, they basically did nothing except for some "sai kang". If u don't knw wat "sai kang" means, it is actually shitty jobs like moving tables, chairs, water containers etc, said in Hokkien i guess. As for me, i failed my Day range, so i only had 2 shoot in � day, which i'm pretty happy abt since it means less running up & down � chambers & more time 2 relax a little. Unfortunately, being a bad shooter, i had 2 take � day shoot twice b4 i cld actually pass. Was feeling pretty lousy abt myself, like i'm useless & stuff. HaiZzz...But i'm jus glad tht i passed it, which meant tht i didn't hve 2 go 4 range � next day, hehez. Definitely looking forward 2 my slacking day � next day.
As i'd expected, it was pretty much a slack day for me. Practically did nothing for � whole day till abt night time, where we cleaned our stores as in SAF items issued 2 us tht needs 2 be returned back. Initially, my bunkmates were speculating & spreading rumours abt being able 2 book out tht Fri night, instd of � originally planned Sat morning. Unfortunately, all their high hopes lead 2 nothing except disappointment. I wasn't tht disappointed, since being a pessimistic guy, i didn't thought they wld be tht nice 2 let us book out on a Fri night.
Before booking out, we checked our stores & did area cleaning. Was supposed 2 visit some heritage thingy tht morning, h/e � lightings weren't in working condition so � officer decided 2 cancel it. Got 2 book out a little bit earlier at abt 0945. Oh yah, forgot 2 mention sth abt my nxt book-in timing. It's 2215 lehz, � latest timing i've had so far. Was really shocked & happy abt it when my sergeant told us abt it. Talking abt late timings, my reveille was 0600 tht morning, which meant tht i need 2 wake up only at 0530, hehe. Tht meant 1/2 hr more sleep cauz my normal reveille is 0530. How i wish it wld be like tht for my last week in BMT. 2 words 2 myself: Dream On! After booking out, went 2 McDonald's 2 buy Sausage McMuffin with egg, which i was totally craving for. Bet u peeps will be laughing at me once u've read wat i've said. Instd of buying � Sausage McMuffin with egg extra value meal itself & changing � drink 2 Ice Milo, i bought everything � same but separately, which cost me more. How stupid am i man. Originally, i was planning 2 buy only � McMuffin with � drink, h/e was craving 4 some hashbrowns, so bought it on impulse after buying � McMuffin & Ice Milo. But still, i feel stupid abt it. Honestly speaking, i think tht coming 2 NS makes a guy more stupid, at least it applies 2 me. Really wonder how 2 face university life after completing my NS, one of my worries.
Went home after tht & took a short nap before meeting up with my clique of frens in � late afternoon. Finally got a chance 2 walk ard town & saw quite a few changes, after hibernating in camp, hahaz. Had a sudden urge of purchasing sth, but had no idea wat 2 buy. It was like u want 2 spend some of ur money, but u don't knw wat u wnt 2 spend it on tht kinda thing. Eventually, i didn't buy anything at all. Spend my money mainly on food & movie tickets. Had dinner at Pasta Fresca, which was pretty nice. Hve a tendency 2 go 2 restaurants for food on weekends. Guess u need some good food after 5 days of eating almost � same stuff in camp. Watched Bruce Almighty as well, which was pretty funny, esp � part where he did some trick on a guy reporting news. I laughed till tears started to well up in my eyes. Tht was how funny it was.
Realised how time really flies man, as some of my frens had already gotten their promotionin rank & will be passing out quite soon as well, like me. Seriously speaking it wasn't a very long period of time tht i've spent in BMT. I still remembered � day when i first enlisted into NS, it was like only yesterday when it happened. Quite glad abt it since i'll be leading a less regimental lifestyle after i pass out, i hope. No matter wat it is, i think i shld appreciate wat's been given 2 me. Really consider myself lucky as compared 2 those PES A/B pple who had & will go thru more tough trainings.
