Bookout Post:
Restored Post
We were weighed last week and I gained another kg, to 90.5. I've since shed that kg, so I think I've gained back the excess weight I lost during my bout of flu.
While at Kilo for the weight review last week, I surreptitiously bought a can of "Rich and Creamy Mug no caffeine Root Beer". The sample can in the machine was actually A&W Root Beer but this was not bad, though I do prefer A&W. Rich and Creamy Mug Root Beer is creamy and froths in the mouth. It has a slight sourish tang, and I detected a slight metallic taste - maybe it's just me, or because it's been in the can for a while. There are some strange ingredients - "purity gum, quillaia extract". The drink tastes more artificial than that of A&W, but Miranda Root Beer takes the prize for artificial taste! Yeos actually cans 3 types of Root Beer -A&W, Miranda and this Rich and Creamy Mug. Two timing?
Trench digging sucks. I don't know how much rougher my hands are now. Luckily though, I got Roy as my partner and the help of my sergeant. Even though they did the lion's share of the work, I was exhuasted. But Roy was very nice about it - "I know you're trying your best". I feel quite bad. This reminds me of my TCHS OBS Sea Expedition partner, who did most of the paddling. Another nice chap.
The day after Trench Digging, we had the 12km route march. I think I'll concuss on the 16km one, seeing how bad 12km was. During the first 4 km, we sang a lot of songs. On the 2nd 4km, the number of songs dwindled and on the last leg, we were quiet because we were too tired. How people motivate you during your route march - "You've done 4 click already, don't waste it!" or "4km to go only!". And if people want to fall out nearer the start, they'll probably go, "it's only been 2 km and you want to fall out?". So it's a no win situation, you never get to fall out :)
After the Route March, our Last Parade was at about 5pm. Someone had brought in a VCD of a Chinese Gongfu movie, so a lot of us crowded around and watched it. It's been a while, so I'd forgotten how funny (both intentionally and unintentionally) and impressive (all those extras standing around) Chinese Gongfu movies were. And impressive too. This one had many jokes inside, but too bad it ended unresolved. Apparently a sequel was to have been made, but it never was.
I've come to the conclusion that the biscuits they give us in the field rations are actually very good - crisp and tasty. But I think we've eaten so many, we're sick of them.
The best way to do 5BX - go into a training shed, turn off the lights and shout loudly.
One sergeant's bored of shouting "thousand" for warmups. So he moved on to making people shout "thousand" in other languages. Then one day he made us shout vulgarities instead, and "confinement" was not accepted :)
Taurus has over 70 OOCs and Charlie, 55. Well done.
The Honeydew Cordial they give us sometimes in the cookhouse is a vile colour - dark green like dishwashing liquid. I wonder what the makers were thinking.
Our sergeant was so tired of people exposing their underwear when they run that he imposed a punishment of 10 pushups for doing so. Heh.
I think I've seen maybe 1 or 2 cockroaches on Tekong so far. Weird.
The first aid dressings they give us are all expired. And we're expected to carry them everywhere (even when booking out!). Bah.
I don't know why people love to set their alarms blastedly early, do everything and go back to sleep. It's okay if you're the only one affected, but I'm the lightest sleeper in my section and the one who wants to wake latest.
I was pondering one day after calling us "sad sobs" when I realised that "sob" was not "sob" per se, but "s.o.b". So I've just insulted myself and my lot (and this was not the only time too). Oops.
In the end, I *was* attached out for the SIT Test after all. I did it with Hawk, which meant that I saw all my old RJ friends. My section was warning me about how bad it'd be, but it was actually quite okay. Hawk's a 'welfare' company, while Bravo's a shit one, so that explains it. One fallout from the first Sit Test confirmed that ours was much easier. During the Bravo one, they slept at 12pm and woke at 6am. We slept at about 9 one day and 10 the other and woke at 5:30. Also, we didn't have to double to and from stations. Maybe it was partly due to the fact that we were in "Platoon 5" so we didn't get knocked down as punishment.
I was in Andrew Tan's detail, which meant I could finally get answers to some questions I'd been meaning to ask. :)
A suspiciously disproportionate number of the people in the Mineclearer job were those from Gryphon and Delta who'd been attached after they'd missed their Sit Test. Ahem.
Apparently field rations taste much better if cooked, but we're too lazy. And those who did start fires all cooked Instant Noodles. Oh well.
The Delta people tell us they have a billards table, table soccer and a King of Fighters 95 machine with free play turned on in their Recruits' Mess. Oh well.
Lucky Calvin's No 4 nametag says "Calvin" instead of an ugly "K W Chong".
My section mate convinced me to fill my powder bottle with Prickly Heat, so during the powder bath, my body was aflame. "My balls are on fire" - someone.
We used our bayonets to open coconuts to drink the water inside (and those who were game scraped the meat to eat). Mmm, they were good.
Being obese has its advantages. Me and the other Gryphon guy were excused crossing a ~2.2m wide gap ~3.4m above the ground. "2 and 7, excused" - Assessor.
Andrew Tan cursed (albeit softly) 'lan jiao' when he fell into a hole. Ah, not even he has escaped the depredations of the army.
I think taking S Papers makes people speak in English. Few people chattered in Chinese during our Sit Test. Too bad it doesn't make them enunciate the "th" sound.
More ways to detect officers: The buttons at the end of their No 4s when they are in Long 4 mode are not buttoned tight.
The Sit Test actually reminds me of OBS in some ways, the "overcome this obstacle with your team" business. I'm very bad at "Knots and Lashing" so I couldn't help much with lashing logs to each other. Oh well.
One sergeant speaks with a quite pronounced American accent, but he slips into a Singaporean accent every few words. He also couldn't pronounce some more complex words, and he lamented that his English had gone to the dogs. I wonder if that will happen to me (sans accent).
We were late for our 12:30 boat. I was the one who most closely followed the timing given us (most of the rest went to bathe and came down late). The sergeants kept playing with a football in the company office, and some people didn't march properly so we were slowed. To add insult to injury, someone changed the channel on the TV in the fastcraft to Channel 8, and we saw soldiers doing the SOC and the flying fox (is it called that? The one where you slide down a rope holding onto some wheeled thing). Later I heard Lee Hsein Loong (on the radio) saying "National Service serves as a rite of passage". Right, that rubbish again. You might as well brand everyone, that'll be a shorter and less painful rite of passage. Oops, we have 2 BCGs already. Ahh you can chop off the tip of everyone's left pinky, then.
Apparently a rule is coming down in BMTC saying that resetting of pushups is now disallowed. I leave a wake whereever I go.
I think Going Back To Camp Syndrome intensifies sadness. I felt very lousy about my dismal showing on Thursday.
Some people try to encourage or congratulate me with things like "You're a man now" or "Men don't cry", but they don't realise that this has the opposite effect. It's really irritating.
Another irritating thing is this person who loves to not do things properly, eg moving in the file (a LOT), talking loudly in the file and doing pushups improperly when we're punished even though he plainly is capable of doing proper pushups. Yet, he's the first and loudest to scold "jee bye" when others do likewise. There's another person who's been on unofficial excuse for at least 3 weeks, skipping all the physical activities. Apparently his back hurts and he's afraid of getting Out Of Course, but it is really unfair to the rest of us.
Royston my buddy has OOCed. Most sad, with us having 3 weeks to go.
More sexism: We're freer nowadays since we've finished all our major activities, so I finally get to read the Straits Times everyday (excepting weekends when it doesn't come). In fact, I think I read it more often now than before I went in. Anyway, the Booker Prize winning author Arundhati Roy was jailed for 1 day to "show the magnaminity of the court and reflected the fact that Roy is a woman". This is disgusting.
All of us are excused the SOC station, the balance beam, where you high port (a term no one can pronounce! It always comes out as "i pod" or something) your rifle walk up to head level on a beam and then walk across precariously on a winding beam and then jump down. Yeh!
Kilo has a weird chant while marching: "Kilo, Stylo, Milo". I am flabbergasted.
Arms drill is painful. The foresight tip keeps digging into my right shoulder. Ouch.
2 of us were bundled into a rover after our Endurance Training run to help the sergeant buy Prata for the instructors. Too bad we didn't have any money (I had $1 in my slingbag but I didn't bring it down - pity's me!). Mmm, prata.
People keep calling the sling bag "shu1 bao1". I suppose the habit's ingrained already.
An explanation one sergeant gave for vulgarity use is that they are sometimes so frustrated with us that using vulgarities is the only alternative to physical abuse. Apparently when he was a recruit he felt the same way as me too. Well.
More information on the RJ female officer cadet (not all verified):
- she's a councillor
- "she like went directly to ocs.. in tri service now.. so she has one white strip.. soon we will all have to salute her.. : P"
- "They are applying for SAF overseas merit scholarship....
and thus have to do 10 weeks basic training.....plus OCS"
- "just so happened that Xiao Qing (3F)... applied for it.... in fact... the girl you saw in army garb is prob xiaoqing...."
Just in case said person visits this page (one of the disadvantages of my infamy and the grapevine), I think there's nothing wrong with joining the army. But I'll have to salute you soon.
Quotes:
"Do you ever get the feeling that you aren't sent to [the] Army, you're sent to a Boys' Home?"
"I have a very low respect for RGS girls now"
"[Me: The woman {there} looks like a man] Woman, where?"
"[On the coconuts we were drinking from, presumably from the trees growing beside the sea, which was the peeing are] You know where the water come from? It's from your pee. You are drinking 30 years of recruits' pee. (comes)"
"[On the disgusting things JC guys do to girls] They shave the girl, they cut the girl... They cut the girl while shaving."
"[On his SISPEC 'award'] Mine is rusty bayonet."
"[On my GP] Yah lar, B4, you must have insulted some religion... How can he get B4?... Too cheem already... Maybe he [the marker] was watching a soccer match, "fuck lar", B4"
"[On sand being kicked up] Jee bye, this place becoming like desert already (is becoming like a)"
"[To me] The Hawk people, all the same frequency as you"
"[On the fruit bars we get in our field rations] I went [to] CGH [Changi General Hospital]. I saw, buy 3 [at $1.65 each] get 1 free. [The free one was] Mixed fruit... We throw them away everyday."
"That's how I understand Tamil movies... First the boy and the girl will start dancing. Then a hundred people will pop up behind the boy. Then a hundred people will pop up behind the girl... Then the boy and the girl will dance around a tree... They will go to a vegetable market... The man will have a big belly and a moustache"
"[On wrapping towels around the body at the bust level] I find it very hard to breathe. I don't know how you stand it"
"[Before we booked out on the 7:30pm boat] I say again, cookhouse food not very healthy, eat less, later book out and eat."
"I don't deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either.
Jack Benny (1894 - 1974)"
L'origine de Bert
Saturday, March 09, 2002
I happened, just on an off chance, to check the PSC application website and I found that the essay (if I deign to submit it) is due on the 20th of March, which means that if I want to apply this year, I'll have to do it by tonight. Right now I'm leaning towards sleeping.
Anyhow I'm locked out of the site for a while because my modem lost the connection and 'multiple login is not allowed'.
Anyhow I'm locked out of the site for a while because my modem lost the connection and 'multiple login is not allowed'.
Post ID: 10557073
I've sold out!
This morning, Kairen asked me to accompany him to the SAF Music And Drama Company auditions. So I went. While there, I sung in my natural voice and had to perform a dance routine taught to us. So much for my making fun of Flesh Parade! And my dismissing of modern music.
Dance is actually very tiring - the warmup along was worse than 5BX and we were all panting and sweating by the end. And my natural voice has appalling range, and it still feels awkward to sing with it. And Weiyi came down to audition too. Ahh I've surely lost :)
Well, all the other people were so much better. At least it was something different to do for one afternoon. And I met my old Chinese Tuition classmate Alex Er, who's in Delta. His voice is very subdued now, and he is not the boisterous person he used to be. The travails of slavery!
As is usual when I book out, I've been feeling sick. There might be an explanation for this - apparently some people are intolerant of water from The Isle of Doom.
I hear there's this guy from Leopard who went mad. Ouch. Looks like my rants and ravings aren't altogether figments of my imagination.
My Brother in law has abysmal taste in music. Right now he's into German Industrial Rock, where their instruments include rolling barrels filled with ball bearings and chainsaws. Their singing makes them sound like they're on drugs. Then again, they probably are.
Apparently Evil Cult sucks even more now! Maybe when TBS returns it'll pick up.
Look who's in the running for Miss Singapore Universe! Wah.
This morning, Kairen asked me to accompany him to the SAF Music And Drama Company auditions. So I went. While there, I sung in my natural voice and had to perform a dance routine taught to us. So much for my making fun of Flesh Parade! And my dismissing of modern music.
Dance is actually very tiring - the warmup along was worse than 5BX and we were all panting and sweating by the end. And my natural voice has appalling range, and it still feels awkward to sing with it. And Weiyi came down to audition too. Ahh I've surely lost :)
Well, all the other people were so much better. At least it was something different to do for one afternoon. And I met my old Chinese Tuition classmate Alex Er, who's in Delta. His voice is very subdued now, and he is not the boisterous person he used to be. The travails of slavery!
As is usual when I book out, I've been feeling sick. There might be an explanation for this - apparently some people are intolerant of water from The Isle of Doom.
I hear there's this guy from Leopard who went mad. Ouch. Looks like my rants and ravings aren't altogether figments of my imagination.
My Brother in law has abysmal taste in music. Right now he's into German Industrial Rock, where their instruments include rolling barrels filled with ball bearings and chainsaws. Their singing makes them sound like they're on drugs. Then again, they probably are.
Apparently Evil Cult sucks even more now! Maybe when TBS returns it'll pick up.
Look who's in the running for Miss Singapore Universe! Wah.
Post ID: 10556709
Wednesday, March 06, 2002
Bookout post (up to 27/2):
When last I left, I went to the East Coast for dinner. While there, I saw a girl in pink floral berms, which went past her knee. I believe this is the first time I've seen floral printed bottoms which are so long!
Restored Post
There was a screwup on the first Monday. They ran out of food [the disgusting Chicken Pau and Lor Mai Kai], so we had to wait while they fried sausages and fish patties. Even at this stage in my life, I am called "Xiao3 Di4" :) They are very wasteful in the cookhouse - they throw away the end parts of loafs, the ones which no one wants to eat.
One of the tastier soups that the cookhouse brews, which does not taste like plain water with pepper and/or msg, is the one with pork bones and salted vegetables and is a bit sour, and which I like, incidentally.
My section made comments about the soft toys (of sorts) that I brought in. I've been sleeping with them every night for a while now - a rabbit, a leopard and a rainbow coloured bear, the first 2 given by Screwed Up Girl and the last by my mother. The latter 2 are Beanie Babies (which my section mate persistently calls 'Beanie Bears').
People like to chatter in Mandarin, but it does not mean that they have a high standard of Mandarin. In fact, I daresay I am better than some of them in that language. Incidentally, my brother-in-law's mother thinks that my Chinese has improved. Gasp.
We had a very interesting Stand By Rifle. The sergeant walked in and asked "Whose weapon is clean?... Those who never put up their hands, go and carry on 20" and then walked off.
I've noticed that no one curses in Malay or Indian languages. The most they go to is "bhuto" (whatever) and since that means idiot, they aren't actually cursing per se, but just scolding someone. Why this is so is a mystery. Another mystery in the area of cursing is why people like to curse "chee bye" but not "lan jiao". I think no one curses the latter except for my Platoon Sergeant. My theory to explain this distribution is how I explained what "lan jiao" and "chee bye" were to Huijun and Huimei when I went back to RJC during Chinese New year - "lan jiao" is what they have, "chee bye" is what they want".
When people 'borrow' soap from me, they always squirt out a lot. Usually, the amount they take to wash their hands is more than the amount I use in a shower. My previous Body Shop Jasmine Exfoliating Body Wash just drains away.
The bias towards women and children, and by definition, against men, that pervades society irks me sometimes. Males are always deemed inferior, or more worthy of blame. I once watched this Channel 8 drama serial where there was this "ethical" killer who proudly proclaimed, "I don't kill women and children". More recently, and what sparked this paragraph, the Commentary column by Asad Latif on 25/02/2002 quoted this woman on why she'd saved some Bengalis as saying, "Because they were women and children". I don't really understand why men are seen as evil (for lack of a better word) and women and children are innocent and free of blame. All are tainted by Original Sin, and I don't think women and children manage to avoid adding to it along the way.
And someone finally used the word "column"! I was sick of hearing "rows" when people meant "columns", then one night the sergeant said, "form up into 5 columns". However, he still issued the command as "bergera kerkiri ber tiga tiga" when it should have been "ber lima lima", since tiga means 3. Oh well.
Some sick guy was leading the marching song, and he changed "As the cold wind blows" to "As my girlfriend blows". Eww.
We were forced to watch 'Defence Watch' again, and they were showcasing the soldiers in East Timor. They showed one giving biscuits to a boy. It was the rations from the field rations. We were all quite amused at his apparent generosity.
The bookout criteria for the 3 obese companies seems to be quite similar, at least for running, something like 14:00 for Delta and 14:45 for both Bravo and Gryphon. This is really quite unfair since the Gryphon people are maybe twice the size of the Delta people.
Occasionally, we get this thing called 'Birds' Nest Cordial' at the Cookhouse. I wonder how much Birds' Nest there is inside. Maybe it's 1 PPM (part per million).
We have come to the conclusion that our dear Bunk Cleaning i/c Chee Hwa is obsessed with Bunk Cleaning. You should see the fire in his eyes when he says, "Do your bunk cleaning". The passion and the drive are unmistakable.
A few beds down is Tze Li. Unfortunately, he OOCed about 2 weeks ago, a really bad time to do so, because our course is ending and knowing how long the SAF takes to post people out, he'll probably be here after POP. Poor him.
One really disgusting thing is the way people's shorts and trousers keep coming down. Maybe it's because we've lost so much weight, but whenever many people move, their shorts ride down, revealing their underwear. For some people, their instincts have been honed to the point where their hands will subconsciously tug at their shorts to reveal their underwear the moment we are free for extended periods of time. And sometimes people even deliberately pull their shorts down.
If people try to cheat during Water Parades by drinking less water, they are made to drink more water, as a punishment. This really isn't appropriate as it will instill a dislike of drinking water into the recruit. A vicious circle thus results.
