無畏無懼

放假最後一日

2010-01-17T18:36:00.003+08:00

明天就是今年第一次上學，我應該加倍努力，精益求精。

我現在的課程很難用中文來說。如果我說我是中五學生，人家會以爲我在普通課程。但我也不可以說我是個高一學生，應為我國的高級中學需要三年完成他們的課程。哎呀，真麻煩。。。

往前走，無畏無懼

2010-01-10T17:17:00.004+08:00

我不應該這樣擔心。我還有兩年的時間。我不應該着急。我現在應該享受我的自由，別浪費這兩年才後悔自己沒有珍惜自己的時間。我的衣服突然全部變成綠色的時候，我不再會有那麽多自由了。我青少年的生活只有這兩年了。

一個新年的開始

2010-01-05T16:18:00.002+08:00

哈哈。。。給你們了大驚喜了。

我打算用中文來寫我的隨筆了。而且，我會用繁體中文。我這樣做的原因是爲了進步我的語文能力，也是爲了讓我進步自己的寫作能力。對我來說，用英文寫隨筆和用中文寫隨筆是非常不同的。希望這種方法會幫我一個大忙，也會幫讀者了解中文，也學會一些繁體字。

我在這個月的十八號才上課。在這兩個星期中，我希望自己可以多讀聖經，尤其是羅馬書。我相信我可以從中學到很多的。我也應該多彈鋼琴了，第八級考試正在年底。聽説武裝部隊的樂隊開始收入了可以彈鋼琴的人了。（又來了，羅先生又要換職業了。。。）我明晚會有風笛訓練，希望明天可以開始吹真正的風笛了，不只是那個訓練笛管。

我現在沒話好説了。我現在要去體育館了。再見。

A post of epic proportions

2009-12-29T18:54:00.004+08:00

Let me warn you. This post is going to be huge.

The CLT course was one of the highlights of this month. Obviously, since it took up 14 days of my holiday. I suppose it has changed me in many ways, and has highlighted my strengths and weaknesses. I realised (and so do the instructors) that I have a really good sense of urgency. Basically, I'll snap to the job and get it done in the most efficient manner possible without delay. That sort of thing. But the weakness is that I am in this hyper-alert mode all the time, without rest, so that when I go home after training, I end up extremely tired and depressed. I am blessed, therefore, that God gave me strength to finish the course and get on with my life. Constant reading of the Psalms during the stay-in week was a great comfort.

A lot of the stress from the course did not come from the course activities itself, but rather the waking up in the morning and the travelling from home to HQ and back. It was like leaving a secure area in the morning and departing for the unknown, the unsafe, the uncharted waters.

Clock-watching had a few effects. One was that it increased morale as the days went by, especially in the later part of the course. The other effect was that it made the course seem like eternity on the first few days.

I managed to get through anyway. BMT would be a little easier for me, I suppose, given that this experience has given me an idea of what in-bunk drudgery and personal admin looks and feels like.

And now for the other part of the holiday that made me really happy.

Hong Kong is a really great place. Good food, good weather, good transport and plenty of other things.

I once mentioned to Hui'en that Hong Kong was my favourite holiday destination. I shall now explain why. Hong Kong is the best of two worlds for me. It is a place where my roots and my sense of modernity combine.

I am not a Hong Konger, but I am a Cantonese. It is to my greatest regret that my command of the Cantonese language is frankly quite pathetic. Hong Kong is a place where you will hear Cantonese all the time. It is the language of my forefathers, and it is uplifting to hear it spoken by the masses, unlike my current location, where Putonghua (Huayu) has become the main tongue of most Chinese people. It is a crying shame to realise that thousands of Singapore youth are on the verge of being cut off from their ethnicities forever. I shall be the exception. I shall let no man rob me of my culture and my identity.

On a side note, I think I am acquiring a taste for Joey Yung songs. O_O

I think I'm digressing...

*Back on main topic*

I'm going to miss Hong Kong. Even now, I'm still trying to get used to the fact that you stand on the left side of the escalator on the MRT, when you stand on the right on those of the MTR. I have to get used to the MRT announcements being in English first, and the English signs being above the Hanzi. I'll miss the oh-so-familiar “請勿靠近車門”before the door closes. I'll miss the noisy (and sometimes absurdly long) escalators and traffic lights. I'll miss the feeling of being free, unconstrained by the drudgery of life back home. I suppose holidays are like that. A brief glimpse of the ideal life and then it's back to real life.

The year 2010 is approaching. I really hope that I can survive IB. I've already started reading the textbooks. Watchnight on Thursday and Friday.

I can't think of anything else now.

Aid Station

2009-12-11T20:21:00.002+08:00

When the AFIs said this course was going to change our lives, they weren't joking. I only have five days more of the course, and yet, the past nine days have taught me so much about myself.

And I also have lost 2kg. That's something to be joyful about. :D

God really has been so good to me. I pray that God will abide with me for the last big push.

I shall be returning to the lines on Sunday night. I hope I will enjoy myself.

En Fenrik

2009-11-30T14:53:00.002+08:00

I am getting quite excited about the CLT course. I hope it stays that way no matter what it actually turns out to be like. Today, I find out we have to stay-in for nearly a week. This should be interesting. I am praying that I will be an example of God's glory during the course. This is the perfect oppurtunity for me to do so. So God help me. Amen.

Restlessness

2009-11-17T17:12:00.003+08:00

My daily routine now consists of PT, pipe practice and reading. I am anxious to get the new set of uniform next week to start working on it. Hopefully it comes with the OCT rank slides.

Pipe practice at PA tomorrow. Quite looking forward to it as well. Nearly finished reading Geoffrey Bennett's Nelson The Commander.