On Sun, due 2 � fact tht i was booking in late, i decided 2 go out with my Mum & Aunt, which i hvn't had � chance to after i enlisted into NS. I enjoy going out with them cauz i can get 2 buy some stuff occasionally. Since it was � Great Singapore Sales period, we kinda bought quite alot of stuff tht day. Initially thought tht tis sales wasn't a big deal since certain items cans till be unaffordable no matter how great � sales were. H/e, i was wrong & it can be a good thing afterall, dpding on which place u go 2. If u peeps don't understand wat i've said, it's alright, since i don't really knw how 2 explain in words. Another sign of stupidity. Alright let me tell u wat we bought tht day. 1st stop was Salvatore Ferragamo, which had plenty of rich female customers, since some of them looked like Tai Tais, carrying branded handbags & wearing branded clothes. One of my aunt's colleagues will be leaving � company & my aunt wanted 2 buy a gift for her. She bought a wallet which cost like $300++ after discount, it was orignally $600++ i guess, not too sure. To me, it's really very expensive. I'll never buy such a wallet unless i'm filthy rich or sth. Oh, by � way, she's sharing it with her other colleagues, she's not buying it alone. If she did, she'll be damn broke man. Hahaz. Went 2 Emporio Armani & Hugo Boss 2 look around, checking out their belts since i don't really hve a leather one. Unfortunately, there weren't any nice ones 4 this season, so didn't get 2 buy anything. Hey don't get � wrong idea tht i go 4 branded stuff, jus tht my Mum wants me 2 take advantage of tis sales going on 2 buy things tht r of good quality, which will last me a longer time, as well as things tht i need. Branded stuff do hve their quality as well, so sometimes it's worth 2 buy it. So don't think tht i buy only branded stuff, no arhz.
Bought a Swatch watch, which was quite ex, since it was having a sale, which they don't normally hve. Decided 2 buy one 4 my Dad, since Father's day was approaching & he needed a new one, & another one 4 my Aunt since i've never really bought anything for her before. Wanted 2 buy for Mum as well, but she didn't want me to since she didn't need one. � total amt was abt $300 plus which was totally worth it since i don't really buy any presents 4 my family members. It's not tht i'm stingy or wat, it's jus tht sometimes when u buy for them, they might not need it & start 2 ask u why u buy tis. In addition, if they don't use it, they may even give it as a gift 2 their frens instd, which wld make u think tht they don't like wat u've bought. Sometimes, they rather u do well for ur exams, be respectful & filial etc, 2 show ur appreciation for them as well as a form of present than buying something. Hence, spending tht much was really nothing as compared 2 � care & concern my family has given 2 me. It's priceless man. As for Mum, she bought a Swavrowski limited xmas edition crystal for my uncle, as a form of luck since he jus bought a new car. Aunt also bought a necklace there, which was on sale, 70% discount. � sale was only for certain items, guess they wanted 2 clear their stocks. It was pretty nice, but i don't think my Aunt will be wearing it often since � necklace was more for special occasions like dinners etc, which my Aunt don't usually have.
Basically i spend most of my day at Takashimaya since it was � last day where they had an additional 15% discount for their visa card holders, on top of � discount given 2 certain items as well as nett price items except for certain stores where they wnt 2 control � price of their items. Went 2 Centrepoint after tht 2 buy some biscuits frm Marks & Spencer 2 bring into camp. Absolutely love their biscuits man, really very nice. It was pretty cheap as well for certain items. I hve 2 mention tht it was really very crowded tht day, since there was � Great Sg Sales & in addition, WHO jus declared tht Sg was a SARS free-city, if' i'm not wrong. Went home quite early at around 6 plus so as 2 pack my stuff 2 go back 2 camp. SiAnZzZzZz. � only good thing on returning 2 camp was a late reveille at 0600 � nxt morning. YeAh!