For a week or two, Platoon 1 had an interesting rhyme to chant during water parades, after reciting the 7 SAF Core Values as part of the not-so-subtle indoctrination scheme. It goes, "Drink water good, drink water good. Don't drink water get heatstroke. Get heatstroke, you will die. Then your whole platoon will cry. XXX days to POP!".
I am told that, even after 12 weeks in BMTC, I still bounce when I march. Oh well.
OC night was when the various platoons put up skits about our BMT life. Ours featured Khairuldin and his infamous jock strap, and had someone imitating him ironing his Smart 4 after Lights Out, wearing just the jock strap, while donning webbing for the light the torch afforded. And then someone came by imitating one officer (who was imitated in all *4* of the skits) who was rather perturbed by the sight. Of course, no evening would be complete without a cross dresser, courtesy of Platoon 4.
One of our sergeants decided to be funny, so on two occasions, he made our file contort while marching by issuing, alternately, the "empek kiri" and "empek kenan" commands.
I realise that there's one person whose voice is rather like En Ming's, especially in the way he gives commands.
The rest of the bookout post will be posted after I return on Friday night, since it is now 1:38AM and I am tired.
Quotes:
"[On why I should have scanned the RJ yearbook and not the RGS one] RGS secondary school right? The girls haven't develop yet. (is a secondary, developed)"
"[On Taiwan] You will go there and fight with the people there... You will suffer through sleepless nights, 4 days. That exercise is called R&R."
"For those of you who want to sign on, you can compare it to marriage. Why marriage? Because it's the stupidest thing you have done as a man. (will have)"
"This is my first obese batch. It's been one of a kind. The smell also is one of a kind."
When last I left, I went to the East Coast for dinner. While there, I saw a girl in pink floral berms, which went past her knee. I believe this is the first time I've seen floral printed bottoms which are so long!
Restored Post
There was a screwup on the first Monday. They ran out of food [the disgusting Chicken Pau and Lor Mai Kai], so we had to wait while they fried sausages and fish patties. Even at this stage in my life, I am called "Xiao3 Di4" :) They are very wasteful in the cookhouse - they throw away the end parts of loafs, the ones which no one wants to eat.
One of the tastier soups that the cookhouse brews, which does not taste like plain water with pepper and/or msg, is the one with pork bones and salted vegetables and is a bit sour, and which I like, incidentally.
My section made comments about the soft toys (of sorts) that I brought in. I've been sleeping with them every night for a while now - a rabbit, a leopard and a rainbow coloured bear, the first 2 given by Screwed Up Girl and the last by my mother. The latter 2 are Beanie Babies (which my section mate persistently calls 'Beanie Bears').
People like to chatter in Mandarin, but it does not mean that they have a high standard of Mandarin. In fact, I daresay I am better than some of them in that language. Incidentally, my brother-in-law's mother thinks that my Chinese has improved. Gasp.
We had a very interesting Stand By Rifle. The sergeant walked in and asked "Whose weapon is clean?... Those who never put up their hands, go and carry on 20" and then walked off.
I've noticed that no one curses in Malay or Indian languages. The most they go to is "bhuto" (whatever) and since that means idiot, they aren't actually cursing per se, but just scolding someone. Why this is so is a mystery. Another mystery in the area of cursing is why people like to curse "chee bye" but not "lan jiao". I think no one curses the latter except for my Platoon Sergeant. My theory to explain this distribution is how I explained what "lan jiao" and "chee bye" were to Huijun and Huimei when I went back to RJC during Chinese New year - "lan jiao" is what they have, "chee bye" is what they want".
When people 'borrow' soap from me, they always squirt out a lot. Usually, the amount they take to wash their hands is more than the amount I use in a shower. My previous Body Shop Jasmine Exfoliating Body Wash just drains away.
The bias towards women and children, and by definition, against men, that pervades society irks me sometimes. Males are always deemed inferior, or more worthy of blame. I once watched this Channel 8 drama serial where there was this "ethical" killer who proudly proclaimed, "I don't kill women and children". More recently, and what sparked this paragraph, the Commentary column by Asad Latif on 25/02/2002 quoted this woman on why she'd saved some Bengalis as saying, "Because they were women and children". I don't really understand why men are seen as evil (for lack of a better word) and women and children are innocent and free of blame. All are tainted by Original Sin, and I don't think women and children manage to avoid adding to it along the way.
And someone finally used the word "column"! I was sick of hearing "rows" when people meant "columns", then one night the sergeant said, "form up into 5 columns". However, he still issued the command as "bergera kerkiri ber tiga tiga" when it should have been "ber lima lima", since tiga means 3. Oh well.
Some sick guy was leading the marching song, and he changed "As the cold wind blows" to "As my girlfriend blows". Eww.
We were forced to watch 'Defence Watch' again, and they were showcasing the soldiers in East Timor. They showed one giving biscuits to a boy. It was the rations from the field rations. We were all quite amused at his apparent generosity.
The bookout criteria for the 3 obese companies seems to be quite similar, at least for running, something like 14:00 for Delta and 14:45 for both Bravo and Gryphon. This is really quite unfair since the Gryphon people are maybe twice the size of the Delta people.
Occasionally, we get this thing called 'Birds' Nest Cordial' at the Cookhouse. I wonder how much Birds' Nest there is inside. Maybe it's 1 PPM (part per million).
We have come to the conclusion that our dear Bunk Cleaning i/c Chee Hwa is obsessed with Bunk Cleaning. You should see the fire in his eyes when he says, "Do your bunk cleaning". The passion and the drive are unmistakable.
A few beds down is Tze Li. Unfortunately, he OOCed about 2 weeks ago, a really bad time to do so, because our course is ending and knowing how long the SAF takes to post people out, he'll probably be here after POP. Poor him.
One really disgusting thing is the way people's shorts and trousers keep coming down. Maybe it's because we've lost so much weight, but whenever many people move, their shorts ride down, revealing their underwear. For some people, their instincts have been honed to the point where their hands will subconsciously tug at their shorts to reveal their underwear the moment we are free for extended periods of time. And sometimes people even deliberately pull their shorts down.
If people try to cheat during Water Parades by drinking less water, they are made to drink more water, as a punishment. This really isn't appropriate as it will instill a dislike of drinking water into the recruit. A vicious circle thus results.
For a week or two, Platoon 1 had an interesting rhyme to chant during water parades, after reciting the 7 SAF Core Values as part of the not-so-subtle indoctrination scheme. It goes, "Drink water good, drink water good. Don't drink water get heatstroke. Get heatstroke, you will die. Then your whole platoon will cry. XXX days to POP!".
I am told that, even after 12 weeks in BMTC, I still bounce when I march. Oh well.
OC night was when the various platoons put up skits about our BMT life. Ours featured Khairuldin and his infamous jock strap, and had someone imitating him ironing his Smart 4 after Lights Out, wearing just the jock strap, while donning webbing for the light the torch afforded. And then someone came by imitating one officer (who was imitated in all *4* of the skits) who was rather perturbed by the sight. Of course, no evening would be complete without a cross dresser, courtesy of Platoon 4.
One of our sergeants decided to be funny, so on two occasions, he made our file contort while marching by issuing, alternately, the "empek kiri" and "empek kenan" commands.
I realise that there's one person whose voice is rather like En Ming's, especially in the way he gives commands.
The rest of the bookout post will be posted after I return on Friday night, since it is now 1:38AM and I am tired.
Quotes:
"[On why I should have scanned the RJ yearbook and not the RGS one] RGS secondary school right? The girls haven't develop yet. (is a secondary, developed)"
"[On Taiwan] You will go there and fight with the people there... You will suffer through sleepless nights, 4 days. That exercise is called R&R."
"For those of you who want to sign on, you can compare it to marriage. Why marriage? Because it's the stupidest thing you have done as a man. (will have)"
"This is my first obese batch. It's been one of a kind. The smell also is one of a kind."
Post ID: 10448436
Observations on my (second) return to RJC:
Sister on the RJ girls she saw as we were driving in: 'wah lau, look at those girls... Like convent girls'. The number of people with the A03 look and the A03 behavior seems to increase every year actually :)
There was some female officer cadet with 1 white bar (wah). Quanxing said it was michellle seng or something. Apparently she was from Science. Maybe she's the RJ girl I heard was in Whisky, one of the 3 Whisky girls.
Even with a shaven head, red jacket was still in his jacket.
Howe was in school uniform, the only one I saw who did so, even though I did see some in a RJ T-Shirt and their own shorts.
Odd things one sees: 1 Canteen having vending machines from 2 companies. Apparently they're trying to set up a competitive market, inasmuch as a duopoly can be said to be competitive. There was a machine with a picture of a Pepsi can on it, but which strangely did not vend Pepsi, with the price of its drinks as 70 cents. Across the canteen, the F&N machines vend drinks at 80 cents a can. In the arena of Asian Drinks, the Yeos machines are placed near the ones vending Heaven and Earth drinks.
I do wonder what the students of RJ, being rational consumers, will do.
Ruxin was talking to the school servant. She's one up on me! I chat to canteen vendors (even fierce ones like Monty's Auntie Mary) but she talks to the servants too. Hurrah! :)
Tim got 3 As too - a B for F Maths, and a M for Maths S. Otherwise (and for Chinese) he got a perfect score. What a disgrace for a professed lover of Maths :)
Okay, I did say I wanted to practice essay discipline, but this disparate collection of thoughts really can't be congealed.
Sister on the RJ girls she saw as we were driving in: 'wah lau, look at those girls... Like convent girls'. The number of people with the A03 look and the A03 behavior seems to increase every year actually :)
There was some female officer cadet with 1 white bar (wah). Quanxing said it was michellle seng or something. Apparently she was from Science. Maybe she's the RJ girl I heard was in Whisky, one of the 3 Whisky girls.
Even with a shaven head, red jacket was still in his jacket.
Howe was in school uniform, the only one I saw who did so, even though I did see some in a RJ T-Shirt and their own shorts.
Odd things one sees: 1 Canteen having vending machines from 2 companies. Apparently they're trying to set up a competitive market, inasmuch as a duopoly can be said to be competitive. There was a machine with a picture of a Pepsi can on it, but which strangely did not vend Pepsi, with the price of its drinks as 70 cents. Across the canteen, the F&N machines vend drinks at 80 cents a can. In the arena of Asian Drinks, the Yeos machines are placed near the ones vending Heaven and Earth drinks.
I do wonder what the students of RJ, being rational consumers, will do.
Ruxin was talking to the school servant. She's one up on me! I chat to canteen vendors (even fierce ones like Monty's Auntie Mary) but she talks to the servants too. Hurrah! :)
Tim got 3 As too - a B for F Maths, and a M for Maths S. Otherwise (and for Chinese) he got a perfect score. What a disgrace for a professed lover of Maths :)
Okay, I did say I wanted to practice essay discipline, but this disparate collection of thoughts really can't be congealed.
Post ID: 10446757
Today we got our A level results.
Indulge me a bit.
Hearing my mother's lecture just now, you'd think it was the end of the world. Hearing her ("you don't want to do what I say" - on taking History), you'd realise that she has a plan for my life all mapped out. Right now she's urging me to apply for a place in NUS before they are taken. Looks like her dream of me becoming a PSC OMS scholar like my brother-in-law (ahem) are wrecked (awww). Sometimes, I wonder what's the point. Is boasting to your friends really so important? Or projecting your ambitions on your progeny?
Studying at an Overseas University (hopefully prestigious) is something that the top echelon of Singaporean students desires, nay, expects. Since my parents can't (or won't, as for my sister) pay, this means that I'll have to sell my soul (but I'll be damned if I sell it to the SAF!). Right now it seems the worth of my soul has gone down a few notches, and seeing how bad I am at interviews, I'm probably at the bottom of the heap :) I really don't mind NUS, but it seems likely that Overseas Education is nice.
Hmm, This sounds like it's going to degenerate into an angsty post. In fact, it already has, but it'll end here. The heavy stuff, that is. No more, no Sir.
In the end, I did the same as in prelims, more or less - 2 subjects improved by one level, and 1 deproved by one level, so there was some slight improvement.
I actually had a (rather low) lower bounds of expectations - 3As, a B for history and a B3 for GP (and nothing said about the S papers, for which the intellectual stimulation was reward enough). Now I have missed History and GP by one grade each (letting Yortsin down doubly in the process!). Oh well. Well, at least my name's on the green board as one of the top 587 (or so, of ~850) in RJC! I will now go and kowtow to all those who got 4 As. At the risk of appearing condescending, I will voice my respect for Seng Pou, who got 4 As, who persevered in doing 4 subjects despite being adviced to drop Computing.
Perhaps this shows that there's something wrong with my writing :) My essay discipline is horrible, as is my organisation. Perhaps worse, I tend to have a style of writing which irks the hell out of some people (probably not frequenters of this humble establishment, too). It also didn't help that I used the imaginary word "cohabitate" instead of "cohabit" for my tract on why marriage is not feasible :) Mrs Chan, my GP teacher, actually said she expected an A1 from me. Oh well, there weren't any A1s in her form class 3S06A anyhow.
Ah, hell, I screwed up my essay on why the idea of one partner for life is not workable. Perhaps a peril of choosing the 'interesting' question, or one in which I have personal interest. Now that I think about it, that was one weak essay. Ah, the benefit of hindsight. Maybe I need to blog more, and not post incoherent posts consisting of one sentence paragraphs based on notes scribbled furtively during slavery. Or stop pouring thoughts out of my head one by one like in this paragraph :)
Many people were surprised by my History results. I have no idea why people think I'm good at History. I might know a thing or two about Hittite culture, or appreciate the significance of Shang 'Dragon bones' but writing an essay is really quite hard even so. Knowing random facts is good for SAT II (800!) but doesn't really help for the A level paper.
My sister actually suggested that I retake some A level subjects. I might just do English (Literature) for the hell of it, and write quirky [and marginally correct] stuff that will come out in the Examiners' Report but earn me a fail grade. Hindi would be fun, but be totally out of my depth. But then, most Private Candidates don't do well. In fact, most of them don't even attempt the paper - my basha mate during the SIT Test told me that he was drunk for most of the papers of the 5 subjects he took as a private candidate.
Oh well, when's all said and done, as my revered senior Eugene (now a storeman who books out everyday, a job I would love to have, though a CMPB job, even being the guy collecting urine, would beat that) said, in a few years, I'd not care or remember my A level results. " im sure u dun talk a lot abt o level now do u? =p". Whereupon I related the exchange I had with Quanxing (who might be reading this now, and who took offence at my mentioning that he owed me money but *still* hasn't returned it):
In 2001...
Me: What did you get [for O levels?]
Friend: 8 points
Me: I also got 8... A1s
Friend: Fuck you, Gabriel.
But then he beat me this time, so I guess we're even :)
Some people love to put disclaimers on their pages saying "this is my page, so if you don't like my style, get lost", but I think I shouldn't torture my small but loyal following (yes, they do exist, I'm not deluding myself!). So I will strive (but probably forget) to follow essay discipline, as preached to me by The Associate (who has gone into a leaky attap hut in the forest to meditate, presumably).
Indulge me a bit.
Hearing my mother's lecture just now, you'd think it was the end of the world. Hearing her ("you don't want to do what I say" - on taking History), you'd realise that she has a plan for my life all mapped out. Right now she's urging me to apply for a place in NUS before they are taken. Looks like her dream of me becoming a PSC OMS scholar like my brother-in-law (ahem) are wrecked (awww). Sometimes, I wonder what's the point. Is boasting to your friends really so important? Or projecting your ambitions on your progeny?
Studying at an Overseas University (hopefully prestigious) is something that the top echelon of Singaporean students desires, nay, expects. Since my parents can't (or won't, as for my sister) pay, this means that I'll have to sell my soul (but I'll be damned if I sell it to the SAF!). Right now it seems the worth of my soul has gone down a few notches, and seeing how bad I am at interviews, I'm probably at the bottom of the heap :) I really don't mind NUS, but it seems likely that Overseas Education is nice.
Hmm, This sounds like it's going to degenerate into an angsty post. In fact, it already has, but it'll end here. The heavy stuff, that is. No more, no Sir.
In the end, I did the same as in prelims, more or less - 2 subjects improved by one level, and 1 deproved by one level, so there was some slight improvement.
I actually had a (rather low) lower bounds of expectations - 3As, a B for history and a B3 for GP (and nothing said about the S papers, for which the intellectual stimulation was reward enough). Now I have missed History and GP by one grade each (letting Yortsin down doubly in the process!). Oh well. Well, at least my name's on the green board as one of the top 587 (or so, of ~850) in RJC! I will now go and kowtow to all those who got 4 As. At the risk of appearing condescending, I will voice my respect for Seng Pou, who got 4 As, who persevered in doing 4 subjects despite being adviced to drop Computing.
Perhaps this shows that there's something wrong with my writing :) My essay discipline is horrible, as is my organisation. Perhaps worse, I tend to have a style of writing which irks the hell out of some people (probably not frequenters of this humble establishment, too). It also didn't help that I used the imaginary word "cohabitate" instead of "cohabit" for my tract on why marriage is not feasible :) Mrs Chan, my GP teacher, actually said she expected an A1 from me. Oh well, there weren't any A1s in her form class 3S06A anyhow.
Ah, hell, I screwed up my essay on why the idea of one partner for life is not workable. Perhaps a peril of choosing the 'interesting' question, or one in which I have personal interest. Now that I think about it, that was one weak essay. Ah, the benefit of hindsight. Maybe I need to blog more, and not post incoherent posts consisting of one sentence paragraphs based on notes scribbled furtively during slavery. Or stop pouring thoughts out of my head one by one like in this paragraph :)
Many people were surprised by my History results. I have no idea why people think I'm good at History. I might know a thing or two about Hittite culture, or appreciate the significance of Shang 'Dragon bones' but writing an essay is really quite hard even so. Knowing random facts is good for SAT II (800!) but doesn't really help for the A level paper.
My sister actually suggested that I retake some A level subjects. I might just do English (Literature) for the hell of it, and write quirky [and marginally correct] stuff that will come out in the Examiners' Report but earn me a fail grade. Hindi would be fun, but be totally out of my depth. But then, most Private Candidates don't do well. In fact, most of them don't even attempt the paper - my basha mate during the SIT Test told me that he was drunk for most of the papers of the 5 subjects he took as a private candidate.