Anniversaries

2009-11-09T13:54:00.004+08:00

There is something about the anniversaries of historical events that really gets me up and going. Today, for example is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I’ve got a picture of the fall on my desktop just for today. For me, these events mark key points in human history, points which define our mindsets till this day. The fall of the Berlin Wall, for example, is the enduring symbol of freedom, of unity. In some sense, it echoes the immortal words of the Deutschlandlied – “Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit für das deutsche Vaterland!” It is the powerful imagery of common people tearing down walls of oppression to achieve their freedoms and liberties that really enthralls me. It’s the same for other events. Powerful imagery that shapes the way we think and form opinions. The handover of Hong Kong in 1997 represented the end of an empire that spanned the globe. D-day represented the beginning of the fight to take out Nazi tyranny once and for all. Trafalgar proved that Britannia ruled the waves. All these events have their own particular imagery for their significance.

But one symbol that really moves me is the red poppy of remembrance. This is not the same poppy used for drug production; although that’s the sort of confusion I seem to be getting around this time of the year. Because it grows on disturbed ground, it grew among the trenches of the Great War. The imagery is best described in John McRae’s poem “In Flanders Fields” – “In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row, that mark our place.” In Singapore, this flower has no cultural significance except for perhaps the connotations of opium production. It explains all the weird looks I get, and it explains the long stories I have to tell people whenever I have to explain its significance. It really bugs me sometimes when Singaporeans have no idea of the suffering soldiers go through in war. Perhaps it is because Singapore experienced war as a civilian population, and the people protecting us were the British. What is taught in our textbooks and is often emphasised is that the British lost. True, but it stops short of the experiences of the Diggers and Highlanders on the ground. The textbooks often praise the Malay Regiment, but they forget all the other regiments present. Imagine fighting thousands of miles from home and the enemy is right at your doorstep. In Hong Kong, the pillboxes had the names of the streets of old London Town on them. They missed home. So we have homesick soldiers fighting a losing battle. After the surrender, they are sent to crowded POW camps, and then some are sent to die working to build a railway for the enemy. This is one of those truly depressing scenarios that have failed to have been brought across.

Remembrance Day commemorates the fallen Commonwealth soldiers. Singapore is part of the Commonwealth. Fine, we had not many local combatants, but that is beside the point. Allow the words of Atatürk, leader of the Turks at Gallipoli to bring across my intended message. Maybe they are slightly out of context since the Turks were the enemy but the words are still applicable anyway - “You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well.”

Let me say this, that there is no shame in showing our gratitude to those who have fought for our freedom by remembering them. In fact, the ceremony yesterday at Kranji was extremely humbling. I saw, in front of me, a Royal Marine veteran with the South Atlantic Medal (with rosette) across his chest. I then realised he was one of those who fought and yomped to reach Port Stanley. I suddenly felt very, very small.

However, what really had my blood boiling yesterday at Kranji was that some uniformed groups did not remove their headdress during the prayer. Commander Haycock had already asked all uniformed personnel to remove headdress, and then he did so himself. All the foreign colonels and captains solemnly removed their caps. And the cadets and officers of the uniformed groups stood there without a clue as to what was this strange foreign protocol was, that gentlemen should remove their caps when they are praying. Ignorance should not, and should never be an excuse, when it comes to ceremonies bordering on the near-sacred such as these.

When will we ever learn?

1st Post of November.

2009-11-05T18:42:00.005+08:00

Next year's Chem is a nightmare. Even the Course Companion's first chapter is so complex. I still haven't worked out how the mass spectrometer works. Need to start mugging now or else, no six points for next year...

On a side note, my 2.4km timing went down to 12:15 from 12:36...Hopefully I can reach 11min by December and 10min by the next NAPFA.

Music and plenty of other things.

2009-10-27T21:42:00.002+08:00

So what's the difference if you listen to music without words rather than listen to popular music?

You may gain in terms of cultural exposure, but you end up failing dismally when bringing up the topic of entertainment with your peers. I mean, it can hurt your social life if you aren't in tune with what's on the radios these days.

But since I don't have a social life anyway, what harm could there be in analysing a few of my favourite pieces... XD

(In no order of merit)

(I'm typing these things as they come to my mind.)

1. Valdresmarsjen

Now, this is not a march in sense that you could actually play this at quick march pace and make it sound nice. All the versions I've listened to are played slowly, and this is a really beautiful piece. The slow tempo and the melody is very fluid, and is harmonised to achieve a sense of serenity and tranquility. Because of this, it's the tune I play on my mp3 player when I need to calm down.

(Please note that I cannot write music essays that well. I've never written one in my whole life, I'm just doing this the same way I would for Lit.)

Arrgh, I'm too lazy to think of another song to analyse...

I think I'll start ranting about something random.

Something like...careers.

Because I need a subject combi, I need to have a future career in mind before I select my HL and SL subjects.

When I suggested taking Chinese B HL, my friends were like "You're crazy...secure your 7 points!" But I really cannot afford to take HL for Sciences or Maths for that matter, given that I'm an arts person. Then, they asked me about my future career.

Everyone asks me about my future career.

I can never tell them what it would be.

I've always contemplated joining the Air Force or the Navy as an officer. See? You're probably thinking something along the following lines:

Oh, what a gullible boy who was taken in by those cheesy MINDEF ads. He's not going to enjoy it. He's been watching too many war movies. Oh, isn't that the guy who MARCHES?

Sometimes, I blame myself for my self-enforced solitude, yet the blame can be attributed to everybody else. (at times)

I'm not sure if it's the same for others wanting to be officers, but I really cannot bring myself to say I want to join the Fleet. Blame it on the average Singaporean's nae-care attitude towards this sort of thing. I mean, NS, for most people I know, is nothing but a chore. What complete dumbarse would want to join that organisation which 'enslaves' male Singaporeans of age 18 for two whole years while everybody else goes on to university?