2 June '03
Wat a way 2 begin my day by waking up at 0400 in � morning for a fire drill DAMN! Everybody was slpg soundly when � fire alarm went off. Had 2 change 2 a proper attire & bring a pail + helmut, b4 rushing down 2 gather at � basketball court downstairs, since i usually wear home clothes while i'm sleeping. Initially thought tht it was a normal fire drill practise, when one � sergeants on duty said tht it was a false alarm. WAT THE HELL!!!!!!!!! Everybody was damn pissed off by � fact tht it was a false alarm, it's like we woke up for no reason. Imagine tht happening 2 u peeps.
Cldn't slp till � fire alarm finally stopped ringing, which meant tht i slept for another 40-50mins only b4 waking up 2 fall-in & stuff. Luckily, there weren't many activities going 4 � day except for � IPPT Trial Test, equivalent of NAPFA, which worried me alot. Oh, had 2 clean � toilets tht � sergeants & officers were using at another block, which was stinky, dirty & filthy. It was 10 times dirtier than my platoon's toilet man. Really wonder why, since they always taught us abt being responsible. Don't see them practising it. Had an interview with my Platoon Commander (PC), which i thought was pretty futile in some ways or another. It was jus 2 check out how u r coping with NS life, whether u hve any problems tht kinda thing. Tis time round, it was also 2 find out where we are planning 2 head 2 after BMT, so tht they cld help us by making some recommendations. Ultimately, � decision doesn't lie with them but with some other higher ranking officers. To me, i feel tht it's predetermined frm � day u enlist into NS.
IPPT was ok, managed 2 do 8 chin-ups. Almost gave up for 2.4km but perservered on. Running 2.4km at Tekong is really frm running on � track. � distance felt significantly shorter. It got me 2 like running � 1st time in my life, hahaz. And guess wat, i got Silver for it, which totally shocked me. I felt really happy cauz tht means tht i don't need 2 do it again for � nxt IPPT since my sergeant jus told me tht as long as i've passed any IPPT sessions, it was considered tht i'd passed my IPPT. Hehez.
Night time was super slack, tht's why i'm able 2 write this down. One thing i hve 2 mention before i forget, my sergeants were less stricter & joked wth us more. Guess mayb it's becauz it's our last week here.Quite scary wth � sudden change in attitude since u'll never knw when he'll be back 2 his strict mood. So i don't really dare 2 take it for granted or be complacent abt it. Going 2 sleep now, need my 7hrs of sleep u knw, hahaz. NitEz...