Oh well, when's all said and done, as my revered senior Eugene (now a storeman who books out everyday, a job I would love to have, though a CMPB job, even being the guy collecting urine, would beat that) said, in a few years, I'd not care or remember my A level results. " im sure u dun talk a lot abt o level now do u? =p". Whereupon I related the exchange I had with Quanxing (who might be reading this now, and who took offence at my mentioning that he owed me money but *still* hasn't returned it):
In 2001...
Me: What did you get [for O levels?]
Friend: 8 points
Me: I also got 8... A1s
Friend: Fuck you, Gabriel.
But then he beat me this time, so I guess we're even :)
Some people love to put disclaimers on their pages saying "this is my page, so if you don't like my style, get lost", but I think I shouldn't torture my small but loyal following (yes, they do exist, I'm not deluding myself!). So I will strive (but probably forget) to follow essay discipline, as preached to me by The Associate (who has gone into a leaky attap hut in the forest to meditate, presumably).
Post ID: 10446356
Monday, March 04, 2002
Apologise for the bad english in last line of last post- getting incoherent there.
Got back to melbourne on sunday nite, went over to chaowan's [Ed: Who was listed as a 'perfect scorer' on the RJ noticeboard, one of 41 I believe. Loraine and African are in there too!] room again (seems i spend precious little time in my own room not sleeping). Went down to gym- gosh was a whole week since i last trained. Slept.
I'm incredibly grateful to Ben Tan, senior student in ormond college, for helping me out around the college and miscellanous stuff. Including how to get to the airport and back, and emergency phone numbers. Wonderful fellow. First encountered his presence when I espied a nametag on his former room that said "These quarters belong to Benjamin Tan" in a Very Familiar font. I would have just walked away if not for other Very Familiar logos, namely the Babylon 5 Fan club logo and the Psi Corps logo (this one you should know, it's the greek letter "psi" that looks like libra, the scales)
Monday was the first day of classes- lectures mostly. Hung out mainly with the other asians i knew (seriously think i should be less introverted and mix around more with people whose home country's national language isn't malay or bahasa indonesia!!). No scandalous gossip yet, (well, at least none i *care* to share). Today's monday nite, so ... Oooh I went down to the student union library and took out 3 terry pratchetts!!! Soooo excited, just started on The Light Fantastic. Apparently the creative arts students are putting up Wyrd Sisters in april (one of the girls in ormond is acting in it), will catch it then. Student Union library also stocks dvds/videos to rent!
Oh Wutien if you're reading this, is there any way to get around mp3/icq/irc restrictions on the uni network? Oh right, there *is always* a way.
News update: Gabriel (known on Balderdash as agagooga norlan) told me abt ICQ lite, at
www.icq.com
or
lite.icq.com
that is a web version of ICQ- a new window opens as a column on the right of the screen. Ah well, have to build up contact list from scratch. Send andrew messages if you're online!
Got back to melbourne on sunday nite, went over to chaowan's [Ed: Who was listed as a 'perfect scorer' on the RJ noticeboard, one of 41 I believe. Loraine and African are in there too!] room again (seems i spend precious little time in my own room not sleeping). Went down to gym- gosh was a whole week since i last trained. Slept.
I'm incredibly grateful to Ben Tan, senior student in ormond college, for helping me out around the college and miscellanous stuff. Including how to get to the airport and back, and emergency phone numbers. Wonderful fellow. First encountered his presence when I espied a nametag on his former room that said "These quarters belong to Benjamin Tan" in a Very Familiar font. I would have just walked away if not for other Very Familiar logos, namely the Babylon 5 Fan club logo and the Psi Corps logo (this one you should know, it's the greek letter "psi" that looks like libra, the scales)
Monday was the first day of classes- lectures mostly. Hung out mainly with the other asians i knew (seriously think i should be less introverted and mix around more with people whose home country's national language isn't malay or bahasa indonesia!!). No scandalous gossip yet, (well, at least none i *care* to share). Today's monday nite, so ... Oooh I went down to the student union library and took out 3 terry pratchetts!!! Soooo excited, just started on The Light Fantastic. Apparently the creative arts students are putting up Wyrd Sisters in april (one of the girls in ormond is acting in it), will catch it then. Student Union library also stocks dvds/videos to rent!
Oh Wutien if you're reading this, is there any way to get around mp3/icq/irc restrictions on the uni network? Oh right, there *is always* a way.
News update: Gabriel (known on Balderdash as agagooga norlan) told me abt ICQ lite, at
www.icq.com
or
lite.icq.com
that is a web version of ICQ- a new window opens as a column on the right of the screen. Ah well, have to build up contact list from scratch. Send andrew messages if you're online!
Post ID: 10362441
Next morning and the day after were more orientation games- ditto, ditto. I drenched myself running through the fountains at south bank gaining points for my group (originally comprising people holding on to a jack of spades or jack of clubs card, we called ourselves the black-jacks) made my way back to ormond college to pack my stuff- chaowan hadn't joined in orientation, he went out for lunch and got back just as I was leaving. Took 2 trams down to spencer st to take the skybus down to the airport.
Flew back to singapore and spent the next few days sleeping/reading/slacking. Apart from the scholarship interview (which i will tell u more abt only if you ask me nicely). I didn't bother telling pple i was back- lynette foo was, like, "i just sent you an email wishing you all the best in melbourne and now you're here??" SMSed the ns guys to tell them rumour has it a level results out on wednesday, amongst them only patch caught on that i was in singapore. By the way, A level results out is confirmed!!
Flew back to singapore and spent the next few days sleeping/reading/slacking. Apart from the scholarship interview (which i will tell u more abt only if you ask me nicely). I didn't bother telling pple i was back- lynette foo was, like, "i just sent you an email wishing you all the best in melbourne and now you're here??" SMSed the ns guys to tell them rumour has it a level results out on wednesday, amongst them only patch caught on that i was in singapore. By the way, A level results out is confirmed!!
Post ID: 10362187
Uh-oh. Backwards posts. AH well.
Then college orientation had just started as I got back. I informed admin I wouldn't be around past tuesday afternoon, then joined in the activities. Basically running around, cheering, playing games (some fun, some just dumb, some intended to cause embarrassment- I will not divulge details unless sufficiently bribed), tour around the college in the afternoon, a short chapel service in the evening. I had just enough time to change into a suit and rush down to chapel- which is located on the second floor of the main building, overlooking the quadrangle near the entrance. Amazingly, a number of the girls had enough time to change into gowns And put some make-up- eyeshadow, lipstick, mascara. No rouge. The choral scholars filed in (ooh! asians amongst them! I might have a chance!) and sang some lovely renditions- all pretty modern arrangements- late 1850s to 1900s, including benjamin britten. A short sermon; the deacon mentioned the wide range of religions amongst the student body and read from John 3 and (gulp) somewhere in the old testament. It's a uniting church (i think it's a union of anglican/presbytarian doctrine and tradition); the uniting churches form a big portion of the churches around. Services are sundays 7pm, I definitely will be popping by some of them. Chaowan went for the last one and was uncomfortable with the preacher's somewhat irreverent attitude to the bible.
After the service were pre-dinner drinks outside (cold wind blowing, no idea how backless-gown-wearers survived without their oh-so-out-of-fashion pashminas)- suspicious looking non-alcoholic fruit punches with bits of canned fruit in them, and waiters serving sushi/suspicious samosas/sandwiches. (andrew: Alliteration! Ed: No you don't!!! [Real ed: He's framing me]) A student jazz band was also playing- not bad standard. Then a formal dinner (i.e. i didn't have to queue up behind the dining hall to get my plates of food) with candlelight, tablecloths, napkins, the works. Lovely atmosphere! Before the main course, the college choir got up to some a cappella jamming.Some of them were rather unconventional, i heard a lot of pretty rude words in the lyrics and there was a lot of raucous laughter in between the parts I didn't hear. Ended with "wade in the water"- an afro-american spiritual.
Dinner followed by a "mad hat party"- don unusual headwear and turn up for more suspicious drinks at the junior common room. I pulled on my dark blue beanie (i can just hear my brother go "Not beanie! Woolly cap! beanie's the cap with the helicopter top!") and went down; seniors were serving cordials with a little alcohol in them. All drinks came in gaudy colours- BRIGHT green, red, orange, yellow. Thankfully no blue.
Had a stupendously great time on the dancefloor- a mix of techno, rap, good old-fashioned rock. Dead beat, retired at 11 something
Then college orientation had just started as I got back. I informed admin I wouldn't be around past tuesday afternoon, then joined in the activities. Basically running around, cheering, playing games (some fun, some just dumb, some intended to cause embarrassment- I will not divulge details unless sufficiently bribed), tour around the college in the afternoon, a short chapel service in the evening. I had just enough time to change into a suit and rush down to chapel- which is located on the second floor of the main building, overlooking the quadrangle near the entrance. Amazingly, a number of the girls had enough time to change into gowns And put some make-up- eyeshadow, lipstick, mascara. No rouge. The choral scholars filed in (ooh! asians amongst them! I might have a chance!) and sang some lovely renditions- all pretty modern arrangements- late 1850s to 1900s, including benjamin britten. A short sermon; the deacon mentioned the wide range of religions amongst the student body and read from John 3 and (gulp) somewhere in the old testament. It's a uniting church (i think it's a union of anglican/presbytarian doctrine and tradition); the uniting churches form a big portion of the churches around. Services are sundays 7pm, I definitely will be popping by some of them. Chaowan went for the last one and was uncomfortable with the preacher's somewhat irreverent attitude to the bible.
After the service were pre-dinner drinks outside (cold wind blowing, no idea how backless-gown-wearers survived without their oh-so-out-of-fashion pashminas)- suspicious looking non-alcoholic fruit punches with bits of canned fruit in them, and waiters serving sushi/suspicious samosas/sandwiches. (andrew: Alliteration! Ed: No you don't!!! [Real ed: He's framing me]) A student jazz band was also playing- not bad standard. Then a formal dinner (i.e. i didn't have to queue up behind the dining hall to get my plates of food) with candlelight, tablecloths, napkins, the works. Lovely atmosphere! Before the main course, the college choir got up to some a cappella jamming.Some of them were rather unconventional, i heard a lot of pretty rude words in the lyrics and there was a lot of raucous laughter in between the parts I didn't hear. Ended with "wade in the water"- an afro-american spiritual.
Dinner followed by a "mad hat party"- don unusual headwear and turn up for more suspicious drinks at the junior common room. I pulled on my dark blue beanie (i can just hear my brother go "Not beanie! Woolly cap! beanie's the cap with the helicopter top!") and went down; seniors were serving cordials with a little alcohol in them. All drinks came in gaudy colours- BRIGHT green, red, orange, yellow. Thankfully no blue.
Had a stupendously great time on the dancefloor- a mix of techno, rap, good old-fashioned rock. Dead beat, retired at 11 something
Post ID: 10362039
Haven't blogged (andrew: hopefully this word will enter future editions of the OED/Collins/Webster's) for a very long time so this is to make up for it:
First Weekend since last blog:
College Orientation started Sunday. Rushed down to Swanston St. Church of Christ for the 9.00am service (which i was conspicuously late for- arrived at 9.20am). They use a lot of hillsongs material (so most of the songs were familiar); congregation about 200+, LOTS of international students. A large portion of the service was devoted to announcements and messages about current/future missionary/other projects, it was about 10am when the sermon started. Can't remember much about the sermon (bad andrew! must take down notes next time!) except that it was something about giving up all for Christ; then closing (don't remember an altar call); then this friendly guy sitting next to me started talking to me and offered to introduce me to the other singapore students around. The servers (aka ushers) on duty were from the church's international student fellowship aka asian uni students in the church; went out for an early lunch at mekong's with the OCF pple around. Mekong's (vietnamese restaurant) is great value for money; ~A$6.50 gives you a BIG bowl of beef noodles or a plate of "broken" rice with your choice of meat- pork chop, roast beef... , and you can order the $7.50/$8.50 one if you're starving, or just want to share the meal with someone else. Do note that at least for the beef noodles, the sliced beef in the soup is quite rare (Raw), the idea is that the beef should cook in the hot stock in your bowl, at least until most of it isn't red.
First Weekend since last blog:
College Orientation started Sunday. Rushed down to Swanston St. Church of Christ for the 9.00am service (which i was conspicuously late for- arrived at 9.20am). They use a lot of hillsongs material (so most of the songs were familiar); congregation about 200+, LOTS of international students. A large portion of the service was devoted to announcements and messages about current/future missionary/other projects, it was about 10am when the sermon started. Can't remember much about the sermon (bad andrew! must take down notes next time!) except that it was something about giving up all for Christ; then closing (don't remember an altar call); then this friendly guy sitting next to me started talking to me and offered to introduce me to the other singapore students around. The servers (aka ushers) on duty were from the church's international student fellowship aka asian uni students in the church; went out for an early lunch at mekong's with the OCF pple around. Mekong's (vietnamese restaurant) is great value for money; ~A$6.50 gives you a BIG bowl of beef noodles or a plate of "broken" rice with your choice of meat- pork chop, roast beef... , and you can order the $7.50/$8.50 one if you're starving, or just want to share the meal with someone else. Do note that at least for the beef noodles, the sliced beef in the soup is quite rare (Raw), the idea is that the beef should cook in the hot stock in your bowl, at least until most of it isn't red.
Post ID: 10361706
Sunday, February 24, 2002
Mmm, root beer.
*Takes long refreshing sip of ice cold A&W Root Beer*
I've not drunk it for a long time. The smooth, creamy taste, with the froth, is really invigorating. Too bad I don't have a glass mug to frost in the freezer. I don't think I'll be able to finish the 1.25L bottle today though.
I once saw in A&W Clementi [or Holland Village, I can't remember which], on one of the papers they cover trays with (now what are those called?), a promotion of their Root Beer. Apparently it is brewed from "300 natural ingredients". Ptooey. More like 300 chemicals in a factory. Anyhow, it still tastes good.
Bundaberg Root Beer is nice too, but it has a more refined taste. Which means it's not as suitable for guzzling.
No more Root Beer when I return to camp. Oh well. At least we'll get to come out to collect our A Level results (hopefully on Friday night, and we'll book in Saturday night), conveniently letting me escape part of Confinement Weekend.
I like Cranberries. Sorry, not the raw ones (I've actually tried them before - yeech), but the juice, flavour, etc. So I'll use the Cranberry Socks template.
Ringing endorsement (of sorts):
"Ruimin - don't get pissed I won't write any more bad stuff about RI prefects ... but now RI Guys. Hmmm. Check out this site - it'll probably give you an indication of how free they are."
I am told that I am only "5%" as jovial as I used to be. I don't think it's quite that little. And also (according to the same person) I am apparently very "sian" all the time now. Sigh. I don't really believe her, though.
32 days to POP on March 28th! I can't wait.
*Takes long refreshing sip of ice cold A&W Root Beer*
I've not drunk it for a long time. The smooth, creamy taste, with the froth, is really invigorating. Too bad I don't have a glass mug to frost in the freezer. I don't think I'll be able to finish the 1.25L bottle today though.
I once saw in A&W Clementi [or Holland Village, I can't remember which], on one of the papers they cover trays with (now what are those called?), a promotion of their Root Beer. Apparently it is brewed from "300 natural ingredients". Ptooey. More like 300 chemicals in a factory. Anyhow, it still tastes good.
Bundaberg Root Beer is nice too, but it has a more refined taste. Which means it's not as suitable for guzzling.
No more Root Beer when I return to camp. Oh well. At least we'll get to come out to collect our A Level results (hopefully on Friday night, and we'll book in Saturday night), conveniently letting me escape part of Confinement Weekend.
I like Cranberries. Sorry, not the raw ones (I've actually tried them before - yeech), but the juice, flavour, etc. So I'll use the Cranberry Socks template.
Ringing endorsement (of sorts):
"Ruimin - don't get pissed I won't write any more bad stuff about RI prefects ... but now RI Guys. Hmmm. Check out this site - it'll probably give you an indication of how free they are."
I am told that I am only "5%" as jovial as I used to be. I don't think it's quite that little. And also (according to the same person) I am apparently very "sian" all the time now. Sigh. I don't really believe her, though.
32 days to POP on March 28th! I can't wait.
Post ID: 10061666
Saturday, February 23, 2002
Combined bookout post:
Restored Post
I think physical and mental afflictions feed on and reinforce each other. This probably accounted for my breaking down when I went back to camp on the 13th. I also wasn't in much of a state (neither did I have the disposition) to take down quotes and notes for that half week.
Then again I think the volume of notes has decreased recently. Have I run out of things to say? Or have I just grown accustomed to being enslaved. Oh well.
We used to have, in the Recruits' Annex, a TV with no buttons (they were all removed for some reason), stuck at Channel 5. Now we have a new (or semi-new at any rate) one, with a VCD player too! Of course, we're only allowed to play legal VCDs. The illegal ones are resolved for non-recruits. Someone brought in a VCD of 2002, and while those with 5 O Level passes and above were at the SIT test, they watched the movie 5 times or so.
I'm less than 100kg now, so I have to do the SOC. Ahhh! I hate jumping down from such heights. Jacob's Ladder particularly scares me. I'm not worried about not completing it - I don't give two hoots about my ability or courage, just about being injured.
Apparently everyone, even mild mannered sorts, come out of Slavery spouting vulgarities. I am the only survivor, though unclean thoughts (of this nature!) sometimes trouble me. I think I will survive this assault on my sensibilities though!
I think the same guy who rasped "loop loop loop right loop" is at it again. He was leading one of the songs in Pitch Bender mode, with his pitch varying greatly. I wonder if he got punished.
Suggested way of telling rank: The lower the person's Smart 4 sleeves, the higher his rank.
My wrapping my towel at the chest level instead of the waist level is still causing no end of consternation and comments. People pronounce it disgusting - what's so disgusting about it anyhow? And now some are trying to tear the towel away. Gah.
We've passed by the old Camp 1 on a few occasions. It looks terrible and very dreary. I'm sure glad we don't have to live there anymore.
Due to my second attack of flu last week, I couldn't go for the SITuational Test. It was conducted by Bravo, my old company, so it was quite harsh. I just hope I'm not attached to another company to do it. I'll be with the Enhanced people then. Whee.