Here's the rationale for me trying to join the Fleet. Alright, so what's the point of joining the military if it can't broaden your horizons? Look at all the latest overseas deployments! Iraq, Afghanistan, Aden. All the anti-piracy missions and humanitarian missions have required our Fleet. Overseas service is what I'm after. I won't get it in the army because they never have to fight. I want an unconventional career that people can look on and be proud of. Although wars are a shame, it's no shame serving to end it quickly.

I bet after all that, you're still going to call me a bally dumbarse.

Trettisju

2009-10-26T19:53:00.003+08:00

Success. 37 Points. I am home free...its just that I probably cannot go for any Bachelor of Science courses for Uni because I am in no position to take HL Maths or Sciences. Linguistics or Modern Languages sounds like a better idea. English A1 HL. I had better pray and hope this turns out well.

My preferred subject combi would be:

English A1 HL
Chinese B HL
History HL
Physics SL
Maths SL
Chem SL.

Just hope they let me have this combi.

On a side note, on news of my promotion, I immediately got myself the symbols of my newly-earned prestige. The yellow-blue tie will be mine to wear for the next two years.

I really thank God for bringing me past the EOYs, and giving me a better grade this time. I got above 36 points for the first time (I think).

And now for a recap of the past week's events.

Monday: Holiday.
Tuesday: Holiday.
Wednesday: Holiday.
Thursday: School
Friday: School. CLT Interview. Camp.
Saturday: Camp.

The Interview was fun. The camp was memorable. For the first time, I slept in the school corridor. Nice breeze. :) I think this time, I have really bonded with my Sec 2 juniors well. It's good PR considering that me and my non-comm. officers have been so harsh on them, its good to have some nice moments. I also think that I will be really busy next year. Things might get messy.

One of the hymns that I have found myself coming back to constantly over the past month or so has been that wonderful Norwegian hymn - Eg veit i himmerik ei borg.

Eg veit i himmerik ei borg,
ho skin som soli klåre,
der er kje synder eller sorg,
der er kje gråt og tåre.

Der inne bur Guds eigen Son
i herlegdom og æra,
han er mi trøyst og trygge von,
hjå honom eg skal vera.

Eg er ein fattig ferdamann,
må mine vegar fara
herfrå og til mitt fedreland,
Gud, meg på vegen vara!

It's the hymn you can hear on this blog after the Tappenstrek drum rolls and bugle call at the start of the song.

What really struck me was the concept of the weary traveller (fattig ferdamann) on his way to heaven. We are weary, and thus we need God to protect us and make our ways straight as we journey through life. The other concept is that of the Fatherland (fedreland). Where God is, that is our Fatherland. As citizens of the Fatherland, we ought to behave in a manner befitting a citizen of the Fatherland. What's more, we are not just citizens of the Fatherland, we are Princes of the Fatherland! Technically, I should have a pre-nominal 'HRH' as befitting my princely status! But titles mean nothing if we as princes do not behave in a manner befitting of one, especially a HRH in the Kingdom of God.

As heirs to the Kingdom, have we, the 'Royal Highnesses' lived our lives worthy of our title?

Just some food for thought...

Beginning of a fun week...

2009-10-19T19:02:00.003+08:00

Yes, today was fun. Somewhat.

Learned the notes for Gammel Jegermarsj and Fehrbelliner Reitermarsch. But they are absolutely hard to play, especially Gammel Jegermarsj. An E-C-E-G over 4 semiquavers is no joke when you're trying to play the whole thing at 120bpm. Forget about marching and playing simultaneously, this is a killer. :X My lips are so tired now I can't even play the General Salute properly at a slow pace. Need to rest for a while but by the time they recover, it will probably be late at night and I might end up giving the whole block a Reveille every 5 minutes. Not good for PR.

Haizzz...

Too much free time.

2009-10-18T19:00:00.002+08:00

Now that the exams are over, I've volunteered to be the Duty Bugler at the annual camp for the recruit platoon back in my UG. You know, maybe it isn't that bad. I would have missed the men too much if I just left like that.

But the stuff I have to get ready by Friday is just mind-boggling. I have to, in 5 days, become a competent bugler able to play:

Reveille (Long)
Rouse
Sunset
Lights Out
Markers
Fall In

and on top of that, the meal calls, and the Platoon and Company calls which I will have to compose myself.

On a side note, the D-Pillar publicity today went well. I actually was quite surprised by the positive response. Perhaps I do have a sense of humour after all.

Must get back to the books and languages and attempt to educate myself.

In the thick of it.

2009-10-13T19:54:00.001+08:00

Haha, I think I'm going to make it through these exams. 3 more subjects and its time to start those backup plans.

The Last Charge

2009-10-07T21:01:00.003+08:00

If there was ever a time where my fate precariously hung on the edge of a cliff at gunpoint, this is it.

Just this to clear. An A1 for all subjects will land me straight in the Diploma Programme. Failure to do so means certain disaster. And no, this is no joke. In fact, these exams might be as important as PSLE. And I wonder if I'd do as well for this as I did then...

These are the times where individual ability can only do so much...it's time, as always, to rely on God...

God save us all.

Today was...

2009-09-28T19:03:00.002+08:00

...Great.

MUAHAHA I finished typing the commentary before dinner. Usually I procrastinate and the essays take forever but I started this thing from scratch and it's just finished. Yay...:D

Chem revision next. Must keep up the tempo of advance...

The road thus far.

2009-09-23T16:09:00.002+08:00

Heh, Norwegian is easier to learn than German, except you get to use it less often. But it's such a beautiful language! I think watching all the videos of guards on parade in different countries has introduced me to their ways, and fascinating cultures that never cease to amaze.

Revision. Oh darn, there's still some coursework left and I have to revise. Physics and Chem are more or less done, just one or two topics left to cover. CMT and AMT are almost done as well, just one or two more topics. Everything else needs a bit more work. 2 more weeks. This should end soon. Hopefully. I want to enjoy my holidays and not live in the memory of a really bad series of examinations.