3 June '03
Had Grenade Assault Course in � morning. It was 2 prepare us 4 our Live Grenade Throw which will be happening tomorrow. It was basically jus trying 2 throw grenades frm different positions using fake grenades & sandbags. 2 were in prone position while � other was in standing position. Had 2 leopard crawl a little which wasn't as bad as BIC. Quite excited but a little afraid abt � live grenade throw tomorrow. Excited cauz it's a once in a lifetime thing. Afraid cauz u r gonna throw something which can take away someone's life if u r not careful with it, same sentiments during my 1st range. Other than this, there was nothing much for � day.

5 June '03
� most dreaded day of my entire wk, Trench Digging. Had 2 dig a shell-scrape myself, which took me almost half � day, frm 1000 2 abt 1500, with lunch break in btwn & � shell-scrape incomplete. It was basically a rectangular shaped hole in � ground 2 take cover as well as 2 sleep in it, during war times. If u r really unlucky, u might be digging at a spot where there r rocks below, which makes it even more difficult 2 dig. For eg, my buddy, he was digging on a pretty hard spot, which made him give up even before completing it or shld i say not even half of it. When one officer came 2 take a look, he criticised my buddy's shell-scrape asking whether it was meant 4 a baby instd. Hahaz. Honestly speaking, my buddy gives up quite easily, likes 2 complain as well as talk alot w/o any actions taken, in other words talk big. Don't quite really like him seriously speaking. As for me i dug till i stared blankly into my shell-scrape not knwing wat i was doing & hve no appetite at all for lunch. Did force myself 2 eat sth since i knew i needed energy 2 continue digging, besides i skipped breakfast tis morning. My whole uniform was soaked in sweat while my helmut stinked like hell. Was digging under � hot sun with a slightly higher temperature than � BMTC School area, since we were on reclaimed land. Fortunately, towards � end while i was covering up my shell-scrape, it rained a little, which helped me 2 feel less sticky & more cooling though it was pretty much humid. Was lucky as well tht i didn't hve 2 sleep in it like wat PES A/B did during their field camps, i think. � area was infested with all sorts of insects man, which i really dislike alot.
Really wondered wat wld hve happened 2 me if i were 2 go 4 a field camp tht lasts for 7 dys, w/o bathing, sleeping with insects esp mosquitoes sucking ur blood. Can u imagine tht? Really feel so relieved tht i didn't hve 2 go thru all tht, which makes me a lousy soldier or not even one, hahaz. Went back 2 company line after tht & had practically nothing on 4 � rest of � day except consolidating � remaining SAF stores & packing for our 10km Route March tomorrow. Was so happy 2 see my bunk when i returned man, � feeling was equivalent 2 going back home i tell ya.
Oh yah, 2day was � POP of BMTC Sch 1 Recruits. Saw some of them carrying their duffle bags, walking with their parents, frens or relatives while i was on marching back 2 company line after dinner. Really admire them in some ways or another, going thru much harsher trainings & definitely doing much more than me. Sometimes i jus ask myself, why am i such a weakling both physically & mentally. A little punishment & my mind wld start thinking abt why i hve 2 suffer all these. It's like suffering in silence, but i do constantly remind myself abt how lucky i was & tht i shldn't take things for granted. Guess i really hve 2 try 2 think +ve & think less abt stuff, it will make things less complicated & definitely not torture myself. SiGnz...

6 June '03
My last event b4 i pass out frm BMT, 10km Route March, which was pushed forward a day earlier. Actually since yesterday, my bunkmates were already saying tht we wld be booking out 2day evening, since everything was pushed forward. This time round they were quite confident abt it. As for me, i was a little apprehensive abt it. Everybody were in high spirits b4 � march since it was going 2 be � end of BMT, which meant no need 2 stay in Tekong anymore provided tht u r not posted back here. During � 1st part of � march, my platoon was still able 2 sing some songs & walk in steps. Towards � end, it was totally � reverse. Fatigue & anger starts 2 set in. We weren't walking in steps & never really sang any songs. Some were lagging behind, resulting in gaps appearing here & there. Whenever tis happens, pple behind wld hve a hard time covering up, since we had 2 be within one arm's dressing away frm each other. When � front man walked too fast & those at � back had difficulty covering up, all � vulgarities start to come out of those pple who were frustrated. I was almost on � verge of doing jus tht towards � end cauz � front pple were really walking too fast & i had 2 run, then walk, then run again in order 2 cover up. H/e, i told myself tht there's no point in shouting at one another, it only aggravates � situation. So i jus perservered on. Sometimes � timing was too fast, while at other times, we were suppose 2 keep 2 our right but � pple in front didn't listen, resulting in � back pple scolding those at � front. There was once where i cldn't walk straight & i didnt even notice it, luckily � guy behind me pulled my field pack & drag me 2 � right. My shoulders & back were aching each time i put down everything tht i was carrying, during � 2 breaks tht we had. � sole of my left foot was pretty painful as well, guess it was due 2 � friction btwn � shoes, socks & my feet.
Nevertheless, i did complete it. I felt pretty accomplished after � whole event. Was wondering again how � PES A/B pple managed 2 walk 24km. Really admire them man cauz they had 2 walk tht distance frm 1900 - 2000 to abt 0300 - 0400 � nxt morning. Felt so lucky man at tht point in time. Didn't get � chance 2 take a quick shower, only splashed some water on myself, which resulted in me feeling sticky all over for � entire day. Did change into a new set of uniform later on but still felt quite uncomfortable. After � route march, there's weren't many activities except for area cleaning & clearing of our own cupboards. Sergeant got quite pissed off with us as we didn't fall in after he shouted 4 us for 3 times but his mood changed after a while. Sometimes my sergeant can be very temperamental, constantly having mood swings.
Good news for � day was tht we did get 2 book out tht day. In addition, i got 2 book out earlier since i got silver for my IPPT. And becauz of tht, � no. of days of leave i'm entitled 2 take has increased 2 one more day, minus � compulsory block leave tht i hve 2 take. This is a form of welfare tht is given 2 us for performing well in certain activities. Was so happy tht i tried my best for my IPPT, otherwise i wldn't be able 2 enjoy such privileges at all. WooHoo, long weekend finally, hehe. Booked out at abt 0700 afterwhich i went home 2 bath. Unpacked most of my stuff & went for supper, afterwhich i used � computer 2 update my blog, finally.