We had 3 blinds during the Live Grenade Throw. Which means we got back really late. Grr.
Apparently one person didn't know what 5BX was when he was quizzed by the Commanding Officer, so now the whole of School 1 has to do 5BX every morn. !@#$%^&*().
We had 2 washing machines to serve the whole company (slightly under 200 people). Now they have been removed. Ahhh!!!
After the Chinese New Year week, I was 89kg due to my bout of flu. Now I'm 89.5kg, probably due to water replenishment. Oh well, it earned me 30 pushups (20 + 10).
On the day before we booked out for Hari Raya, we had a Mat Food special for lunch. Too bad most of it was hot, so I couldn't eat it. Apparently they whipped up a feast for Chinese New Year too, but we were at Field Camp, eating Field Rations (bleah).
Just before they let us go, we had to go for the Battle Inoculation Course. Leopard Crawling and Back Crawling is tiring and painful. It was sunny during the days preceding BIC, but it *had* to rain just before we went. Luckily it wasn't enough to make the ground muddy. For some reason, they had 2 speakers blaring out battle noises while we were crawling. Quite dumb, I think. But after it I saw Sergeants and, yes, Officers (our OC even) cleaning weapons (the GPMG) for the first time.
I went to "8 on the Bay" for dinner last night. The waiter greeted me with "Just booked out, Sir?" and the waitress with "My brother also booked out today. Commandos". Well.
Quotes:
"Law Meng Soon, I don't want you to spend 4 months in BMTC and the only English phrase you'll speak is 'Permission to recover, Sir'"
"[On the impotent cough medicine from the Medical Centre] I use it to slepp [and only to sleep]"
"Description of SFG-87. Shape - oval shaped. Not like some fucker who said 'papaya' this morning... Does [a] papaya look like a grenade?"
Restored Post
I think physical and mental afflictions feed on and reinforce each other. This probably accounted for my breaking down when I went back to camp on the 13th. I also wasn't in much of a state (neither did I have the disposition) to take down quotes and notes for that half week.
Then again I think the volume of notes has decreased recently. Have I run out of things to say? Or have I just grown accustomed to being enslaved. Oh well.
We used to have, in the Recruits' Annex, a TV with no buttons (they were all removed for some reason), stuck at Channel 5. Now we have a new (or semi-new at any rate) one, with a VCD player too! Of course, we're only allowed to play legal VCDs. The illegal ones are resolved for non-recruits. Someone brought in a VCD of 2002, and while those with 5 O Level passes and above were at the SIT test, they watched the movie 5 times or so.
I'm less than 100kg now, so I have to do the SOC. Ahhh! I hate jumping down from such heights. Jacob's Ladder particularly scares me. I'm not worried about not completing it - I don't give two hoots about my ability or courage, just about being injured.
Apparently everyone, even mild mannered sorts, come out of Slavery spouting vulgarities. I am the only survivor, though unclean thoughts (of this nature!) sometimes trouble me. I think I will survive this assault on my sensibilities though!
I think the same guy who rasped "loop loop loop right loop" is at it again. He was leading one of the songs in Pitch Bender mode, with his pitch varying greatly. I wonder if he got punished.
Suggested way of telling rank: The lower the person's Smart 4 sleeves, the higher his rank.
My wrapping my towel at the chest level instead of the waist level is still causing no end of consternation and comments. People pronounce it disgusting - what's so disgusting about it anyhow? And now some are trying to tear the towel away. Gah.
We've passed by the old Camp 1 on a few occasions. It looks terrible and very dreary. I'm sure glad we don't have to live there anymore.
Due to my second attack of flu last week, I couldn't go for the SITuational Test. It was conducted by Bravo, my old company, so it was quite harsh. I just hope I'm not attached to another company to do it. I'll be with the Enhanced people then. Whee.
We had 3 blinds during the Live Grenade Throw. Which means we got back really late. Grr.
Apparently one person didn't know what 5BX was when he was quizzed by the Commanding Officer, so now the whole of School 1 has to do 5BX every morn. !@#$%^&*().
We had 2 washing machines to serve the whole company (slightly under 200 people). Now they have been removed. Ahhh!!!
After the Chinese New Year week, I was 89kg due to my bout of flu. Now I'm 89.5kg, probably due to water replenishment. Oh well, it earned me 30 pushups (20 + 10).
On the day before we booked out for Hari Raya, we had a Mat Food special for lunch. Too bad most of it was hot, so I couldn't eat it. Apparently they whipped up a feast for Chinese New Year too, but we were at Field Camp, eating Field Rations (bleah).
Just before they let us go, we had to go for the Battle Inoculation Course. Leopard Crawling and Back Crawling is tiring and painful. It was sunny during the days preceding BIC, but it *had* to rain just before we went. Luckily it wasn't enough to make the ground muddy. For some reason, they had 2 speakers blaring out battle noises while we were crawling. Quite dumb, I think. But after it I saw Sergeants and, yes, Officers (our OC even) cleaning weapons (the GPMG) for the first time.
I went to "8 on the Bay" for dinner last night. The waiter greeted me with "Just booked out, Sir?" and the waitress with "My brother also booked out today. Commandos". Well.
Quotes:
"Law Meng Soon, I don't want you to spend 4 months in BMTC and the only English phrase you'll speak is 'Permission to recover, Sir'"
"[On the impotent cough medicine from the Medical Centre] I use it to slepp [and only to sleep]"
"Description of SFG-87. Shape - oval shaped. Not like some fucker who said 'papaya' this morning... Does [a] papaya look like a grenade?"
Post ID: 10039041
Less than 5 weeks to Passing Out!
All while Bunny Killer's having lots of fun in Melbourne. Ahh the Medicine course will start soon and the fun will begin. Then the A Level results will come and all the Singaporean students will screw the Australian Universities and leave (awww).
Kettle Chips may have fat, but they use Sunflower Oil, with 75% less Saturated Fat than Palm Olein (in which most potato chips available in Singapore and probably South East Asia and Australiasia are fried).
Ahh and I got my first mail about RGS Yearbooks.
"Uh...
i just would like to know when the year 2001 yearbook page would be complete...or are you even working on it? hehehh...and i would really,really appreciate it if you email me...thanks alot!"
Not a male name, so I reckon the poor girl's yearbook has been stolen by an ACS hotblood.
Something in my talk21.com mailbox from long ago:
Your eBay name [Ed: Agagooga] is the Giak word for hungry!
Well, so maybe I didn't make that word up after all... Words come from the strangest places in your memory :)
The TV in my parents' room broke down, so my father bought a new one. Unfortunately he succumbed to techno-lust and bought a LCD one. 15 inches, that is. I wonder how he's going to watch television on a 15 inch screen. A flatscreen CRT model was twice the size at half the price. Oh well.
All while Bunny Killer's having lots of fun in Melbourne. Ahh the Medicine course will start soon and the fun will begin. Then the A Level results will come and all the Singaporean students will screw the Australian Universities and leave (awww).
Kettle Chips may have fat, but they use Sunflower Oil, with 75% less Saturated Fat than Palm Olein (in which most potato chips available in Singapore and probably South East Asia and Australiasia are fried).
Ahh and I got my first mail about RGS Yearbooks.
"Uh...
i just would like to know when the year 2001 yearbook page would be complete...or are you even working on it? hehehh...and i would really,really appreciate it if you email me...thanks alot!"
Not a male name, so I reckon the poor girl's yearbook has been stolen by an ACS hotblood.
Something in my talk21.com mailbox from long ago:
Your eBay name [Ed: Agagooga] is the Giak word for hungry!
Well, so maybe I didn't make that word up after all... Words come from the strangest places in your memory :)
The TV in my parents' room broke down, so my father bought a new one. Unfortunately he succumbed to techno-lust and bought a LCD one. 15 inches, that is. I wonder how he's going to watch television on a 15 inch screen. A flatscreen CRT model was twice the size at half the price. Oh well.
Post ID: 10037866
Bleah, I screwed up my ICQ somehow. Suppose I'll have to switch to Trillian.
And I've been sleeping inordinately much today, and getting headaches when I wake. I *must* get sick during bookout. Gah.
9:45PM:
Problem solved. My message history was corrupted. And Trillian has no keyboard shortcut features. Bleah.
And I've been sleeping inordinately much today, and getting headaches when I wake. I *must* get sick during bookout. Gah.
9:45PM:
Problem solved. My message history was corrupted. And Trillian has no keyboard shortcut features. Bleah.
Post ID: 10035862
Woke up reluctantly. Very reluctantly. Funny how i'm becoming a bunk pig (snor-kkkkh). Got to know some more pple in ormond college over breakfast, returned to room to put clothes in washing machine. cycle would take abt 45 minutes, so I went down to the gym. Reluctantly again. Watched the clock: 10 minutes b4 the cycle was due i dropped everything and went gleefully back to check. At which point I realized i should have dumped my towel and workout clothes in too. Then I put my stuff in the dryer.
And it just occurred to me I had 45 minutes to get down to queen vic market to meet the rest of them (12 noon). Parents called, then I called danny to say I would be a *bit* late. Tried to turn the knob on the dryer so it would take less time, but clothes weren't dry yet.
Tried removing smaller, dryer items e.g. socks. Waited again. Folded some shirts/shorts that were dry. Jeans still quite damp. Waited again.
Jeans still a little damp, so I hung them on my chair (this guy i met said his clothes would dry very quickly in the afternoon, yeah it was past noon already) and left for queen vic market. 12.20pm. Took a tram, but by the time i had my coins ready and nobody else was using the ticket vending machine the tram had already reached queen vic market. Hopped off and called danny again. Oh, and 30 seconds into my phone call this old angmoh guy started yelling at me for hogging the phone. Met up with them at 12.45pm
Wandered abt market/city for most of the afternoon, made it back to college in time for dinner. Met more pple- including this ex-VJ choirgirl- who Doesn't want to join a choir in uni because of how hard her choir conductor was on the choirmembers. More and more interesting pple!
Hmm. My microfibre shorts have slits up the sides- they go down to midcalf, so the slit's from midcalf to knee. Suppose it's for running.
College orientation starts tomorrow lunch. I'd better go get sandals/slippers/thongs; didn't bring a pair and don't want to spoil my current sports shoes. Sports shoes. Which reminds me of the scene in "xiao3 hai2 bu2 ben4"- where the mum bribes her happening daughter by buying her a pair of the adidas(?) sports shoes she wanted from queensway, and the daughter forgot all abt her grudge with her mother and was ecstatic abt them, and the mum and dad discussed how easy it was to influence their children and mentioned the New Singapore Shares incentive in the same breath.
Andrew gan
And it just occurred to me I had 45 minutes to get down to queen vic market to meet the rest of them (12 noon). Parents called, then I called danny to say I would be a *bit* late. Tried to turn the knob on the dryer so it would take less time, but clothes weren't dry yet.
Tried removing smaller, dryer items e.g. socks. Waited again. Folded some shirts/shorts that were dry. Jeans still quite damp. Waited again.
Jeans still a little damp, so I hung them on my chair (this guy i met said his clothes would dry very quickly in the afternoon, yeah it was past noon already) and left for queen vic market. 12.20pm. Took a tram, but by the time i had my coins ready and nobody else was using the ticket vending machine the tram had already reached queen vic market. Hopped off and called danny again. Oh, and 30 seconds into my phone call this old angmoh guy started yelling at me for hogging the phone. Met up with them at 12.45pm
Wandered abt market/city for most of the afternoon, made it back to college in time for dinner. Met more pple- including this ex-VJ choirgirl- who Doesn't want to join a choir in uni because of how hard her choir conductor was on the choirmembers. More and more interesting pple!
Hmm. My microfibre shorts have slits up the sides- they go down to midcalf, so the slit's from midcalf to knee. Suppose it's for running.
College orientation starts tomorrow lunch. I'd better go get sandals/slippers/thongs; didn't bring a pair and don't want to spoil my current sports shoes. Sports shoes. Which reminds me of the scene in "xiao3 hai2 bu2 ben4"- where the mum bribes her happening daughter by buying her a pair of the adidas(?) sports shoes she wanted from queensway, and the daughter forgot all abt her grudge with her mother and was ecstatic abt them, and the mum and dad discussed how easy it was to influence their children and mentioned the New Singapore Shares incentive in the same breath.
Andrew gan
Post ID: 10035247
Gabriel i sent you a postcard- hope you like the picture. Found it in a cafe or eatery thingy called restaurant notturno, lygon street. Scan it onto yr homepage or something (=. Collection of quirky postcards increasing.
And i was telling my brother abt kettle chips, and he pointed out that the fat content was rather high-slightly higher than pringles (34g of fats per 100g serving). Ah well. There're always fruits.
Ah the tall/slim whatzhernehm girl's name is tiffany.
Went to a "restaurant porchetta"-italian- on rathdowne st. Rather far- walking down from lygon st, everyone we met said it was "another 2 blocks" down but turned out to be a lot more. But it's pretty good esp the pizzas and cheaaaaap- $6.00 per person and we were absolutely stuffed! Julia was calculating, if 4 girls ate there all they would need is one large pizza (between 5 of us we shared 2 large pizzas, one fettucine carbonara and one lasagna) and they would pay, like, $2.00 a person! Intersection cafe between elgin st and lygon st is pretty cheap, especially on the half-price offers on thursday. Dunno abt the quality, though.
Enjoyable time shopping in melbourne central. Found this place called "cotton on" with a good sale on- bought a pair of funky microfibre long shorts and a white/green athletic sleeveless tee. Was tempted to buy this fitted sleeveless black tee with beige print of an eagle on it but it's somewhat beng and very un-me- would never find a suitable occasion to wear it (unless i joined a biker gang or went clubbing). Other bargains there too- but don't know where to get classical cds from here. Suggestions anyone? Oh. Apart from HMV.
Going to swanston st. church of christ, services at 9,11, 7pm. Dunno which to go to. Don't even know what the church/services are like.
SERVE pple are coming back from pen. malaysia today!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and sarah's attending OCF here too! OCF buddy!
And .... rick jiang is here too. Studying med 1st year tooo. Surprise, surprise.
Andrew gan
And i was telling my brother abt kettle chips, and he pointed out that the fat content was rather high-slightly higher than pringles (34g of fats per 100g serving). Ah well. There're always fruits.
Ah the tall/slim whatzhernehm girl's name is tiffany.
Went to a "restaurant porchetta"-italian- on rathdowne st. Rather far- walking down from lygon st, everyone we met said it was "another 2 blocks" down but turned out to be a lot more. But it's pretty good esp the pizzas and cheaaaaap- $6.00 per person and we were absolutely stuffed! Julia was calculating, if 4 girls ate there all they would need is one large pizza (between 5 of us we shared 2 large pizzas, one fettucine carbonara and one lasagna) and they would pay, like, $2.00 a person! Intersection cafe between elgin st and lygon st is pretty cheap, especially on the half-price offers on thursday. Dunno abt the quality, though.
Enjoyable time shopping in melbourne central. Found this place called "cotton on" with a good sale on- bought a pair of funky microfibre long shorts and a white/green athletic sleeveless tee. Was tempted to buy this fitted sleeveless black tee with beige print of an eagle on it but it's somewhat beng and very un-me- would never find a suitable occasion to wear it (unless i joined a biker gang or went clubbing). Other bargains there too- but don't know where to get classical cds from here. Suggestions anyone? Oh. Apart from HMV.
Going to swanston st. church of christ, services at 9,11, 7pm. Dunno which to go to. Don't even know what the church/services are like.
SERVE pple are coming back from pen. malaysia today!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and sarah's attending OCF here too! OCF buddy!
And .... rick jiang is here too. Studying med 1st year tooo. Surprise, surprise.
Andrew gan
Post ID: 10018122
Friday, February 22, 2002
Thursday, February 21, 2002
Updated homepage- under request changed description of huihui on my prom photo collection in Perspective.
http://www.geocities.com/marshmall0w/prom/index2.html
And my telephone no. (in case i forget) is 9344-1586,
address: Room 4.12 McCaughey Court, Ormond College, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
[Ed: Please favour with many nuisance calls and heaps of junk mail]
http://www.geocities.com/marshmall0w/prom/index2.html
And my telephone no. (in case i forget) is 9344-1586,
address: Room 4.12 McCaughey Court, Ormond College, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
[Ed: Please favour with many nuisance calls and heaps of junk mail]
Post ID: 9954771
Hello,
I'm in comp lab 2, somewhere near a wilson hall in uni of melbourne.
Arrived here on sunday night. Since the bunch of med pple i'm closest to
here have gone shopping for handphones, i have nothing to do (at least
until 6.30pm here, when i plan to give my brother in london a wake-up
call).
Sunday 17 Feb: Sent to ormond college. Settle down, unpack enough stuff
to put bedsheet on bed and have a bath. Sleep.
Monday 18 feb: First thing in the morning, spent A$2.00 on calls to my
father. Public phone calls cost $0.40 per minute or thereabouts, i got
a wrong no., then nobody in my dad's room picked up, then i called my
father's singapore handphone (he had global roaming activated at a high
price just before leaving) at $0.80 a minute. Walked down from college
to hotel ibis (next to the queen victoria market). Brought my father
and his friend (a relative- erm my father's cousin's wife's
brother-in-law- he came along for holiday and to check on a property here) around
ormond college, then went around the city for meals and a little
shopping. Bought kettle chips (still unopened, i have a sore throat and daren't
touch them), power adaptor, extra bedsheets, water bottle, aqua shoes,
shampoo, set up bank account. Met father's friend/relative's nephew-
this really cool guy called kelvin tan. He's 28, quite cute, good bod,
he's got a bachelor's and master's degree in media arts- sound spec!
ialisation, RMIT, and plans to work in the media industry. He's cut
one mini-album and his first major one's gonna be launched in 1 month's
time- techno sounds. Also going to love ballads because of the
popularity, but his real interest is in heavy metal- offspring, limp bizkit (?)
and stuff. Oh, and he used to be a saints' rugger in singapore a long
time ago but he's hardly the jock stereotype. And no i'm not providing
his number.