Somehow, I think I'm becoming too open for my own good. Something about this new-found social aptitude seems surreal and alien. But the days where shutting up and fading into the background were the order of the day are all gone. Oh no I'm thinking too much again...

Eg er ein fattig ferdamann,
må mine vegar fara
herfrå og til mitt fedreland,
Gud, meg på vegen vara!

Back to normality

2009-09-14T21:16:00.000+08:00

School's in again, a few more weeks and it will be the last exam of secondary school life before tertiary education at a certain school (ahem)

It's so invigorating to feel the drive of working my arse off everyday again, it makes you feel like you're actually doing something instead of sitting on your bum all day thinking about nothing in particular.

Today's work included a lot of paperwork. Hopefully this won't last very long, I have better and much more important things to do and settle.

It'll all be over very soon...

All Systems Go for Cadet Lieutenant's Course (and free doses of screaming, shouting etc. etc. to boot)

2009-09-10T18:52:00.003+08:00

And that's it, I have to wait 2-3 years before I can have the chance to participate in flying training, and the next chance will be in the harsher and more demanding environment of RAAF Pearce. Ah well, I guess I'll be a Cadet Subedar/Lieutenant, or whatever I'll call it from now on. Actually, I'm quite warming up to the idea already. One of the quirks of life in this modern day and age. At least I said yes to it of my own accord. I would be quite pissed if I was signed on by other parties, and not me. There's something fundamentally wrong with that, I guess. Back to mugging...

Sovereignty

2009-08-26T20:38:00.000+08:00

What is sovereignty? Sometimes we use the term too often without stopping to think what it actually means. It refers to (quoting Ernest F. Row's How States Are Governed), supremacy. Such that the Sovereign is defined as "whatever authority is absolutely supreme in the State, so that from it there can be no appeal to any higher authority and no power anywhere to override its decisions."

So, God being our Sovereign, he cannot be questioned. He is above all things. Sometimes we think we can try and wriggle out of things but we cannot. But admittedly, it takes time to recognise this sovereignty, especially when circumstances of nature most foul assail us from all directions.

Currently I have problems which threaten personal freedoms and liberties. These basic, fundamental human rights seem to have departed me. I have no choice in the matter whatsoever. I cannot do anything to change anything. I cannot use diplomacy, lobby points, or any other tool of scaled-down foreign policy to get me in a favourable situation which gets me flying next year without other distractions. But perhaps being too good and reliable in UGs in Sec 1 to Sec 4 has proven to be my Achilles' heel, that I appear to be indispensible to the unit. It is not so. I have to go through all that and do nothing else and become a Cadet Subedar (I shall use this term Subedar instead of Lieutenant, its more secure and somehow appropriate. Go check yourself.) on paper, all for award points. It seems a rather unworthy cause, but I have no choice and this is my fate as for now.

Perhaps this is the fated trial for me to surrender all, and depend solely on God, who works for the good of those who love Him.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me!

-Henry F. Lyte

Clearing Everything

2009-08-24T18:57:00.000+08:00

Well, today was quite interesting...now that the 2000-word History essay and CL presentation is done (all in 4h 10min), I'll have to clear the assignments and the stuff for D-Pillar retreat.

1 mile run tomorrow, 1.25 mile run on Thursday, then 1.5 mile run on Saturday, then 1.75 mile run on Sunday. Yeah, I'm crazy. What's new?

Preparation for Handover

2009-08-20T18:32:00.001+08:00

I have yet to get out of one my CCAs, but today has been my worst day yet. Not because I did anything wrong, but because I realise they will have a very rough road ahead of them.

Well, I'm leaving in a few weeks so my main priority will be to instruct the new commitee on how to survive the next year.

Haizzz...

Why They Overcame

2009-08-19T22:58:00.002+08:00

Well, B3 for CL 'O's seems rather dismal when you consider all the effort I put in since my B4 last year. I was expecting A1 or A2, but well, what can I do now? Honestly, it was rather disappointing at first, especially when I heard that some people, by some miracle, jumped to A1 from B4 last year.

The thought of retaking the exam (it would be my 3rd attempt if I did) raced through my mind. I had two choices, risk my other subjects or recover my lost pride.

Why lost pride? I always was the best of the best for Chinese. Topping class was relatively easy for me. If it was not top, it would be second or third place. No less, unless it was O-levels or some exams.

But now, I'm just like any other guy, considering that 14 from our class got B3. Perhaps this is God's way of putting down my pride. It may hurt, but he is the Sovereign, and I now don't really feel too arrogant about Chinese now (I wasn't that arrogant, but it was one of my claims to fame which I touted about er...more often than I should have).

For practical reasons, and because I don't have to worry about status so much now, now that I have none, I'm not retaking it.

It just reminds me of the reason how the Londoners overcame the Blitz.

They kept calm, and they carried on.

Preparations for War

2009-08-17T17:13:00.001+08:00

So, Revision should of a high priority on my routine, in preparation for the fated days in October.

Chem test on Wednesday, Organic and Environmental Chem being tested. Nothing too difficult to handle.

British casualties in the 'Stan mount above 200, just heard that 3 Fusiliers were killed. God bless their souls, may they Rest In Peace.

Oh, why do I care for these poor brave souls, I live in a country where the biggest concern for any man is the size of his wallet...

Back tae th' battle.

2009-08-13T20:04:00.000+08:00

Gahh, stressed now. I hae tae resort tae listenin' tae piobaireachd music tae calm me doon.

School choir performance tomorrow. Let's hope nothing bad happens.

National Day 2009

2009-08-10T14:29:00.001+08:00

Well, its been another year. This year, the parade wasn't so bad. It was actually quite good. The music was better, the jokes were better...