Tht's abt it for � past 3 wks, wld be even longer if i didn't cut short everything tht i wanna say. Sorry abt it, nevertheless. Actually hve alot of things 2 say abt my feelings with regards 2 BMT & stuff, but guess i'll leave tht till later or some other day, cauz i've spend quite alot of time on this update liaoz. Will be going out later, 2 hve dinner with my clique & mayb 2 catch Finding Nemo. So CiAoz....

I'm finally able 2 update my blog after such a long while. Either i'm too lazy 2 update it or i rather use � short period of book-out time 2 do othr stuff. Will try 2 summarise everything tht had happened 4 � past 3 wks. Alright, here goes...Oh jus a short note, all these r feelings & thoughts expressed at tht point of time, since i did keep a diary while i was in camp.

19 - 25 May '03
Had my 3 dys of field camp in my bunk. ??? I'm serious abt it, no kidding. � reason being i'm not allowed 2 stay outfield. So wat i did during these 3dys were area cleaning, sleeping, slacking in my bunk etc. Those tht were allowed 2 go & stay outfield were quite lucky as well, since they didn't hve 2 sleep in � forest 4 the 3 dys. This was becauz � no. of pple tht were allowed 2 stay outfield were too little as compared 2 those tht were not allowed 2 go & stay outfield & those tht were allowed 2 go outfield but not allowed 2 stay. In a way i'm quite glad abt it, judging by how shag & dirty my bunkmates were when they returned back 2 camp each day after a day outfield. H/e, i think i miss out loads of fun & experience tht those who went outfield had. Oh besides tht, my whole platoon were being forced 2 pack our field pack, though some of us need not go outfield at all. Other platoons only required those tht are going outfield 2 pack, which made some of my platoon mates quite angry abt it. Well, guess our Sergeants wants us 2 be different frm � rest & treats us more like PES A/B pple. On � bright side, it benefited us in such a way tht we knw how 2 pack � same field pack 4 our upcoming route march.
Battle Innoculation Course was pretty tiring. We had 2 leopard crawl on sand through some obstacles under � hot sun, with camou on our faces. � main purpose was 2 simulate � effect of a war on going & � way u shld advance thru such situations. Becauz of this, i had 2 minor wounds on my elbows. � destination looked pretty near, but it takes like forever 2 crawl there. I was pretty proud of myself at � end of � thing since i was � 1st in my detail 2 finish it, hehe.
Range, in short means, a whole day activity, waking up early, sleeping late, very long waiting hours, running up & down � chambers, doing all � "sai kang", stinky uniform, perspiring profusely etc at least tht's wat i think. Was pretty afraid initially cauz of all � safety precautions & instructions tht � sergeants & officers passed down. It's like 1 mistake will cost u your entire life tht kinda thing. Followed instructions carefully & didn't act smart, which saved me frm being screwed upside down (as in being scolded) by � sergeants & officers. Some of them were really screwed till they were careless in handling their rifle, resulting in more serious reprimanding. Felt alot for those pple cauz it's like they were being reprimanded for very minor mistakes which they made as a result of being rush by � sergeants & officers themselves. As for those tht were really super blur, i think � sergeants & officers had no choice but 2 shout at them 2 make them realise their mistakes. Oh well, it's NS afterall, wat u expect? Live firing was really different frm � computerised one tht we had gone thru before. � recoil was pretty much bigger making it more difficult 2 aim properly. And becauz of tis range, i can only book out on Sunday morning afterwhich i had 2 book-in in � evening of � same day. SiGnZzZzzz...
On booking out, i didn't do anything much, jus stayed at home & rest basically. Due 2 � lack of time, i didn't get 2 update my blog, hence this late update.

26 - 31 May '03
My 2nd range was pretty much like � 1st one, jus tht this time round we were shooting at targets instd of shooting at canadian bulls, which was meant 2 help us adjust our rifle in such a way tht we can aim our targets more accurately. This time round, i wasn't feeling as stressed as � 1st time round. It was more relaxed & i was looking forward 2 enter � chambers 2 shoot.
1st Route March of 5km took place during tis week. Basically it was jus walking in full battle order (helmut, field pack, SBO & rifle), in steps around � entire BMTC ground. Was pretty alright since my platoon was singing & joking around while we were walking, which kinda make u think less abt � distance u hve 2 walk. Nevertheless, after � march, my shoulders & back were aching after putting everything down on � floor. H/e, when i think abt those enhanced batch pple who even hve 2 walk even longer distances with � same amt of stuff on, i felt glad & lucky abt it.
A day w/o training at all for � entire BMTC school : Games Day + CO Night. Games Day is pretty much � same as a sports day of a school, jus tht � games played were more childish, at least tht's wat i think. Had 2 participate in it since i volunteered indirectly. I volunteered 2 help do a demonstration only since i had nothing 2 do tht day, but never did i expect � sergeant 2 be so lazy tht he decided 2 ask all those who volunteered 4 � demonstration 2 participate for � real thing. Damn unlucky man. In addition 2 � bad luck, my company was � conducting company, which meant tht we had 2 prepare everything tht was need or tis event, which also means more "sai kang". Becauz of tis, we had 2 wake up early & move all � stuff 2 � stadium. Tis took up � entire morning for tht day. During � night, we were treated 2 a performance by pple frm SAF's MDC, skits by other companies as well as a special performance by a new Taiwanese singer by � name of Xiao Xiao. Her performance was � best or � only one tht was worth watching. She sang pretty well tht night, esp one of � songs which is a cover of Faye Wong's song, called Jing Chi. She sounded pretty much like Faye. If u were there, u'll get 2 see how horny guys can be & � stuff they were willing 2 do jus 2 go on stage 2 see her, hahaz. It was pretty fun. Other than tht, it was very boring, so boring tht i slept for � rest of � preformance.

To be continued......

YoZz Peeps, it's been a long while since i've updated my blog. Been quite busy going out or lazing around at home doing other stuff instd of updating it. Tis doesn't mean tht updating my blog is a waste of time or tht i've given up on it. It's jus tht i have many things to do, given such a short period of time out. Honestly speaking, this entry will not really tell u abt wat's happening 2 me 4 � past 2 weeks, cauz i'll be booking in quite soon, so don't really hve time 2 type everything tht i wanna say. So you'll hve 2 wait for nxt wk before i'll update u on wat's happening & i can tell u beforehand tht it's gonna be a very long entry for sure. Hehez, sorry abt tht.

Anyway, as u peeps can see frm � title tht i'll be passing out soon. Oh, if u peeps don't knw, POC = Passing Out Ceremony. I won't be having POP = Passing Out Parade, like wat most other NS guys have due 2 my status. Mine will be much more simple & i think my parents won't be invited 2 witness me passing out of BMT. Well think tht's abt it, posting tis entry 2 unsure u peeps tht this site is not down or i've given up on it. Shall update u asap alright? Even if u peeps aren't interested 2 knw, which i'm sure most of u aren't, i'll still update it for my own archive, hehe. In � meantime, u peeps jus take lotsa care & enjoy yourselves. Will be back soon, tAtAz & cyAz...