Then had supper with dr. peter lee- my father's uni classmate and good
friend. He's an obs/gyn with his own practice in ferntree gully (yes
the cartoon was based on a real place) in the more rural areas, near glen
waverly, east of melbourne. Got a really nice clinic (it's actually a
refurbished residential house converted into a clinic) with imacs
everywhere, and a wonderful home thereabouts.
Forgot to bring along my saline and contact lens case, so dr. lee had
to drive me back to ormond to get them so i could remove my contacts and
go to my father's hotel to sleep.
I'm in comp lab 2, somewhere near a wilson hall in uni of melbourne.
Arrived here on sunday night. Since the bunch of med pple i'm closest to
here have gone shopping for handphones, i have nothing to do (at least
until 6.30pm here, when i plan to give my brother in london a wake-up
call).
Sunday 17 Feb: Sent to ormond college. Settle down, unpack enough stuff
to put bedsheet on bed and have a bath. Sleep.
Monday 18 feb: First thing in the morning, spent A$2.00 on calls to my
father. Public phone calls cost $0.40 per minute or thereabouts, i got
a wrong no., then nobody in my dad's room picked up, then i called my
father's singapore handphone (he had global roaming activated at a high
price just before leaving) at $0.80 a minute. Walked down from college
to hotel ibis (next to the queen victoria market). Brought my father
and his friend (a relative- erm my father's cousin's wife's
brother-in-law- he came along for holiday and to check on a property here) around
ormond college, then went around the city for meals and a little
shopping. Bought kettle chips (still unopened, i have a sore throat and daren't
touch them), power adaptor, extra bedsheets, water bottle, aqua shoes,
shampoo, set up bank account. Met father's friend/relative's nephew-
this really cool guy called kelvin tan. He's 28, quite cute, good bod,
he's got a bachelor's and master's degree in media arts- sound spec!
ialisation, RMIT, and plans to work in the media industry. He's cut
one mini-album and his first major one's gonna be launched in 1 month's
time- techno sounds. Also going to love ballads because of the
popularity, but his real interest is in heavy metal- offspring, limp bizkit (?)
and stuff. Oh, and he used to be a saints' rugger in singapore a long
time ago but he's hardly the jock stereotype. And no i'm not providing
his number.
Then had supper with dr. peter lee- my father's uni classmate and good
friend. He's an obs/gyn with his own practice in ferntree gully (yes
the cartoon was based on a real place) in the more rural areas, near glen
waverly, east of melbourne. Got a really nice clinic (it's actually a
refurbished residential house converted into a clinic) with imacs
everywhere, and a wonderful home thereabouts.
Forgot to bring along my saline and contact lens case, so dr. lee had
to drive me back to ormond to get them so i could remove my contacts and
go to my father's hotel to sleep.
Post ID: 9954609
Tuesday 19 feb: Spent all following nights sleeping in my father's
hotel room. Some shopping again0 stationery/toiletries, then had lunch in
restaurant coretto in lygon st. Salmone pasta- quite fishy and
creamy/cheesy, but i liked the taste. Huuuge portion, $12. Must remember to
contact melvin tay's friend in lygon st to pass stuff from the former to
the latter.
Wednesday 20 feb: Can't really remember what i did... i think i went to
the uni international reception centre in the morning, met davin and
danny there as well as my student mentor- alvin. He's a malaysian,
schooled in singapore, did foundation studies in trinity, then entered uni of
melbourne, now 4th yr engine. Apparently a lot of similar cases. A LOT.
Then arranged to meet chaowan in ormond college and we spent the
afternoon wandering around college and uni (caught in a deluge of rain late
afternoon and discovered to my horror my umbrella was broken in many
places). Coincidentally bumped into dev chak- our batch, S02B, studying
engineering first year, was talking to him. Then i went down to city to
do a spot of shopping. Bought umbrella, tupperware, and a yellow
sleeveless tee with a barbed wire motif. My first clothes purchase (= @ $15.
Westco (yes, bought it at westco)'s shop assistant told me will smith
was going to village cinema for the premiere of Ali, and i saw a!
crowd of pple waiting there. Waited there with them for 3 minutes,
then got impatient with self-indulgent and tardy movie stars and left.
Dinner at china bar (cardigan st, really good asian fare, big portions,
abt $A7.00 ) with kelvin and father and father's friend, then went to
kelvin's apartment (there was an advertisement for a flatmate- a 25-yr
old male asking for a 20-25yr old female flatmate to share apartment,
included a picture of Robert Downey jr. which he claimed was his mug) Then
met up with another one of my father's friends- an indian couple from
singapore who migrated to melbourne. Husband was a psc scholar, did his
master's in criminollogy in melbourne, then was serving his bond in
police, then ministry of home affairs (btw he agrees heartily abt the
social engineering conducted here) and was not very happy abt career
prospects- that talented and suitable candidates had to wait their turn to
join the old boys' club and get promotions and move career-wise. Wi!
fe also did master's in social work in melbourne, both of them decided
to migrate to a small town off melbourne to stay. They travel quite a
lot, come back to singapore quite often (they don't have children),
very nice couple. Promised to look out for me and take me out sometimes.
Post ID: 9954602
Thursday 21 feb: Said goodbye to father (he's leaving later on), and
went for orientation. Wanted to eat fruits for breakfast but the stuff I
bought from queen vic market had gone soft and slightly rotten after 3
days�. Salvaged a peach. Lemme see..... there were the medics from rjc
chenyi, tingru, chaowan, danny, sarah, julia the J4 (singapore citizen,
waited one year and 2 months to get into melbourne, everyone keeps on
asking her what she's spent the whole last year doing, she claims she
was a kindergarten teacher), Jiamin who spent a couple of months in rj
then went to trinity college, melbourne to do 1-yr foundation studies
(equivalent of a-levels or pre-us). Sue-anne and another girl whose name i
have temporarily forgotten, the one with a boyfriend in ns, tall/slim,
from tjc/vjc i think. And xiumin, ri choir/vjc/ns, 2 yrs my senior.
Davin, tjc, indonesian. Albert, who've i've just discovered was my primary
school clasmate primary 1 through 3, acps/acs i/njc but still v!
ery ac-ish outwards, There's supposed to be atomic liao's daughter who
also did the trinity college 1-yr foundation studies but i haven't met
here yet. And a hwachong girl called trudy- could tell from the first
glance she was from singapore by the look and the giordano tee (my
theory is that every teeen from singapore owns a collection of giordano
apparel- which reminds me- SImply Giordano is out! With the suede ribbed
tees- are they nice??). Would be much easier to find out who she is if i
had something like a first name to work with. Malaysians from malaysia-
wayne, gan chun hao, NAVINA!!! my j1 asean scholar classmate who went
to malaysia for J2, oliver, a taiwanese, migrated to canada. And dev
from engineering, and a bunch of 3 dark short rj girls, definitely rjc,
they look pretty familiar- i think one of them is peishan or peixuan or
soemthing like that.
Rumour has it a level results out on 1 march, since o level results out
on the same week in february or thereabouts.
Andrew gan
went for orientation. Wanted to eat fruits for breakfast but the stuff I
bought from queen vic market had gone soft and slightly rotten after 3
days�. Salvaged a peach. Lemme see..... there were the medics from rjc
chenyi, tingru, chaowan, danny, sarah, julia the J4 (singapore citizen,
waited one year and 2 months to get into melbourne, everyone keeps on
asking her what she's spent the whole last year doing, she claims she
was a kindergarten teacher), Jiamin who spent a couple of months in rj
then went to trinity college, melbourne to do 1-yr foundation studies
(equivalent of a-levels or pre-us). Sue-anne and another girl whose name i
have temporarily forgotten, the one with a boyfriend in ns, tall/slim,
from tjc/vjc i think. And xiumin, ri choir/vjc/ns, 2 yrs my senior.
Davin, tjc, indonesian. Albert, who've i've just discovered was my primary
school clasmate primary 1 through 3, acps/acs i/njc but still v!
ery ac-ish outwards, There's supposed to be atomic liao's daughter who
also did the trinity college 1-yr foundation studies but i haven't met
here yet. And a hwachong girl called trudy- could tell from the first
glance she was from singapore by the look and the giordano tee (my
theory is that every teeen from singapore owns a collection of giordano
apparel- which reminds me- SImply Giordano is out! With the suede ribbed
tees- are they nice??). Would be much easier to find out who she is if i
had something like a first name to work with. Malaysians from malaysia-
wayne, gan chun hao, NAVINA!!! my j1 asean scholar classmate who went
to malaysia for J2, oliver, a taiwanese, migrated to canada. And dev
from engineering, and a bunch of 3 dark short rj girls, definitely rjc,
they look pretty familiar- i think one of them is peishan or peixuan or
soemthing like that.
Rumour has it a level results out on 1 march, since o level results out
on the same week in february or thereabouts.
Andrew gan
Post ID: 9954593
Tuesday, February 19, 2002
Monday, February 18, 2002
Maybe I should get a dog to lavish my love on. I think I'm quite fond of the Samoyed.
Sometimes I wonder what's the point. 18 months, and at the snap of a finger it's over. Despite how horrible I'm feeling now though, I still think I experienced a Pareto improvement.
It's very easy to become cynical and disillusioned, but I think that's not the path I will take.
Seeing how lazy and lax I've become, I'll probably combine my thoughts [for my bookout post] from the last (half-)week with those from the forthcoming (half-)week.
Sometimes I wonder what's the point. 18 months, and at the snap of a finger it's over. Despite how horrible I'm feeling now though, I still think I experienced a Pareto improvement.
It's very easy to become cynical and disillusioned, but I think that's not the path I will take.
Seeing how lazy and lax I've become, I'll probably combine my thoughts [for my bookout post] from the last (half-)week with those from the forthcoming (half-)week.
Post ID: 9848976
With the first cloning of an animal, feminists (or more often, female chauvinists) were often heard to proclaim arrogantly, "men are no longer needed".
Now it seems women can be made redundant too.
Men redundant? Now we don't need women either
"Doctors are developing artificial wombs in which embryos can grow outside a woman's body. The work has been hailed as a breakthrough in treating the childless.
Scientists have created prototypes made out of cells extracted from women's bodies. Embryos successfully attached themselves to the walls of these laboratory wombs and began to grow...
'We hope to create complete artificial wombs using these techniques in a few years,' said Dr Hung-Ching Liu of Cornell University's Centre for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility...
Artificial wombs could end many women's childbirth problems - but they also raise major ethical headaches...
said organiser Dr Scott Gelfand, of Oklahoma State University. 'Some feminists even say artificial wombs mean men could eliminate women from the planet and still perpetuate our species. That's a bit alarmist. Nevertheless, this subject clearly raises strong feelings.'...
Crucially, both believe artificial wombs capable of sustaining a child for nine months will become reality in a few years...
It also has serious ethical implications, as Gelfand pointed out. 'For a start, there is the issue of abortion. A woman is usually allowed to have one on the grounds she wants to get rid of something alien inside her own body.
'At present, this means killing the foetus. But if artificial wombs are developed, the foetus could be placed in one, and the woman told she has to look after it once it has developed into a child.'
In addition, if combined with cloning technology, artificial wombs raise the prospect that gay couples could give 'birth' to their own children. 'This would no doubt horrify right-wingers, while the implications for abortion law might well please them,' he added.
Gelfand also warned that artificial wombs could have unexpected consequences for working women and health insurance. 'They would mean that women would no longer need maternity leave - which employers could become increasingly reluctant to give.
'It may also turn out that artificial wombs provide safer environments than natural wombs which can be invaded by drugs and alcohol from a mother's body. Health insurance companies could actually insist that women opt for the artificial way.
'Certainly, this is going to raise a lot of tricky problems.'"
Most interesting.
Now it seems women can be made redundant too.
Men redundant? Now we don't need women either
"Doctors are developing artificial wombs in which embryos can grow outside a woman's body. The work has been hailed as a breakthrough in treating the childless.
Scientists have created prototypes made out of cells extracted from women's bodies. Embryos successfully attached themselves to the walls of these laboratory wombs and began to grow...
'We hope to create complete artificial wombs using these techniques in a few years,' said Dr Hung-Ching Liu of Cornell University's Centre for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility...
Artificial wombs could end many women's childbirth problems - but they also raise major ethical headaches...
said organiser Dr Scott Gelfand, of Oklahoma State University. 'Some feminists even say artificial wombs mean men could eliminate women from the planet and still perpetuate our species. That's a bit alarmist. Nevertheless, this subject clearly raises strong feelings.'...
Crucially, both believe artificial wombs capable of sustaining a child for nine months will become reality in a few years...
It also has serious ethical implications, as Gelfand pointed out. 'For a start, there is the issue of abortion. A woman is usually allowed to have one on the grounds she wants to get rid of something alien inside her own body.
'At present, this means killing the foetus. But if artificial wombs are developed, the foetus could be placed in one, and the woman told she has to look after it once it has developed into a child.'
In addition, if combined with cloning technology, artificial wombs raise the prospect that gay couples could give 'birth' to their own children. 'This would no doubt horrify right-wingers, while the implications for abortion law might well please them,' he added.
Gelfand also warned that artificial wombs could have unexpected consequences for working women and health insurance. 'They would mean that women would no longer need maternity leave - which employers could become increasingly reluctant to give.
'It may also turn out that artificial wombs provide safer environments than natural wombs which can be invaded by drugs and alcohol from a mother's body. Health insurance companies could actually insist that women opt for the artificial way.
'Certainly, this is going to raise a lot of tricky problems.'"
Most interesting.
Post ID: 9844522
Sunday, February 17, 2002
Saturday, February 16, 2002
I'm still feeling sick, so I'll just pen more shameless self-promotion:
Fortuitously, the Internet Wayback Machine - a wonderful site where you can revisit the web of old by viewing websites at various points in the past - archived my old Tripod site just before it was deleted. I feel blessed :)
Fortuitously, the Internet Wayback Machine - a wonderful site where you can revisit the web of old by viewing websites at various points in the past - archived my old Tripod site just before it was deleted. I feel blessed :)
Post ID: 9787895
Wow. 5 posts in a row. Oh wait, this makes it the 6th. Hah- all those "Show last (5) posts"!
Ooh. I'm in trouble. "Andrew, message from my friend Yaoi Girl: Stop plastering my name all over the Net." (hopeless defence: ) But it was only once! *Not* my fault if the other J3s and J4s find it intriguing and keep repeating it!
Overcoming bouts of self-pity. Flying off.
If you know me please keep in touch with me via email!!
Ooh. I'm in trouble. "Andrew, message from my friend Yaoi Girl: Stop plastering my name all over the Net." (hopeless defence: ) But it was only once! *Not* my fault if the other J3s and J4s find it intriguing and keep repeating it!
Overcoming bouts of self-pity. Flying off.
If you know me please keep in touch with me via email!!
Post ID: 9787060
I'm posting for the last time before leaving. Yesterday was hectic too, morning I went to yun nan bookshop to obtain medical textbooks. Could only get moore's anatomy textbook (the other texts i was looking for were sold out; next batch coming in a few weeks). Then I met up with melvin tay at bugis- spinelli's for a chat. Then I took the mrt down to NUS science co-op (this nice engine student called weijie helped me to get there via the internal bus system) and i met ben mui on the way there. He's temp working in nus- good pay- and was meeting his "lunch buddies mala and shangyee" at the science canteen (one wonders why, when there are other better ones).
Sorta bumped into all 3 of them on the way to co-op bookstore; they were standing outside the corridor. When i waved Shangyee gawked at my hair and started gossipping to mala abt it (mala merely gawked); not that i didn't expect it but COULD YOU AT LEAST BE A LITTLE MORE FRIENDLY??? 2 years hardly counts as mere acquaintances. Then she mentioned my leaving and went off. I got all the books i wanted from the co-op, plus co-op card discount. By that time it was almost 2, I went back home.
Packed my bag for 3 destinations; gelati place to meet huihui and loraine (at 3), driving basic theory test (at 6.30pm), sjsm costume party (immediately after driving test). I was 50 minutes late for gelati gathering because i had misplaced stuff i had to bring for the latter; huihui remarked that "damage had been done" by my description of their prom outfits as "vampish" on my homepage, i should not elaborate. Really good meeting up with them (= we also met Ms. wee (rj bio tutor) who dropped by to get a coffee from coffee bean; she wished me all the best. There was another acjc guy from sjsm in at the gelati place, think he's jonathan. Anyway i wasn't sure it was the same guy.
Sorta bumped into all 3 of them on the way to co-op bookstore; they were standing outside the corridor. When i waved Shangyee gawked at my hair and started gossipping to mala abt it (mala merely gawked); not that i didn't expect it but COULD YOU AT LEAST BE A LITTLE MORE FRIENDLY??? 2 years hardly counts as mere acquaintances. Then she mentioned my leaving and went off. I got all the books i wanted from the co-op, plus co-op card discount. By that time it was almost 2, I went back home.
Packed my bag for 3 destinations; gelati place to meet huihui and loraine (at 3), driving basic theory test (at 6.30pm), sjsm costume party (immediately after driving test). I was 50 minutes late for gelati gathering because i had misplaced stuff i had to bring for the latter; huihui remarked that "damage had been done" by my description of their prom outfits as "vampish" on my homepage, i should not elaborate. Really good meeting up with them (= we also met Ms. wee (rj bio tutor) who dropped by to get a coffee from coffee bean; she wished me all the best. There was another acjc guy from sjsm in at the gelati place, think he's jonathan. Anyway i wasn't sure it was the same guy.
Post ID: 9787040
Loraine gave me some tips for the driving test and taught me how to remember right-of-way at cross junctions (vehicles going straight get first priority; vehicles turning left into the lane have next priority, vehicles turning right into the same lane have least priority) all of which was a great boon, thank you (= Took 174 down to bukit batok and was lost and almost late, so took a taxi to driving centre.
Driving test was in ballpoint pen on an optical answer sheet- weird. Some pple weren't prepared and only had pencils.
Finished it within half an hour (1 hour allocated) and went to the bathroom to change into my beng outfit- fitted levi's jeans (which i was already wearing) worn hip-level, sleeveless light blue t-shirt i bought at a sample sale in london, gelled my hair. Plus 2 of my gold tattoos on my arms (my parents would hit the roof if they found out abt it; i hastily pulled on a t-shirt over my sleeveless tee as i went home, then removed them using soap and water in the toilet). Tied on my WWJD? bracelet as a choker. Then michael bought round chinese hats with tassels and pigtails for all the guys in the cluster (and insisted i wear it). Made a fool of myself during the cluster item- dance to Grease's "Summer days". Actually all of us made fools of ourselves- everything was impromptu/follow the leader kinda thing. Cheok and jeremiah also showed up- dressed in shirt and tie. Winson was dressed in a black suit- the "pastor daniel wee lookalike". Lots of fairy wings!
Shared a cab with marc to go home.
Photos forthcoming.
Today I had cell lunch- said some things I wouldn't have if i hadn't been going off. Already missing sue-anne and marc and josiah.
Andrew gan
Driving test was in ballpoint pen on an optical answer sheet- weird. Some pple weren't prepared and only had pencils.
Finished it within half an hour (1 hour allocated) and went to the bathroom to change into my beng outfit- fitted levi's jeans (which i was already wearing) worn hip-level, sleeveless light blue t-shirt i bought at a sample sale in london, gelled my hair. Plus 2 of my gold tattoos on my arms (my parents would hit the roof if they found out abt it; i hastily pulled on a t-shirt over my sleeveless tee as i went home, then removed them using soap and water in the toilet). Tied on my WWJD? bracelet as a choker. Then michael bought round chinese hats with tassels and pigtails for all the guys in the cluster (and insisted i wear it). Made a fool of myself during the cluster item- dance to Grease's "Summer days". Actually all of us made fools of ourselves- everything was impromptu/follow the leader kinda thing. Cheok and jeremiah also showed up- dressed in shirt and tie. Winson was dressed in a black suit- the "pastor daniel wee lookalike". Lots of fairy wings!
Shared a cab with marc to go home.
Photos forthcoming.
Today I had cell lunch- said some things I wouldn't have if i hadn't been going off. Already missing sue-anne and marc and josiah.
Andrew gan
Post ID: 9787036
Courtesy of Hazel:
http://www.engrish.com/
"It's hard to believe the Engrish masquerading as real English over in Japan. It can be seen on signs, people's jackets, t-shirts and shopping bags, in menus and on TV. But nowhere is it more prevalent than on the various consumer products found in convenience stores and supermarkets...."
http://www.engrish.com/
"It's hard to believe the Engrish masquerading as real English over in Japan. It can be seen on signs, people's jackets, t-shirts and shopping bags, in menus and on TV. But nowhere is it more prevalent than on the various consumer products found in convenience stores and supermarkets...."
Post ID: 9777601
Walked over to bras basah complex to have a look at yun nan bookstore for textbooks- it was closed. Hrrmmmph. Will have to go there again tomorrow.
Then walked over to Bugis junction with chaowan- i wanted to get some beng accessories for tomorrow's SJSM costume party (i'm supposed to dress as either a beng or a lian; needless to say i chose the former) where i am required to wear a "tight tee and tight pants". Will probably wear a dark-coloured or red fitted sleeveless tee with tight jeans. Bought temporary stick-on tattoos from 77th Street- wheeeee!!!- 6 chinese characters for $2.90- wheeeeee!!!!!!!- meng3, lie4, kuang2, and a few others. Hmm, will have to borrow someone's toner/make-up remover/cold cream to remove them before going home that night.
Then hopped off the MRT at buona vista, dedicated 4 songs (for a buck) at the council dedication booth to the "creative writing clubbers"- friendship week thing, proceeds to charity.
Megan: What songs did you dedicate to us?
Andrew: Alanis Morissette's "Ironic".
Megan: Wha-aat???
Grace: (speechless, does the burying face in hands thing)
And this is what creative writing's doing this year for friendship week:
>Friendship Week valentine veggies -
>Vegetables/ fruits sold are:
>dates - 'would you like a date with me?'
>raisins - 'raisin' the temperature'
>barley - 'i can barley contain my love'
>pears - 'we make a good pear'
>carrots - 'you are the root of all desire'
>peanuts - 'i'm nuts about you'
Then walked over to Bugis junction with chaowan- i wanted to get some beng accessories for tomorrow's SJSM costume party (i'm supposed to dress as either a beng or a lian; needless to say i chose the former) where i am required to wear a "tight tee and tight pants". Will probably wear a dark-coloured or red fitted sleeveless tee with tight jeans. Bought temporary stick-on tattoos from 77th Street- wheeeee!!!- 6 chinese characters for $2.90- wheeeeee!!!!!!!- meng3, lie4, kuang2, and a few others. Hmm, will have to borrow someone's toner/make-up remover/cold cream to remove them before going home that night.
Then hopped off the MRT at buona vista, dedicated 4 songs (for a buck) at the council dedication booth to the "creative writing clubbers"- friendship week thing, proceeds to charity.
Megan: What songs did you dedicate to us?
Andrew: Alanis Morissette's "Ironic".
Megan: Wha-aat???
Grace: (speechless, does the burying face in hands thing)
And this is what creative writing's doing this year for friendship week:
>Friendship Week valentine veggies -
>Vegetables/ fruits sold are:
>dates - 'would you like a date with me?'
>raisins - 'raisin' the temperature'
>barley - 'i can barley contain my love'
>pears - 'we make a good pear'
>carrots - 'you are the root of all desire'
>peanuts - 'i'm nuts about you'
Post ID: 9777042
Hi, ( **Mental note: Must stop writing "Hi" or any equivalent greeting. This is a blog not an email!!** )
Spent 7 hours straight out of the house. That must be some kind of record (=
Left home at 11 something, went down to church of the good shepherd to look for the SERVE people. They were writing out song lyrics on mahjong paper; I wrote some of them (okay, i made booboos one of which was spotted- "With christ in the vessel" i wrote "And we'll go sailing on" instead of "And we'll go sailing home". Thankfully it could be rectified without mutilation).
The orang asli team was preparing their dance item in sign language to LeAnn Rime's "I need you"- track on the album "Music inspired by the Jesus Mini-series"- a really good mix of music according to Kimberly (you can tell there's a song by steven curtis chapman). Quite entertaining.
Then I met chaowan for lunch- was late. He suggested City Bayview Hotel's popiah buffet- $7.80 +++- quite horrible popiah. The turnip was quite bad, and so were most of the ingredients. I should have known, since there were only 4 other people eating there. And they were ang mohs who didn't know how to eat popiah- they scooped big heaps of the sliced ingredients on their plates and ate them.
Spent 7 hours straight out of the house. That must be some kind of record (=
Left home at 11 something, went down to church of the good shepherd to look for the SERVE people. They were writing out song lyrics on mahjong paper; I wrote some of them (okay, i made booboos one of which was spotted- "With christ in the vessel" i wrote "And we'll go sailing on" instead of "And we'll go sailing home". Thankfully it could be rectified without mutilation).
The orang asli team was preparing their dance item in sign language to LeAnn Rime's "I need you"- track on the album "Music inspired by the Jesus Mini-series"- a really good mix of music according to Kimberly (you can tell there's a song by steven curtis chapman). Quite entertaining.
Then I met chaowan for lunch- was late. He suggested City Bayview Hotel's popiah buffet- $7.80 +++- quite horrible popiah. The turnip was quite bad, and so were most of the ingredients. I should have known, since there were only 4 other people eating there. And they were ang mohs who didn't know how to eat popiah- they scooped big heaps of the sliced ingredients on their plates and ate them.
Post ID: 9777033
Wednesday, February 13, 2002
More terribly old stuff (from Sunday to Tuesday):
Those squeaky shoes parents like to give to toddlers are very irritating. Doesn't the sound drive them mad?
Tim, who is now a private, claims he kept his mind alive by doing mental sums - counting the number of people in the file. Trust an F Maths student.
People always talk about moderate versus radical muslims. Funny how no one ever talks about the other end of the spectrum. What exactly is a liberal muslim? I don't think those who eat pork and don't pray count.
A new era has dawned - students in the School With The Most Indecent Uniform In Singapore Bar One no longer have to keep short hair. Evidence that I'm really cut off from civilisation? Not really - quite a few people I commented on this breaking news too did not know of the new liberty available in that institution!
On Monday, it was back to RJC.
I saw another aficionado of the RGS jacket, with short hair and wearing in the morning. Huihui would be proud.
Disconcerting stuff: While looking at people coming into the school building from the vantage point beside 2-1, I discovered that from there, you can peer into the first floor female toilet. Luckily nothing risque was visible.
And people are getting more and more daring - this ex-CHIJ (which branch of the franchise she was from, I know not) girl strode in past the aforementioned level one female toilet toting her handphone. And I saw dear Johann with earrings!
2 idiot Raffles Guys were doing a dance, that one where you lock your arms and trot around in a circle.
Jason Lau was busy connecting to a whole new generation at the Speakers' Corner, and they seemed quite intent on what he had to say.
The girl and her boyfriend who stare at each other in the mornings are still there, doing their thing. And the Harmonica Club ("Harmon", please, not "Harmock") is still doing bad renditions of Holiday Favourites. For some reason, "Jingle Bells" appeared towards the end of the medley. Maybe they were disappointed at not being able to perform during Christmas. I'm still not able to decide which instrument is more irritating / sounds worse - the guitar or the harmonica.
Mrs Lim Guat Ching asked me to remove her quotes. Ah well, since she asked, I will (and have done so). Farewell, adieu. Those were good gems, yes they were.
Quanxing was wearing the same thing as his favourite teacher Ho Weng Kin. And he *still* owes me $16.30 from last August. Ware loaning money to him!
I don't understand why the Council always gets to walk around in civvies during Celebration Days. It doesn't serve any purpose - maybe it's just them taking advantage of their prerogatives.
The Hall was very full during the celebrations - there was even spillover upstairs. I wonder how they kept them from running away, back to their Secondary Schools this year.
If it is possible, there was an even greater number of Raffles Guys in Hot Socks this time around. Mayhap it has some relation to the theory many of us came up with last year - RJ people grow uglier every year (and it did seem to hold this year).
There were quite few J3s who came back. Ah well. Most of the guys were wearing baseball caps. Ahem.
The poor bookshop uncle had his cash register's tray stolen. Now how did that happen? How is it possible for someone to carry off a tray, replete with all the money? I'd have thought any thief would just have lifted the money.
Mr Lim told me that he had the Tekong Flu all 3 months he was there - how's that for severity? Apparently service jobs are bad because time passes slowly. Mr Raufie felt his 2 months as a clerk passed slower than his 2 years 3 months as a medic - is that possible? And the job of a medic supposedly sucks too. Well, I still think I'd rather slack than run up hills (not that I am capable of the latter, anyhow).
Later, I even bothered to return to RI. They've upped the shameless quotient during Shameless Week now and posters with people's faces plastered on them and unlikely promises jumping out at you are everywhere.
Sample questionable posters:
'Let me lead you along in the whirlpool to SUCCESS and ACHIEVEMENTS!!!'
Whirlpool? Maybe he'll get shipwrecked.
"'Voteforme' is not a town in CHINA!"
Some PRC's poster. Not bad, actually, notwithstanding the shamelessness.
At World of JJ later, Andrew and I saw the Poser Carabinas, those that people like to put on their bags. They are labelled, "not for climbing". And on the MRT, I saw an advertisement which wasn't too bad. It had the chinese words "Very Painful" (Hao3 Tong4) but with some parts of each word highlighted, such that it read "For Female Use" (Nu3 Yong4). Gold Label Bak Foong Pill for menstrual pains!
The rationale for the Cosmetic Bra puzzles me - why would anyone want to have unevenly moisturised skin? Or could it have something to do with the frequency of skin contact on those areas.
Snoopy Place has bad descriptions for the items on the menu - they're practically non-existent. And the ribs do not fall apart easily - they're very tough.
Tuesday:
I went to Great World City to watch "I Not Stupid" with my parents. They only watch movies on recommendation.
At Guardian, "Personal Care" was filled exclusively with sanitary pads and tampons. And stain remover. The logic eludes me.
I saw 2 people in the McDonald's uniform going to KFC. Tut tut.
Why I get sick during long bookouts is very suspicious. Perhaps I have been poisoned, and the antidote in placed in the water they give us.
I believe another freezing fit will come upon me soon. Farewell.
Those squeaky shoes parents like to give to toddlers are very irritating. Doesn't the sound drive them mad?
Tim, who is now a private, claims he kept his mind alive by doing mental sums - counting the number of people in the file. Trust an F Maths student.
People always talk about moderate versus radical muslims. Funny how no one ever talks about the other end of the spectrum. What exactly is a liberal muslim? I don't think those who eat pork and don't pray count.
A new era has dawned - students in the School With The Most Indecent Uniform In Singapore Bar One no longer have to keep short hair. Evidence that I'm really cut off from civilisation? Not really - quite a few people I commented on this breaking news too did not know of the new liberty available in that institution!
On Monday, it was back to RJC.
I saw another aficionado of the RGS jacket, with short hair and wearing in the morning. Huihui would be proud.
Disconcerting stuff: While looking at people coming into the school building from the vantage point beside 2-1, I discovered that from there, you can peer into the first floor female toilet. Luckily nothing risque was visible.
And people are getting more and more daring - this ex-CHIJ (which branch of the franchise she was from, I know not) girl strode in past the aforementioned level one female toilet toting her handphone. And I saw dear Johann with earrings!
2 idiot Raffles Guys were doing a dance, that one where you lock your arms and trot around in a circle.
Jason Lau was busy connecting to a whole new generation at the Speakers' Corner, and they seemed quite intent on what he had to say.
The girl and her boyfriend who stare at each other in the mornings are still there, doing their thing. And the Harmonica Club ("Harmon", please, not "Harmock") is still doing bad renditions of Holiday Favourites. For some reason, "Jingle Bells" appeared towards the end of the medley. Maybe they were disappointed at not being able to perform during Christmas. I'm still not able to decide which instrument is more irritating / sounds worse - the guitar or the harmonica.
Mrs Lim Guat Ching asked me to remove her quotes. Ah well, since she asked, I will (and have done so). Farewell, adieu. Those were good gems, yes they were.
Quanxing was wearing the same thing as his favourite teacher Ho Weng Kin. And he *still* owes me $16.30 from last August. Ware loaning money to him!
I don't understand why the Council always gets to walk around in civvies during Celebration Days. It doesn't serve any purpose - maybe it's just them taking advantage of their prerogatives.
The Hall was very full during the celebrations - there was even spillover upstairs. I wonder how they kept them from running away, back to their Secondary Schools this year.
If it is possible, there was an even greater number of Raffles Guys in Hot Socks this time around. Mayhap it has some relation to the theory many of us came up with last year - RJ people grow uglier every year (and it did seem to hold this year).
There were quite few J3s who came back. Ah well. Most of the guys were wearing baseball caps. Ahem.
The poor bookshop uncle had his cash register's tray stolen. Now how did that happen? How is it possible for someone to carry off a tray, replete with all the money? I'd have thought any thief would just have lifted the money.
Mr Lim told me that he had the Tekong Flu all 3 months he was there - how's that for severity? Apparently service jobs are bad because time passes slowly. Mr Raufie felt his 2 months as a clerk passed slower than his 2 years 3 months as a medic - is that possible? And the job of a medic supposedly sucks too. Well, I still think I'd rather slack than run up hills (not that I am capable of the latter, anyhow).
Later, I even bothered to return to RI. They've upped the shameless quotient during Shameless Week now and posters with people's faces plastered on them and unlikely promises jumping out at you are everywhere.
Sample questionable posters:
'Let me lead you along in the whirlpool to SUCCESS and ACHIEVEMENTS!!!'
Whirlpool? Maybe he'll get shipwrecked.
"'Voteforme' is not a town in CHINA!"
Some PRC's poster. Not bad, actually, notwithstanding the shamelessness.
At World of JJ later, Andrew and I saw the Poser Carabinas, those that people like to put on their bags. They are labelled, "not for climbing". And on the MRT, I saw an advertisement which wasn't too bad. It had the chinese words "Very Painful" (Hao3 Tong4) but with some parts of each word highlighted, such that it read "For Female Use" (Nu3 Yong4). Gold Label Bak Foong Pill for menstrual pains!
The rationale for the Cosmetic Bra puzzles me - why would anyone want to have unevenly moisturised skin? Or could it have something to do with the frequency of skin contact on those areas.
Snoopy Place has bad descriptions for the items on the menu - they're practically non-existent. And the ribs do not fall apart easily - they're very tough.
Tuesday:
I went to Great World City to watch "I Not Stupid" with my parents. They only watch movies on recommendation.
At Guardian, "Personal Care" was filled exclusively with sanitary pads and tampons. And stain remover. The logic eludes me.
I saw 2 people in the McDonald's uniform going to KFC. Tut tut.
Why I get sick during long bookouts is very suspicious. Perhaps I have been poisoned, and the antidote in placed in the water they give us.
I believe another freezing fit will come upon me soon. Farewell.
Post ID: 9672321
This is weird:
"oh yeah....ur Fierce Girl has teh impression tat u r scared of her...=)
oh...cos crystal mentioned that her nick was Fierce Girl...and she guessed it was u...and she told us how one day, when u were talking with one of her friends, she started waving to her friends, and according to her, u sort of did a double-take or something...ar
nothing. just that apparently you seemed dismayed and somewhat panicked by her arrival. to quote her quoting her friend quoting you, "she's here! hide me!""
I don't think I ever did that. Okay, maybe I was trying to be farnie and playing on the "Fierce" bit.
"oh yeah....ur Fierce Girl has teh impression tat u r scared of her...=)
oh...cos crystal mentioned that her nick was Fierce Girl...and she guessed it was u...and she told us how one day, when u were talking with one of her friends, she started waving to her friends, and according to her, u sort of did a double-take or something...ar
nothing. just that apparently you seemed dismayed and somewhat panicked by her arrival. to quote her quoting her friend quoting you, "she's here! hide me!""
I don't think I ever did that. Okay, maybe I was trying to be farnie and playing on the "Fierce" bit.
Post ID: 9670722
Maybe Coolconnect isn't so good after all.
Cheery and prompt tech support reply (for a free account none less!):
"Hi Gabriel,
We're glad you like PicoSearch!
But with your new hoster you seem to have a problem. Besides the fact that they are painfully slow, they do seem prejudiced against indexer robots. We can test internally looking like a browser and we eventually get the page, but as PicoSearch/1.0 we eventually get [Internal Server Error]
http://homex.coolconnect.com/member3/gssq/
See what the hoster says, good luck.
best wishes,
PicoSearch Support"
Cheery and prompt tech support reply (for a free account none less!):
"Hi Gabriel,
We're glad you like PicoSearch!
But with your new hoster you seem to have a problem. Besides the fact that they are painfully slow, they do seem prejudiced against indexer robots. We can test internally looking like a browser and we eventually get the page, but as PicoSearch/1.0 we eventually get [Internal Server Error]
http://homex.coolconnect.com/member3/gssq/
See what the hoster says, good luck.
best wishes,
PicoSearch Support"
Post ID: 9661115
Tuesday, February 12, 2002
The dangers of putting "Slave" as your first name on your ICQ info - you get messages from BDSM enthusiasts.
"BDSM, humiliation, punishment, party's, groups, forced, S&M, I have had many experances around the would in real life!
And the fun never stops.
i will do anything to please my Mistress.
i am allowed to talk to other slave's and those Mistress or Masters that will."
"BDSM, humiliation, punishment, party's, groups, forced, S&M, I have had many experances around the would in real life!
And the fun never stops.
i will do anything to please my Mistress.
i am allowed to talk to other slave's and those Mistress or Masters that will."
Post ID: 9635920
Sunday, February 10, 2002
My attempts to find a webhost with unlimited bandwith turned up 4 sites just now. 1's FTP is down, 2's confirmation emails haven't arrived and the last cannot even accept the registration form.
Further searching reveals mostly adult webhosting. Cough. Maybe my Afghan Spice Girls picture will qualify.
Further searching reveals mostly adult webhosting. Cough. Maybe my Afghan Spice Girls picture will qualify.
Post ID: 9575262
This should be long.
Restored Post
A philosophical note to start with. Many people think that I dislike slavery because of the hardship, but actually I do have moral and ethical objections, about being a slave, and killing none the least. Alas, I lack the courage to stand up for my beliefs and go to jail to stand up for my convictions. I am rather ashamed about that. I had a talk with my erstwhile (and now presumably submerged in his work since he doesn't lurk on ICQ anymore) Jehovah's Witness friend in the UK about National Slavery in Singapore. Those people would rather go to jail than betray their principles. Apparently there was one in RJ, in my year. I'd like to talk to him one day. Perhaps being too free is bad - there's too much to think. Anyhow, I seem to be doing better now. Instead of tearing almost every day, it's now every few days.
Before I last booked in ("checked in" as my mother sometimes says), I had my Last Dinner at the SAFRA Country Club. My parents asked me to join SAFRA because the facilities were good and cheap, and the food likewise. I want as little to do with the SAF as possible.
The water in Tekong sucks. It's not as bad as the water on Ubin, but it's quite bad. Maybe it's the mind controlling drugs they slip into the water.
Some person was rasping the march timing, "loop right loop right loop right loop" Gollum-like one day for some reason.
At night in the bunk, people seem to like to shout a lot. It's probably because we're trained to shout in the day, so even when we are not required to do so, most of us continue shouting. That and the natural loudness of boys. It is most irritating, especially when you are on the phone. Kumar and I tried to persuade those in our bunk to speak more quietly. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be working.
On the 29th, I went to see the Medical Officer for my foot pains (on the top of the feet). I got the shotgun doctor - my consultation time was all of 1 minute. I got various excuses for 7 days, one of which was "Excused Running and Jumping", so my tag said "Ex-RJ", something which some people chose to point out with glee. I suppose if I'd tried, I could have gotten home leave - the other people in my company who reported on the same day mostly got ATTN C, and one asked why I didn't fake a more grevious injury. Which is the greater evil - indenture or lying to get out of it? I'm musing too much nowadays. The feet still pain me, though, so on the first day of the Situational Test (3 glorious days outfield), I will report sick if they hurt even then. Ahem. The medicine doesn't really work though. Maybe they give us placebos because so many people fake injury, or they're using us as low-(almost no-)cost guinea pigs!
I met Kairen at the Medical Centre that day, and his knee had just popped. He's been downgraded and is none too happy - his hopes of going to OCS have been dashed. I think most would be happy to be downgraded - I know I would, but to each his own.
I was a route marshal for a jog a day or two after I reported sick. There was a Major (I think) walking around. I greeted him but didn't salute, and he absently saluted back. Later during the jog itself, people tried to steal my red flag and sling bag. Reminds me of 2L. Actually my whole platoon reminds me of 2L in a way - everyone wanting primacy and vocalising their views, a lack of co-operation etc. I got to talk to another route marshal, this ex-VJ guy in Hawk, Ming Xiang.
Someone commented that during Bayonet Fighting we are like dogs - we move on the whistle. I agree.
Almost everyone I know who enlisted during the 22/1-24/1 period is in Hawk Company, for some reason.
Lucky Jiaxiang has OOCed and will be downgraded. Good for him! He is also a former classmate of my buddy.
On being weighed after booking in, I found that I'd lost 1 kg, even after my eating a Teppanyaki buffet at Goodwood Park Hotel and the meal at the SAFRA country club restaurant (cf the 1st confinement week where, eating cookhouse food the whole week, I didn't lose any weight). Booking out is good for health.
The Grenade Assualt Course sucks. Crawling is painful. I got an abrasion on my left elbow from doing the Leopard Crawl, and my watch got even more scratched. For some reason I can't break my fall very well - I tend to land on my knees first. Breaking it properly is painful. Luckily I escaped the Bayonet Assault Course, where much water was poured onto the ground to create mud. Muaha.
I've picked up some rudimentary sewing skills sewing the strap of my [low quality] slingbag and my helmet strap.
The cacophony of 4 platoons marching, each singing a different song and in a different tempo, is horrible.
We had a talk with the Commander. As is usual in these situations, few questions were asked. I had, at the same time, both too much and too little to say. In the end, I, infamous for asking troubling questions, asked none, troubling or otherwise. Perhaps they'd have made no difference, and just have irritated people or made me more infamous. Or has my defiance been squashed? I'm really becoming too philosophical nowadays. Kairen told me some person in his company asked the Commander for his view on the American bombing of Afghanistan. Ahem.
More evidence of vocabulary degenration: People always say "row" even when they mean "column". Or have I mentioned that in a previous outburst?
The peril of having recruits lead songs: Someone changed the line "Two years of our time" in the "Training to be soldiers" song to "What a waste of time". I was most amused.
We are now disallowed from bringing food back from the Cookhouse. Da baoing fruit was started a few weeks ago, one trick that we relative "lao jiaos" have picked up. After we were told of the new order, someone brought at least 10 Mandarin Oranges out of the cupboard to the tune of Lunar New Year music, thus vindicating the order (on the basis of hygeine and health).
Too many people in platoons 1 and 4 were caught using their handphones after Lights Out and everyone in both platoons was banned from using them for 2 whole weeks. Ouch. Lucky for them, this was rescinded by the Commanding Officer on a plea.
We were supposed to go for a Night Off, but we had a Route March the next day, so for safety reasons we couldn't. !@#$%^&*().
People have started eating the (expired on 02/01 and destined to be disposed of) biscuits plundered from the store. But they're still eminently edible. And tasty too. Anyhow, the field rations that we got during field camp contained biscuits only a few months newer - they expired on 04/01 or 05/01. Kheng Hwa bemoaned the phasing out of dog biscuits a few years back, but the present ones are quite good and I think they too expand somewhat in the stomach to fill you up - they're rather dry, though not as hard as the dog biscuits.
News that baffled me while in camp: Selangor plans to ban 24 hour food outlets as they "promote unhealthy eating habits" and "encourage youths to stay out too late". Must be something in Palm Oil that makes them a little kooky.
A lot of people like to smoke in the toilet. It is very irritating and choking. They conducted an inspection and discovered the transgression, but only 3 people (and not the major culprits too) owned up. I look forward to a cleaner and more enjoyable (inasmuch as it can be) toilet.
Their motto is "Safety First". This does not explain why the fire alarm has had a general fault for at least 5 weeks.
Recruits do stupid things. Perhaps what one sergeant said is true - we lose our brains when our hair is cut. Apparently one person in Jaguar (or Hawk, I may have remembered wrongly) company was rushing to fall in and slipped over the parapet, and was hanging on to the railing. Lucky he was on the second floor. I am aghast :)
People like to strip in the bunk. It is bad enough when they strip to their underwear, but some strip totally, exposing their gonads to the world. Disgusting.
Confinement Weekend was very very boring. We were supposed to have a movie, but it was cancelled. I think they want to drive us mad with boredom.
Stuff magazine is another popular magazine. I think I must be the only person who reads magazines which don't have half (or three quarter) naked females prancing about.
We only have 3 confinement weeks. Hurrah! 2 down, one to go.
There was a surprise inspection. They found a charger... and a portable TV!
I had guard duty. It was tiring and I was disorientated, but hey I don't have it today and it was weekday duty - 12 hours instead of the 24 for weekends! And I had only one shift to boot since I was in the third detail. Praise the Lord.
We took yet another photograph. Yet another 9 dollars gone. I was told to shave my sideburns. As it was the first time I'd used a razor, I shaved too high on the right, so now I have a bald area above where my sideburns used to be. But no one after the day itself noticed it, so maybe it isn't *that* bad. Or everyone's too polite to say anything.
We were given ice cream at the cookhouse again. Aha!
We had a 8km route march. Ouch. Ugh. I got abrasions on my inner thigh.
Someone's Bart Simpson boxer shorts amused a sergeant greatly for some reason.
I still haven't recovered from the infamous Tekong Flu. My sergeant claims it's because our bunks are dirty and that at SISPEC no one coughs. I wonder.
Scribbled at field camp:
I wonder if Camo Stick/Cream is toxic, and how bad it is for the skin. I slept with it in both nights of field camp. My sergeant says it gives people a lot of pimples. I think black camo cream stings the skin.
One of our sergeants entertained himself at Field Camp by making us practice "tactical eating" which involved half of each section eating while the other half had to guard them in the prone position. And then he sent one section against the rest in "wargames". And threw many mock grenades. He also made us camo our helmets in addition to our skin.
Sleeping on a rifle is very uncomfortable. They made veiled threats about stealing rifles or rifle parts on the first day, but waited until the second night to carry out their dastardly deed. They also had a simulated attack on the third morning, but were kind enough to hold it at about 5:55am.
There were many insects, though not as many as I'd feared, and they didn't bother me at night. I did have to squash ants while they were crawling under my clothing, though. I don't want to think about it.
I saw fireflies for perhaps the first time while waiting to practice night movement and reaction to flares. Nice sight.
Now my Platoon Commander calls me "Porn Star". Yeh. I probably made the situation worse when I turned up for the powder bath inspection in boots and underwear, as I hadn't brought slippers.
They made us do xxx skits for people in makeshift observation posts to observe. Some people professed to be shocked when I asked "do I pee on him [my captive]?" when I was asked to go off and pee at some point in the skit.
Even across from the rubber plantation, there is a chinup bar. These people are mad.
Field rations are very filling - I couldn't finish them. Apparently they put something inside to make you shit less, it clumps up your faeces.
I was wondering why there was a rubber plantation in the middle of nowhere. Apparently it was deliberately planted, and there's an oil palm plantation elsewhere on the Island of Doom.
No barbed wire was placed around the side of the urination hole facing outside. Maybe that's how wild boars get in (though we didn't get any this time).
The fruit bars (which won the "2000 Gold Taste Award) that they give us contain palm oil, although they are made in California. Perhaps that is done to cater to the Singaporean palate, carefully nurtured on a diet of palm oil.
Powder baths are a little surreal, though the amount they require us to put is ridiculous.
All in all, field camp wasn't that bad because it didn't rain! And field camp / route march has improved my packing skills.
Back to bunk:
After field camp, the bunk was really a welcome sight.
I've yet to figure out what dialect "lam pah" / "lampah" is in. I don't think I heard it before I was enslaved, actually.
My feet are mysterious. The feet pain that I reported sick for the week before field camp (and which didn't heal even after my 1 week of excuses had expired) mysteriously lessened in severity and even at times, disappeared during field camp. But as I got off the tonner back to BMTC, they started hurting again. Weird.
Everyone started cooking Maggi Mee when we came back.
The rubber sap from the plantation stuck to our clothes and dried. Gah.
On coming back I had to clear rubbish, and lots of it. 2 people came to help me of their volition. I was touched.
"You're adopting well to army life" - Norman. For some reason I was disconcerted by that remark.
The confinees ate field rations during their confinement. Oh dear.
OCS and SDC visit:
Before we booked out, we went to OCS. Yeh.
There is a drive thru Burger King opposite SAFTI MI. The first I've seen so far, I believe.
The last time I went to SAFTI MI was in Secondary 2 I believe. The GEPs had proved to be disloyal in a NE test/survey so they sent us there. At that time, I'd wondered about a place called "Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute Military Institute", an example of the fine naming of our Intelligent Soldiers. My theory was that at first it was called SAFTI, then some intelligent person thought that that was too short and SAFT Training Institute sounded funny, so they renamed it the SAFTI Military Institute. Then, everyone in Singapore, and the SAF especially being lazy and fond of acronyms, they shortened it to SAFTI MI. Wallah. "Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute Military Institute".
After OCS, we went to the Singapore Discovery Centre. Double joy. I've been there at least twice already.
While we were waiting outside the SDC, some [not very outstanding] girls from a neighbourhood school walked by, so our sergeant gave a "kerkiri loo roos" order.
We had an enthusiastic guide, who enthused that the Fall of Singapore shows us that we must depend on ourselves to defend us. That's rather shaky logic. If that's the case, Vichy France and Thailand show us that we can defend ourselves and escape harm by betraying our allies and collaborating with aggressor nations. And the fall of Belgium and the Netherlands shows that it is impossible to defend ourselves, so why bother? Hurrah.
They are incredibly humble. Under "Great Leaders" they placed Lee Kuan Yew. That wasn't so bad. Then I walked further down and saw Goh Chok Tong. Further inside, under "Super Troopers" was "the SAF Commando".
The guides at SDC, at least those we got, are all ex-officers - all Majors and one or two Lieutenant Colonels. The SAF gives good retirement packages. And apparently our photographer used to be a Commanding Officer.
Quotes:
"[On someone having Pi Pa Gao {Pei Pa Go} in the toiletries section of the cupboard] I don't understand why you all mix your food with non-edibles... One day you'll wash your hair with Pi Pa Gao."
"The first lesson for tomorrow is a brisk walk. [Consternation from Recruits] Yes, we all know that this is not true [It is actually a jog]"
"Unfortunately, the OOCs will also confined, together with everyone else... Why are you [all] so happy?"
"[On a VIP from Indonesia's visit] No crab, no bars but star, so tomorrow all the crabs walking around, all the seafood."
"[On a demonstration of bayonet fighting] You see Yap, he die already still can smile (still can smile after death)"
"[On Platoon 4] Those are not men, they are dwarves"
"[On my fondness for allegedly feminine postures while on the bed] Gabriel, I want to ask you, your cock, is it there or can it be pushed inside to form a hole?"
"Can you lend me your handphone? I need a vibrator"
"[Allegedly quoting from a magazine, perhaps to vindicate himself] 70% of women said they masturbate daily or more often. The rest are lying"
"[On me, after I commented about the resetting of pushups to the Commanding Officer] You're totally a civilian. Cannot make it."
"[On the MOs] Their OCS, like Kilo Company, come in, 5 days orientation, come out as privates. They go into OCS, 5 days, come out, Captain."
"The biggest rank in Tekong, you know what?... Civilian."
"Captured enemy personnel, first thing you do, don't go and sodomise them please... got girl bring to me first (if there is a girl, bring her)"
"[On reporting verbal exchanges with captured enemy personnel] If they scold you na beh jee bye don't report that, please"
"Leadership and Command. Do you dare to take up the challenge? [Recruit: Yes, Sir.] Lam pah."
"A lot of bad influence. Like me, OC, I also... [Recruit: Chao keng] How to chao keng? As OC I already nothing to do already (have )"
"If you are not loyal to Singapore, then why are you here? [Recruits: We don't want to be here]"
"[On me] He uses all the funny funny words"
"Gabriel, I realise you have the same lips as Shu Qi, only you are not pretty"
"[On the Ghost Walk] You will be impressed at how the army learn from Pontianak and Chinese Vampires (learns, Pontianaks)"
"When you smoke, you become an intelligent human. When you don't smoke, you become like cock... When you smoke, even when I talk to you in Tamil you understand."
"Smells like shit ah, the shit"
"[On my incessant scribbling] I can't stand you. Today you write 'Today, the shit, 500 grams, brown in colour...'"
"How come on Wednesday, 12 OOCs reported sick, all got ATTN C ah?"
"[To someone who heard the bookout timing wrongly] You OOC because of what ah? [Another recruit: Deaf]"
"For air force [training] they will go on to AFST. Advanced... Fuck lah, I also don't know what is that. (that is)"
"You all are not responding, fuck lah. You all want to book out now ah?... You all are forced to come here ah?... I am also forced to conduct this [talk] for you"
"[On the SAF retirement package] Don't be surprised if next time you see Lieutenant ****** selling drinks at the canteen... Next time you see the commander ah, sweeping the floor."
Restored Post
A philosophical note to start with. Many people think that I dislike slavery because of the hardship, but actually I do have moral and ethical objections, about being a slave, and killing none the least. Alas, I lack the courage to stand up for my beliefs and go to jail to stand up for my convictions. I am rather ashamed about that. I had a talk with my erstwhile (and now presumably submerged in his work since he doesn't lurk on ICQ anymore) Jehovah's Witness friend in the UK about National Slavery in Singapore. Those people would rather go to jail than betray their principles. Apparently there was one in RJ, in my year. I'd like to talk to him one day. Perhaps being too free is bad - there's too much to think. Anyhow, I seem to be doing better now. Instead of tearing almost every day, it's now every few days.
Before I last booked in ("checked in" as my mother sometimes says), I had my Last Dinner at the SAFRA Country Club. My parents asked me to join SAFRA because the facilities were good and cheap, and the food likewise. I want as little to do with the SAF as possible.
The water in Tekong sucks. It's not as bad as the water on Ubin, but it's quite bad. Maybe it's the mind controlling drugs they slip into the water.
Some person was rasping the march timing, "loop right loop right loop right loop" Gollum-like one day for some reason.
At night in the bunk, people seem to like to shout a lot. It's probably because we're trained to shout in the day, so even when we are not required to do so, most of us continue shouting. That and the natural loudness of boys. It is most irritating, especially when you are on the phone. Kumar and I tried to persuade those in our bunk to speak more quietly. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be working.
On the 29th, I went to see the Medical Officer for my foot pains (on the top of the feet). I got the shotgun doctor - my consultation time was all of 1 minute. I got various excuses for 7 days, one of which was "Excused Running and Jumping", so my tag said "Ex-RJ", something which some people chose to point out with glee. I suppose if I'd tried, I could have gotten home leave - the other people in my company who reported on the same day mostly got ATTN C, and one asked why I didn't fake a more grevious injury. Which is the greater evil - indenture or lying to get out of it? I'm musing too much nowadays. The feet still pain me, though, so on the first day of the Situational Test (3 glorious days outfield), I will report sick if they hurt even then. Ahem. The medicine doesn't really work though. Maybe they give us placebos because so many people fake injury, or they're using us as low-(almost no-)cost guinea pigs!
I met Kairen at the Medical Centre that day, and his knee had just popped. He's been downgraded and is none too happy - his hopes of going to OCS have been dashed. I think most would be happy to be downgraded - I know I would, but to each his own.
I was a route marshal for a jog a day or two after I reported sick. There was a Major (I think) walking around. I greeted him but didn't salute, and he absently saluted back. Later during the jog itself, people tried to steal my red flag and sling bag. Reminds me of 2L. Actually my whole platoon reminds me of 2L in a way - everyone wanting primacy and vocalising their views, a lack of co-operation etc. I got to talk to another route marshal, this ex-VJ guy in Hawk, Ming Xiang.
Someone commented that during Bayonet Fighting we are like dogs - we move on the whistle. I agree.
Almost everyone I know who enlisted during the 22/1-24/1 period is in Hawk Company, for some reason.
Lucky Jiaxiang has OOCed and will be downgraded. Good for him! He is also a former classmate of my buddy.
On being weighed after booking in, I found that I'd lost 1 kg, even after my eating a Teppanyaki buffet at Goodwood Park Hotel and the meal at the SAFRA country club restaurant (cf the 1st confinement week where, eating cookhouse food the whole week, I didn't lose any weight). Booking out is good for health.
The Grenade Assualt Course sucks. Crawling is painful. I got an abrasion on my left elbow from doing the Leopard Crawl, and my watch got even more scratched. For some reason I can't break my fall very well - I tend to land on my knees first. Breaking it properly is painful. Luckily I escaped the Bayonet Assault Course, where much water was poured onto the ground to create mud. Muaha.
I've picked up some rudimentary sewing skills sewing the strap of my [low quality] slingbag and my helmet strap.
The cacophony of 4 platoons marching, each singing a different song and in a different tempo, is horrible.
We had a talk with the Commander. As is usual in these situations, few questions were asked. I had, at the same time, both too much and too little to say. In the end, I, infamous for asking troubling questions, asked none, troubling or otherwise. Perhaps they'd have made no difference, and just have irritated people or made me more infamous. Or has my defiance been squashed? I'm really becoming too philosophical nowadays. Kairen told me some person in his company asked the Commander for his view on the American bombing of Afghanistan. Ahem.
More evidence of vocabulary degenration: People always say "row" even when they mean "column". Or have I mentioned that in a previous outburst?
The peril of having recruits lead songs: Someone changed the line "Two years of our time" in the "Training to be soldiers" song to "What a waste of time". I was most amused.
We are now disallowed from bringing food back from the Cookhouse. Da baoing fruit was started a few weeks ago, one trick that we relative "lao jiaos" have picked up. After we were told of the new order, someone brought at least 10 Mandarin Oranges out of the cupboard to the tune of Lunar New Year music, thus vindicating the order (on the basis of hygeine and health).
Too many people in platoons 1 and 4 were caught using their handphones after Lights Out and everyone in both platoons was banned from using them for 2 whole weeks. Ouch. Lucky for them, this was rescinded by the Commanding Officer on a plea.
We were supposed to go for a Night Off, but we had a Route March the next day, so for safety reasons we couldn't. !@#$%^&*().
People have started eating the (expired on 02/01 and destined to be disposed of) biscuits plundered from the store. But they're still eminently edible. And tasty too. Anyhow, the field rations that we got during field camp contained biscuits only a few months newer - they expired on 04/01 or 05/01. Kheng Hwa bemoaned the phasing out of dog biscuits a few years back, but the present ones are quite good and I think they too expand somewhat in the stomach to fill you up - they're rather dry, though not as hard as the dog biscuits.
News that baffled me while in camp: Selangor plans to ban 24 hour food outlets as they "promote unhealthy eating habits" and "encourage youths to stay out too late". Must be something in Palm Oil that makes them a little kooky.
A lot of people like to smoke in the toilet. It is very irritating and choking. They conducted an inspection and discovered the transgression, but only 3 people (and not the major culprits too) owned up. I look forward to a cleaner and more enjoyable (inasmuch as it can be) toilet.
Their motto is "Safety First". This does not explain why the fire alarm has had a general fault for at least 5 weeks.
Recruits do stupid things. Perhaps what one sergeant said is true - we lose our brains when our hair is cut. Apparently one person in Jaguar (or Hawk, I may have remembered wrongly) company was rushing to fall in and slipped over the parapet, and was hanging on to the railing. Lucky he was on the second floor. I am aghast :)
People like to strip in the bunk. It is bad enough when they strip to their underwear, but some strip totally, exposing their gonads to the world. Disgusting.
Confinement Weekend was very very boring. We were supposed to have a movie, but it was cancelled. I think they want to drive us mad with boredom.
Stuff magazine is another popular magazine. I think I must be the only person who reads magazines which don't have half (or three quarter) naked females prancing about.
We only have 3 confinement weeks. Hurrah! 2 down, one to go.
There was a surprise inspection. They found a charger... and a portable TV!
I had guard duty. It was tiring and I was disorientated, but hey I don't have it today and it was weekday duty - 12 hours instead of the 24 for weekends! And I had only one shift to boot since I was in the third detail. Praise the Lord.
We took yet another photograph. Yet another 9 dollars gone. I was told to shave my sideburns. As it was the first time I'd used a razor, I shaved too high on the right, so now I have a bald area above where my sideburns used to be. But no one after the day itself noticed it, so maybe it isn't *that* bad. Or everyone's too polite to say anything.
We were given ice cream at the cookhouse again. Aha!
We had a 8km route march. Ouch. Ugh. I got abrasions on my inner thigh.
Someone's Bart Simpson boxer shorts amused a sergeant greatly for some reason.
I still haven't recovered from the infamous Tekong Flu. My sergeant claims it's because our bunks are dirty and that at SISPEC no one coughs. I wonder.
Scribbled at field camp:
I wonder if Camo Stick/Cream is toxic, and how bad it is for the skin. I slept with it in both nights of field camp. My sergeant says it gives people a lot of pimples. I think black camo cream stings the skin.
One of our sergeants entertained himself at Field Camp by making us practice "tactical eating" which involved half of each section eating while the other half had to guard them in the prone position. And then he sent one section against the rest in "wargames". And threw many mock grenades. He also made us camo our helmets in addition to our skin.
Sleeping on a rifle is very uncomfortable. They made veiled threats about stealing rifles or rifle parts on the first day, but waited until the second night to carry out their dastardly deed. They also had a simulated attack on the third morning, but were kind enough to hold it at about 5:55am.
There were many insects, though not as many as I'd feared, and they didn't bother me at night. I did have to squash ants while they were crawling under my clothing, though. I don't want to think about it.
I saw fireflies for perhaps the first time while waiting to practice night movement and reaction to flares. Nice sight.
Now my Platoon Commander calls me "Porn Star". Yeh. I probably made the situation worse when I turned up for the powder bath inspection in boots and underwear, as I hadn't brought slippers.
They made us do xxx skits for people in makeshift observation posts to observe. Some people professed to be shocked when I asked "do I pee on him [my captive]?" when I was asked to go off and pee at some point in the skit.
Even across from the rubber plantation, there is a chinup bar. These people are mad.
Field rations are very filling - I couldn't finish them. Apparently they put something inside to make you shit less, it clumps up your faeces.
I was wondering why there was a rubber plantation in the middle of nowhere. Apparently it was deliberately planted, and there's an oil palm plantation elsewhere on the Island of Doom.
No barbed wire was placed around the side of the urination hole facing outside. Maybe that's how wild boars get in (though we didn't get any this time).
The fruit bars (which won the "2000 Gold Taste Award) that they give us contain palm oil, although they are made in California. Perhaps that is done to cater to the Singaporean palate, carefully nurtured on a diet of palm oil.
Powder baths are a little surreal, though the amount they require us to put is ridiculous.
All in all, field camp wasn't that bad because it didn't rain! And field camp / route march has improved my packing skills.
Back to bunk:
After field camp, the bunk was really a welcome sight.
I've yet to figure out what dialect "lam pah" / "lampah" is in. I don't think I heard it before I was enslaved, actually.
My feet are mysterious. The feet pain that I reported sick for the week before field camp (and which didn't heal even after my 1 week of excuses had expired) mysteriously lessened in severity and even at times, disappeared during field camp. But as I got off the tonner back to BMTC, they started hurting again. Weird.
Everyone started cooking Maggi Mee when we came back.
The rubber sap from the plantation stuck to our clothes and dried. Gah.
On coming back I had to clear rubbish, and lots of it. 2 people came to help me of their volition. I was touched.
"You're adopting well to army life" - Norman. For some reason I was disconcerted by that remark.
The confinees ate field rations during their confinement. Oh dear.
OCS and SDC visit:
Before we booked out, we went to OCS. Yeh.
There is a drive thru Burger King opposite SAFTI MI. The first I've seen so far, I believe.
The last time I went to SAFTI MI was in Secondary 2 I believe. The GEPs had proved to be disloyal in a NE test/survey so they sent us there. At that time, I'd wondered about a place called "Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute Military Institute", an example of the fine naming of our Intelligent Soldiers. My theory was that at first it was called SAFTI, then some intelligent person thought that that was too short and SAFT Training Institute sounded funny, so they renamed it the SAFTI Military Institute. Then, everyone in Singapore, and the SAF especially being lazy and fond of acronyms, they shortened it to SAFTI MI. Wallah. "Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute Military Institute".
After OCS, we went to the Singapore Discovery Centre. Double joy. I've been there at least twice already.
While we were waiting outside the SDC, some [not very outstanding] girls from a neighbourhood school walked by, so our sergeant gave a "kerkiri loo roos" order.
We had an enthusiastic guide, who enthused that the Fall of Singapore shows us that we must depend on ourselves to defend us. That's rather shaky logic. If that's the case, Vichy France and Thailand show us that we can defend ourselves and escape harm by betraying our allies and collaborating with aggressor nations. And the fall of Belgium and the Netherlands shows that it is impossible to defend ourselves, so why bother? Hurrah.
They are incredibly humble. Under "Great Leaders" they placed Lee Kuan Yew. That wasn't so bad. Then I walked further down and saw Goh Chok Tong. Further inside, under "Super Troopers" was "the SAF Commando".
The guides at SDC, at least those we got, are all ex-officers - all Majors and one or two Lieutenant Colonels. The SAF gives good retirement packages. And apparently our photographer used to be a Commanding Officer.
Quotes:
"[On someone having Pi Pa Gao {Pei Pa Go} in the toiletries section of the cupboard] I don't understand why you all mix your food with non-edibles... One day you'll wash your hair with Pi Pa Gao."
"The first lesson for tomorrow is a brisk walk. [Consternation from Recruits] Yes, we all know that this is not true [It is actually a jog]"
"Unfortunately, the OOCs will also confined, together with everyone else... Why are you [all] so happy?"
"[On a VIP from Indonesia's visit] No crab, no bars but star, so tomorrow all the crabs walking around, all the seafood."
"[On a demonstration of bayonet fighting] You see Yap, he die already still can smile (still can smile after death)"
"[On Platoon 4] Those are not men, they are dwarves"
"[On my fondness for allegedly feminine postures while on the bed] Gabriel, I want to ask you, your cock, is it there or can it be pushed inside to form a hole?"
"Can you lend me your handphone? I need a vibrator"
"[Allegedly quoting from a magazine, perhaps to vindicate himself] 70% of women said they masturbate daily or more often. The rest are lying"
"[On me, after I commented about the resetting of pushups to the Commanding Officer] You're totally a civilian. Cannot make it."
"[On the MOs] Their OCS, like Kilo Company, come in, 5 days orientation, come out as privates. They go into OCS, 5 days, come out, Captain."
"The biggest rank in Tekong, you know what?... Civilian."
"Captured enemy personnel, first thing you do, don't go and sodomise them please... got girl bring to me first (if there is a girl, bring her)"
"[On reporting verbal exchanges with captured enemy personnel] If they scold you na beh jee bye don't report that, please"
"Leadership and Command. Do you dare to take up the challenge? [Recruit: Yes, Sir.] Lam pah."
"A lot of bad influence. Like me, OC, I also... [Recruit: Chao keng] How to chao keng? As OC I already nothing to do already (have )"
"If you are not loyal to Singapore, then why are you here? [Recruits: We don't want to be here]"
"[On me] He uses all the funny funny words"
"Gabriel, I realise you have the same lips as Shu Qi, only you are not pretty"
"[On the Ghost Walk] You will be impressed at how the army learn from Pontianak and Chinese Vampires (learns, Pontianaks)"
"When you smoke, you become an intelligent human. When you don't smoke, you become like cock... When you smoke, even when I talk to you in Tamil you understand."
"Smells like shit ah, the shit"
"[On my incessant scribbling] I can't stand you. Today you write 'Today, the shit, 500 grams, brown in colour...'"
"How come on Wednesday, 12 OOCs reported sick, all got ATTN C ah?"
"[To someone who heard the bookout timing wrongly] You OOC because of what ah? [Another recruit: Deaf]"
"For air force [training] they will go on to AFST. Advanced... Fuck lah, I also don't know what is that. (that is)"
"You all are not responding, fuck lah. You all want to book out now ah?... You all are forced to come here ah?... I am also forced to conduct this [talk] for you"
"[On the SAF retirement package] Don't be surprised if next time you see Lieutenant ****** selling drinks at the canteen... Next time you see the commander ah, sweeping the floor."
Post ID: 9569118
My SAT II results finally arrived. 760 for Writing, 800 for Math IIC and 800 for World History. Looks like the question about what happened to Cambodia after the Khmer Rogue took over didn't take too much off my score.
Took a walk down to Orchard Road yesterday. A giant balloon in the shape of a McFlurry now flies outside Shaw Centre. Apparently they've replaced M&Ms with a new flavour. Mmm.
Andrew Gan was toting tons of his VCDs from Ma-laysia like some vendor. I took the opportunity to borrow some. Wonder if I'll get down to watching any of them from now till Wednesday. I still have my 4 (5 including today) episodes of PRLG on tape to finish (assuming my brother-in-law didn't, like the last time, erase them through his non-practice of VHS etiquette).
And Dairy Queen has come to Singapore.
I'm so out-of-touch with Civilisation.
More gems from my spies:
'Anyway, your wake /is/ very visible, by the way. There was an inscription on one of the LT5 tables (the one which keeps falling down when I try to sleep) which reads "I love Gabriel Seah".'
Took a walk down to Orchard Road yesterday. A giant balloon in the shape of a McFlurry now flies outside Shaw Centre. Apparently they've replaced M&Ms with a new flavour. Mmm.
Andrew Gan was toting tons of his VCDs from Ma-laysia like some vendor. I took the opportunity to borrow some. Wonder if I'll get down to watching any of them from now till Wednesday. I still have my 4 (5 including today) episodes of PRLG on tape to finish (assuming my brother-in-law didn't, like the last time, erase them through his non-practice of VHS etiquette).
And Dairy Queen has come to Singapore.
I'm so out-of-touch with Civilisation.
More gems from my spies:
'Anyway, your wake /is/ very visible, by the way. There was an inscription on one of the LT5 tables (the one which keeps falling down when I try to sleep) which reads "I love Gabriel Seah".'
Post ID: 9564057
Tripod mysteriously shut down my page, claiming I violated the terms of service. I will move the blog to blogspot first, and slowly reconstruct my site.
This will cause problems with the pictures I'd embedded, but I don't have the energy to dig up all the old links, so the previously featured pictures of the PSC's suspicious questions, Pork Instant Noodles, Wo-Hen Nankan and Flesh Parade will not be available for now, until I re-establish my webpage.
This will cause problems with the pictures I'd embedded, but I don't have the energy to dig up all the old links, so the previously featured pictures of the PSC's suspicious questions, Pork Instant Noodles, Wo-Hen Nankan and Flesh Parade will not be available for now, until I re-establish my webpage.
Post ID: 9563342
Friday, February 08, 2002
Guess who ....
Update: Huanqian's relief teaching chem in RJC. Fierce girl is relief teaching GP in rj. Circumstances under which i found these out are unusual:
I approached mr. david leong to certify my academic transcripts. He grumbled abt it (previously he outrightly refused to certify some other pple's ones, saying it was very ma fan) and then, seeing huanqian gleefully suggested I get her to sign them (=
I was talking to grace chua at the staircase at the concourse.
Grace: Peggy's teaching here (indicates stairs)
me: Peggy Pao??!! (turn my head to look and see someone familiar; quickly turn back but not before she gives me an odd look)
Grace: She's teaching gp
me: Oops.
Update: Huanqian's relief teaching chem in RJC. Fierce girl is relief teaching GP in rj. Circumstances under which i found these out are unusual:
I approached mr. david leong to certify my academic transcripts. He grumbled abt it (previously he outrightly refused to certify some other pple's ones, saying it was very ma fan) and then, seeing huanqian gleefully suggested I get her to sign them (=
I was talking to grace chua at the staircase at the concourse.
Grace: Peggy's teaching here (indicates stairs)
me: Peggy Pao??!! (turn my head to look and see someone familiar; quickly turn back but not before she gives me an odd look)
Grace: She's teaching gp
me: Oops.
Post ID: 9513387
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