Yesterday's BBQ was OK, just that everyone got the food while I was watching the parade segment, so I ended up, well, starving. The 4km run was quite good also.

Gah, I need to go back to mugging my guts off.

Der Tag der Ehre

2009-08-03T17:56:00.003+08:00

I've had the title of the post put in a prominent place on my student diary (school-issued, won't say where as usual.)

Receiving the Sword really marks the culmination of all the years of blood and sweat in uniformed groups.(there were no tears. I've never cried in years. :D)

(Haha, the above statement just rhymed without me realising it.)

Ah well, enough basking in glory. Time to finish up all the coursework.

Will be attending the BBQ next week, as well as that run to CCK and back to 57. I forsee an interesting day. I shall partake in my favourite hobby of going through the NDP and spotting screwups. Probably part of the serjeant major's perfectionist streak (yes, I spelt serjeant correctly, it's just more archaic but is sounds cooler.) Hope no-one gets demoted this time. (Really, it would hurt hard if it did. Imagine getting demoted because you forgot to say something. It would really make more sense to be demoted for some real flaw in leadership, but this is rather cruel. Ah well, what can I complain about. It's a fact of life all Parade Commanders have to accept when they take on this very public job.)

Apollo 11 - 40 Years On

2009-07-20T22:31:00.001+08:00

On this day, in 1969, Man first stepped on the Moon. It was the greatest adventure known to Man. I really am fortunate to be born during this era. If I'm alive in the next 10-20 years, I'll be able to see the next lunar launch, and somehow be humanly involved in the adventure I never had the privilege of witnessing.

I must say, space exploration is a most marvellous thing. Just imagine where we'd go...

Ad Astra.

I am so...

2009-07-16T19:46:00.003+08:00

...BORED.

With my class perpetually at 41% attendance due to sickness, lessons cannot continue, so my whole week has been spent doing what little homework there was, then reading Ernst Jünger's Storm of Steel, and John Parker's Black Watch. I shall be reading John Parker's Gurkhas next.
And if it continues, I could lose my mind. God forbid that happen.

A ton of anniversaries coming up. The Apollo 11 anniversary on 20th July, Salamanca on the 22nd, and Talavera on the 27th.

Emdeavour has finally lifted off from the pad, and so I shall be following STS-127 closely. This should be exciting.

But not as exciting as PUP. :D

In a more morbid sense, the PUP title for this year seems like a pre-emptive course in how to handle the worst of crises. "When Your Dreams Are Shattered." It sounds rather foreboding. Something bad is on its way...its too quiet for comfort.

Requiescat in pace

2009-07-03T20:17:00.002+08:00

I suddenly feel very emo today for matters not of my immediate concern.

A few days ago, the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, the Welsh Guards, Lt. Col. Rupert Thorneloe was killed when his vehicle ran over an IED in the 'Ghan. His death is poignant to me, not because I am related to the Welsh Guards in any way, but because of the nature of his death. A few weeks ago, he was alive and well, giving commentary from his base camp while watching the Irish Guards troop their Colour on Horse Guards in London. Now, the man I saw on YouTube is dead. It's quite shocking really, the space of time which this happened. I just saw the interview again. I see a man who is now dead. Also, he was a commanding officer. I am sure he was a father figure to all the Welsh Guardsmen serving with him, and his loss will be mourned by all the members of the battalion. I then wonder, what if this happened to my 'bosses', the authority figures in my life, like my parents or my DGLs? How would I take it? Certainly worse than how I'm taking Lt. Col. Thorneloe's death right now, though I never knew him.

I offer my sincere condolences to the family of the bereaved, and may God comfort you.

(Consequently, his family will also receive the Elizabeth Cross, which was announced the same day he died. How coincidental.)

What Now?

2009-06-30T17:10:00.002+08:00

I've been thinking, if I don't want become a cadet lieutenant, what do I become? I've been wanting to join Youth Flying Club for a long time, and I think that it would be the only way forward. This is what I meant when I said 'aim higher' in the last post.

The only hurdles to overcome now are, convincing my teacher to let me off being a cadet lieutenant - (They'll try everything to keep me in), convince my parents that we won't fly until we've done ground school, and that it is mostly safe, and increase my mugging skills tenfold so that I can cope with next year.

I suppose the thing I should pray for now is concentration. So required of students, and so required of pilots. The strength to finish multiple essays, reports and worksheets in a row. The skill to watch the skies for incoming aircraft, watch the horizon to maintain your heading, and simultaneously adjusting the control column and yaw pedals, while checking a dozen different '-meters' in front of you.

But if I don't make it, I don't know what I'd do. Staying on in a uniformed group would not be a wise choice, given the dissatisfactory nature of the whole thing. Maybe BB Primers wouldn't be so bad...

The Beginning of the End

2009-06-29T20:56:00.004+08:00

The end of 4 years of secondary education is round the corner. 2 more terms and then comes a long break. Until then, there should be no more slacking.

Today was really, really boring. Admin starts the day, ends on nearly the same note. Blablablablablabla...

CCAs are cancelled due to the H1N1, at least that's a nice rest. No assembly, no more crowded buses because I can't use the ones to the back gate.(It's closed.)

I only have one chance to get myself away from any chance of becoming a Cadet Lieutenant. No, I won't deprive my Year 3s the many golden oppurtunities to lead.

And I shall aim higher.

Church Camp

2009-06-22T18:08:00.003+08:00

This post will be slightly longer and non-exceptionally humourless.

I suppose this church camp was a particularly meaningful one for me, especially on the last night.

Suddenly, when things fall apart dramatically, the Lord's message rings true and clear.

To those who were in my room IBS-ing after the message, I didn't mean to seem too rude or antagonistic, I was just rather emo.

Also interesting was the 24-hour watch. Because I can't play bridge (and shan't for a long time), I stayed up to watch. People were in our room till 6am. It is very interesting to see human reactions in the wee hours of the morning. Suddenly, we are higher than usual. I slept at 8am that day, having stayed up for 24 1/2 hours. I still feel a bit drained now even as I type this.

Must start working again.

A Quick Update...

2009-06-11T17:46:00.003+08:00

...not like you're going to read it anyway.

So, I just came back from Malaysia yesterday. Come to think of it, I did more hw this afternoon than I did for the whole time I was there. Oops. X(

DG tomorrow, and come Saturday, there will be the highlights of the month - the STS-127 launch to the ISS, and the Trooping of the Colour in London. If only I could get BBC1 to work...

Security isn't a dirty word....:D

2009-06-03T21:15:00.002+08:00

Been having Service Learning at my primary school for the past three days. My hour quota just went up by nearly 100%. 7 more to go and my job is done. :)

I'll be away from D-day onwards, so I'll be missing the Quest Face-Off.

Hey, at least my face won't go on youtube. It was a barmy idea to begin with, in my opinion.
(Not the skit, rather the youtube thing.)

Privacy. Security. I thank God my relatives are across the Causeway (and 200 miles up north).

I can save myself international attention.

A Vacation

2009-05-31T22:24:00.001+08:00

Yes, I'll need one of those. Anywhere, just get me out of here.

Will.

2009-05-27T18:10:00.003+08:00

Oh, so yesterday was a pretty bad day.

All it takes is 6-7 hours of shut-eye.

Thank God for sleep.

Ready to face the world again.

Just half a week more.

What have we learned?

2009-05-26T18:24:00.003+08:00

Seriously, I think, and you, the reader probably think I am a dispensable item.

Remove me from any list of members anywhere and I would not be missed.

我唔係大人。

I know you find me a complete arse and irritant.

I mean, no bally human comes to this blog to tag.

So what if you have big dreams?

You are one person, and everyone else together, is stronger than you.

團結係力量。

You can dream all you want, but at the end of the day, society will consider you a complete twit.

You have no right to dream, because everyone else has.

So, the moral of the story is:

Do your job well. Get lost. Period.

Oh What A Lovely Day.

2009-05-23T22:49:00.003+08:00

Yay I passed all my MYEs! :D

2 A1s, 2A2s, 2B4s, a C5 and a C6.

Need to improve Physics.

Watched Night at the Museum 2 at Jurong Point on Thursday. It was really funny. The ultimate historical spoof movie.

Just had 9 hours of drill at CDA. First time wearing No. 1 uniform for parade. The SD Cap is giving me a headache, literally. Imagine having this metal bar stuck against your brain while the emcee slowly reads prize winners. Having more rehearsals next week.

SDs

2009-05-20T20:20:00.003+08:00

Haha I got my No.1 Uniform and SD Cap for the parade next week! :)

I can't post up pics for security reasons. Its always important to keep things under wraps.

So far, the days are perfect for reading books at a leisurely pace. I think I'm going to enjoy this.

Next week is crammed full with parade practices. At least I'm a standard-bearer and not elsewhere. It's a treasured position.

Tempo.

2009-05-16T17:19:00.003+08:00

Its the end of exams. Hurray!

Because I am so screwed for them, its time to go on a huge yomp. (Your Own Mugging Pace)

(No, that wasn't the original meaning.)

Perhaps there is no respite after all. I don't feel liberated from exams. Fine, maybe a bit more breathing space, but it felt like it was just a glimpse of things to come. And we should all start getting ready for the next battery of tests.

Sum Of All Efforts

2009-04-27T19:19:00.000+08:00

No more posting for me till after the exams.

Must mug.

Please pray for me.

That is all.

Ka Mate, Ka Ora

2009-04-25T20:54:00.002+08:00

Tis' death, tis' life.

The day has been emotionally charged. In the morning, ANZAC Day. In the afternoon (and a bally hot one at that), Zhehao and Wenshan's wedding.

The former, a remembrance of the dead of war. The latter, a declaration of love between two people.

I wore an RSA poppy to the wedding. I remember the dead on someone's wedding.

Oh, how wonderful.

The perfect recipe for long hours of emo-ing.

Week before ANZAC Day

2009-04-20T20:16:00.003+08:00

G'day mates.

ANZAC Day is approaching. It presents a perfect oppurtunity to reflect on war and sacrifice.

It would be the time to reflect on how wonderful it would be if the world were at peace.

And it is also time to reflect on how the above idealistic statement would never come true.

Ah well, can't complain, can we?

Choir

2009-04-13T20:55:00.003+08:00

Music, especially choral music has a most profound effect on my state of mind. When I heard the choir yesterday, I was feeling rather joyous at the end. Yes, I thought, the Lord is risen! It is cause for celebration! Music invokes emotion, and allows us to better understand the issue or event at hand. Oh no, what am I saying, this is beginning to sound like Theory of Knowledge already.

I would like to give a great Shabash (Bravo!) to Zhiqing, Chrisll, Jeshrei and the rest of the choir for doing supremely well yesterday, the response was rather good, and all the effort did indeed pay off. Praise God!

I was rather intrigued to hear the tune of the last song, which was composed by Gustav Holst. It is also used for the hymn "I Vow To Thee My Country", which is often sung at Remembrance Day services. It turned up in The Right Stuff (film) to act as background music to John Glenn's flight. It is therefore fascinating, that Holst's tune is used for celebration, remembrance and inspiration. A true masterpiece.

When our church choir was preparing for their event on Christmas 2007, I remember being at one of the rehearsals in the sanctuary and I had just finished watching Band of Brothers that year. I remember the time when Easy Company herded into the chapel at Rachamps after the Battle of the Bulge and the choir performed for them. In the series, it was Plaisir D'Amour. For me, sitting in the back pew and listening to the angelic voices up front gave me a hint of the feeling of the men at Rachamps. I remember I was due to fly to Hong Kong the next day (for a holiday, no less). I was pretty nervous about long-distance flight as I don't fly that long a distance too often. I was thinking - If I were to die tomorrow over the South China Sea when my kite's engine blows up, at least I had accepted Jesus as my Saviour, and had listened to that magnificent choir.

Sieg im Tod

2009-04-10T16:50:00.002+08:00

This week was rather taxing on my mental health, but by the grace of God, I have survived. The parade yesterday on Maundy Thursday wasn't a disaster as I thought it would be. The food they gave after the parade wasn't bad. I had 2 cups of char because I only slept 2 hours the night before.

But that's not the point of the post now.

Today is Good Friday, the death anniversary of our Good Lord.

He died in the most horrid and humiliating way possible.

He was alone in His suffering.

Herzliebster Jesu/Ah, Holy Jesus - Johann Heermann

Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen,
Daß man ein solch scharf Urteil hat gesprochen?
Was ist die Schuld? In was für Missetaten
Bist du geraten?

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

When He died, we could be free again, no longer seperated from God.

Victory in Death.

His love is beyond compare.

O Love Divine - Charles Wesley

O Love divine, what hast thou done!
The immortal God hath died for me!
The Father’s co-eternal Son
Bore all my sins upon the tree.
Th’immortal God for me hath died:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Is crucified for me and you,
To bring us rebels back to God.
Believe, believe the record true,
Ye all are bought with Jesus’ blood.
Pardon for all flows from His side:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Behold and love, ye that pass by,
The bleeding Prince of life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your Savior die,
And say, “Was ever grief like His?”
Come, feel with me His blood applied:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Then let us sit beneath His cross,
And gladly catch the healing stream:
All things for Him account but loss,
And give up all our hearts to Him:
Of nothing think or speak beside,
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Die Straße zum Krieg

2009-04-05T20:02:00.002+08:00

The pinnacle of my CCA tour of duty.

Parade Commander.

Things can go very, very wrong.

Nevertherless, I must strive for the highest standard.

My reputation is on the line.

Not that I had one anyway.

Essays.

2009-03-23T22:29:00.002+08:00

Gahh.

I am taking a break from writing 5 short essays (300-400 words) on a short story. On my last one already. After this, there is the Chinese Composition, and the Comphrehension passage, the workbook, and the A Maths Assignment. All due tomorrow. I might as well sleep in 24 hours time.

Just to let off steam before the long night, I thought I'd blog a bit now.

First day of school was...actually a tad boring. Nothing exciting. Just stooging around, waiting for teachers, spending lessons doing homework (oops.)

Oh no, writer's block. Think, boy, think...

Feel good food...Caffeine needs for night shift. Wunderbar. (no pun intended XD)

A bit more...just a wee bit more...

There. It's done. On to the next one.

There are only 45 minutes left to the start of the new day.

Sometimes, you have to really thank God for sleep deprivation. It makes you appreciate the time you have to sleep. Give thanks to God in all circumstances. :)

Apologies...

2009-03-19T14:57:00.003+08:00

...for not posting too often.

My mind's cleared, I can rant about my daily life now.

Monday to Wednesday:
Some FES staff retreat. Tagged along to Batam. It was extremely boring. Did nothing but mug, eat and sleep.

Just now:
Parade practice. I think I'm being too nice. Need to step up the tempo.

There is parade practice tomorrow and on Saturday. I think I am going to lose my voice soon.

Oh no.

Eyes Right.

2009-03-08T17:20:00.003+08:00

Yesterday was parade practice. Interesting to see that the sword drill for Eyes Right has changed to the RN and RM version. I think we are the only agency in Singapore who does this. Awesome.

Soul Eater ends in 3 weeks. Need to start watching some other anime.

EDIT: (30-6-2009) Okay, the drill wasn't changed, I just found that out. We did not follow the RN manual, but rather the Foot Guards manual, in which you only tilt your head to the right with the sword. The sword flourishes for the 'eyes right' command are only done in slow time over 4 paces. Hope that makes it clear.)

Peace

2009-02-27T19:46:00.002+08:00

At last, things are okay. I hope they stay like this. Peace for a short while, would be better than no peace at all.

I suddenly have waves of nostalgia for my primary school days. Days when you could be truly proud of your education and Alma Mater.

Alma Mater floreat,
Quae nos educavit;
Alma Mater floreat,
Quae nos educavit;
Caros et commilitones,
Dissitas in regiones
Sparsos, congregavit
Sparsos, congregavit

-from Gaudeamus Igitur

To War Again.

2009-02-23T17:40:00.004+08:00

School's not okay. Some bugger vandalised the back wall of the class with homosexual references to yours truly, the blogmaster of this blog.

Now it's serious. And just when things were getting better.

I never did anything to anyone. My existence is their target, then. Sometimes I wonder if I deserve it, then I remember that God is with me.

He will never fail me.

He's going to pull me through this war.

Gott mit uns.

A random quiz

2009-02-22T19:59:00.003+08:00

I don't know why I even bother, but I feel the need to get people to know me a bit better.

1) Full Name: Read the profile.
2) Male/Female:Male
3) Were you named after anyone?:No.
4) Does your name mean anything?:Knows God's grace.
5) Nick Name(s):None
6) What do you think you look like:Me.
7) Date Of Birth:No. I protest. I must not divulge.
8) Place of Birth and Current Location:Singapore
9) Nationality:Singaporean
10) Astrology Sign:I don't bother.
11) Chinese Astrology Sign:I don't bother either.
12) Religion:Christianity
13) Whats your favorite smell?:Esplanade Air-con :)
14) Political Position?:Moderate-Conservative
15) What do you prefer to drink in the morning?:Tea
16) Hair + Eye colour:black, brown
17) Do you look like anyone famous?:No.
18) What do you look like?: Me. God made us all unique. Period.
19) Any unusual talents?: I memorised the British rifle drill manual. Ich spreche Deutsch.
20) Righty, Lefty, or Ambidextrous?:Left.
21) Gay, Straight, Bi, or Other?:I'm straight.
22) What do you do for a living?:Mugging and ensuring my survival in this cruel world.
23) What do you do for fun?:Exercise.
24) What are your favorite art materials to work with?:Pencil
25) What kind of materials would you like to work with?:I dunno.
26) Have you met your grandparents?:Yes.
27) Boyfriend / Girlfriend:I wish.
28) Crush: Loose talk costs lives! Don't mention the ***!!!
29) What celebrity would you date if you could?: Never.
30) Current worries?:A lot.
31) Favorite online Guy/Girl(s):People I tag.
32) Favorite place to be?:Esplanade. Or somewhere downtown.
33) Least favorite place to be?:School or GHQ.
34) Do you burn or tan?:Burn.
35) Ever break a bone?:No.
36) What is your favorite cereal?:I don't eat cereal.
37) You cry with: I don't cry (although I would like to sometimes)
38) Any sisters:Yes.
39) Any brothers:No.
40) Any pets:No.
41) An Illness:Maybe mental, but then again, there is no proper diagnosis.
42) A Pager:No.
43) A Personal phone line:No.
44) A Cell phone:Yes.
45) A visible birthmark:No.
46) A Pool or hot tub:Neither.
47) A Car:No.
48) Personality: Introverted, Submissive (leads when needed and always willing to), Stiff upper lip.
49) Driving:No. I'd rather fly.
50) Your clothing style:Formal English.
51) Room:Alright.
52) What’s missing: My sanity.
53) School:Loose talk costs lives! Must not talk about ***
54) Bed:Made ready.
55) Relationship with your parent(s):Alright.
56) Do You believe in yourself:No.
57) Do you believe in love at first sight?:No.
58) Consider yourself a good listener:Passable.
59) Have a future dream that you would like to share?: I'd love to fly a jet that would take me to the edge of space and back. (Think X-15) Any better, I would like to go into space. Any worse, I'd rather muck around Singapore airspace. At least I'd be free of the reins of earth.
60) Get Along with your parents:Alright.
61) Save your e-mail conversations:No.
62) Pray:Everyday.
63) Believe in reincarnation:No.
64) Brush your teeth twice a day?:Yes.
65)Like to talk on the phone:No.
66) Like to eat?:Yes.
67) Like to exercise?:12 rounds, quick, 70Ibs, Lat Pull-Down, LOS!
68) Like to watch sports?:Never had the time.
69) Sing in the car?: Ich nicht habe einem Auto!
70) What is a dream that you have all the time?:Walking in some futuristic city.
71) Dream in color:Yes.
72) Do you have nightmares?:All the time.
73) Sleep with a stuffed animal:No.
74) Right next to you:Books.
75) On your favorite coffee cup?:I don't drink coffee.
76) On your mouse pad:Don't have one.
77) Your favorite flavor of gum?: I'm not one for gum.
78) Your brand of deodorant?:I don't use it. I never need to. Really.
79) Your dream honeymoon spot:The white cliffs of Dover...
80) Your dream husband/wife:Loves the Lord, can appreciate me for who I am. As if that would ever happen.
81) Hiding in your closet?:Souvenirs from travels.
82) Under your bed:Dust.
83) The name of one of your closest/best friends?:Gahh...I don't want to show favouritism.
84) Your bad time of the day:Afternoon.
85) Your worst fear(s): people turning their backs on me. Happens.
86) What's the weather like:Alright.
87) Your favorite time of year?:Holidays.
88) Your favorite holiday?:Christmas.
89) A material weakness?:Books?
90) The weirdest food or drink that you like:I'm pretty straight on this one.
91) At the top of your "to-do list"?:QT and time with God. Then mug. mug. mug.
92) The hardest thing about growing up: Realising that the longer you live, your bucket-kicking chances just got bally higher.
93) A pet peeve?:Nah.
94) Your scariest moment: Not many, can't remember.
95) Your attitude about love?: God loves me. I doubt the rest do, sometimes.
96) The funniest or most desperate thing you've done to get the attention of the opposite sex?: Loose talk costs lives! Don't...
97) The worst feeling in the world:Losing your hard work.
98) The best feeling in the world:Being loved.
99) Who sent this to you?:Ripped from Gillian's blog.
100) Tag 6 people:Not bally likely.

Must return to mugging A Maths.

I feel young again.

2009-02-19T18:59:00.002+08:00

I remember when I was P6, getting 70 to 80 marks out of 100 in a PSLE practice paper warranted a 'See Me' mark on the paper, as well as compulsory remedial and the like.

Recently my results are getting really good, considering my results used to be around 60 to 70%.

Chinese: (I forgot but above 80%)
Lit: 88%
Chem: 73%

and full marks for History Portfolio. Praise God!

I suddenly feel very young. Very young indeed.

In Short...

2009-02-15T18:00:00.003+08:00

On Friday, went for D-Pillar meeting. Finally, I can buckle down and get working somewhere in BPYM.

I also went for the Auto Defib course at the Police Academy.

2 more weeks till end of CMTs.

Life seems to be easing up a bit. I just hope this isn't the calm before the storm.

Encouragement

2009-02-09T23:33:00.002+08:00

It always amazes me when someone encourages me, and it always uplifts me when someone tells me he or she is thankful for something I have done.

I am very sure this is the same for most people I know.

Yet it is amazing because I don't expect it, and after a while I feel terribly depressed after I receive a note of encouragement.

Perhaps it's the fault of my mindset. I always have been thinking - NEVER expect thanks from anyone, NEITHER should you expect any support, backing or encouragement. