One night, we were in the bunk when Mark came from next door and flicked a large grasshopper into our bunk with a piece of newspaper. I was inclined to kill it, but the rest (with the strange affection for animals that takes most males when they aren't torturing them) were disinclined, so Jason whisked it out of the door. I then took a broom and swept it - under the door of Mark's bunk - and scurried back to our bunk giggling. A while later, Mark came back with the grasshopper on the piece of newspaper, but we shouted at him not to do anything. He then went to the drivers' bunk and flicked it into there, then ran back to his bunk. I was going to go help them remove the grasshopper from their bunk, but the lights were off. The next day, we saw the giant grasshopper perched on the ceiling outside the drivers' bunk.

I've decided that those people who call me "Jiabao" will get one of a variety of unsavoury names, like "George", "Cesspit" and the like. Time to put this plan into action!

Since our bedsheets and pillowcases are being counted, we've brought in our own. It feels more like home now :)

I've printed out and scanned in some of the products of people's boredom when they are in the Treatment Room. Like that of Ah Beng carrying the stereo (someone pointed out that no one carries stereos around, and someone else said mats do that because it is cheaper and it looks "cool". Heh. I think they carry them so they can put then on the floor and breakdance!) And that of me (which looks horrible). Enjoy :) People's skills at Paintbrush (Windows 3.1 version) steadily increase with practice, and we daily discover things we never knew Paintbrush could do. A pity almost no one recognised the significance of the Zerowing dialogue, though.

I finally got down to writing "Sucks Bigtime" under the word "Army" printed in bold on one of my Army singlets. Yeh.

In one room, I found "Osama" brand 5m power tape (meauring tape). Wth?!

Yong Siang thought that Asian Prince was the same as Amy Jo Johnson, since both of them feature on my cupboard. Gah!!!

Ban Xiong has an amazing appetite for Crystal Jade's Xiaolongbao. Even I would eat only two, but he ordered 2 baskets on tuesday, so we each had 4. They are nice, though, as is the la mian :)

Apparently sometimes Kiong goes home to sleep on his nights off. Wah.

Someone wrote in to the forum to suggest that, during the SARS epidemic, SAF servicemen get stayout. Fine idea!

To save money, manpower and time, we now get food on weekends from the Muslim cookhouse. Dammit, I hate Malay food!

People love to keep the television on in the bunk, even when no one is watching it, a fact I discovered when I turned it off one night, to howls of protest. Apparently they have been weaned on a diet of background noise, and are unable to enjoy the Sound of Silence.

We had our first company run where we had to sing - ugh. Well, I was covering, but still, the noise brought back bad memories.

There was this colourful newsletter with absolutely no sensitive material in it at all pinned on a noticeboard, but it was rated "restricted". Wth.

Our 42SAR canteen's food stall - "All Ranks Canteen", has closed. I got a tip off from the mua chee man at 46SAR one day, and he said that they'd closed as they couldn'tp ay the rent. Later, I asked the people drinks stall, and they said that the people at the food stall had said they were going to "rest", and that they weren't allowed to sell any food. A few days later, while having a haircut, I asked the barber, who was quite close to the people at the food stall, and he corroborated what the mua chee man said. They indeed couldn't make any money. Feeling a little sorry for him (he had helped the food stall wash dishes for food, apparently), I gave him $2 this time (and besides, he did put in some effort this time round). The people at "All Ranks Canteen" might not have cooked very good food, but it *was* an additional place to go to, especially if, as it did once, the cookhouse cooked laksa (and only laksa) for dinner, and they were quite nice too, letting people buy food on credit. The auntie never did manage to con me into buying 3 chicken wings for $2 at 4pm, though, despire numerous efforts.


I saw a perfect birthday present for Wang. He's going to get it next week. Heh heh heh.


Things you learn: Beethoven's Ode to Joy is the European Union's official anthem.

The 'House of Humour' in Jurong Point has no humourous stuff, only screwed up stuff. What a misleading name!

I saw Lu Rui En [Ed: For the uninitiated, she is the ex-RJ student 1 year my senior who featured in the Singtel pod ad who meets a guy in a club and gives him her number, and has now forayed into Chinese pop] in 'Life!' one day and the thought struck me: Definitely A03! Kai says I'm right :)

I find it very interesting how well the mythologies and philosophies of Taoism (and attendent Chinese religions) and Buddhism blend. In Chinese myth and folklore, you can find the Jade Emperor and the Buddha co-existing cheek by jowl, and this is accepted without dissent by adherents of traditional Chinese religions.


Quotes:

screening roaster (roster)

[Forum letter on SARS and the Iraq war] During breaks, I turn on the television to relax for a while, only to find even more depressing and stressful news.

[On the TV show Duke of Mount Deer 2000 aka Lu4 Ding3 Ji4] All the girls will become his wives... [Someone: All the girls acting for more than 5 minutes will become his wives]

[On the phone while on weekend duty] Hello. Duty clerk here. How's your dinner? Na beh.

[To someone else] Wah your lan jiao [is] very smelly

[On someone] He's really not a bad person, except that he's bald

[On Hot Socks] Come to think of it, I've never seen any JC girls wear normal socks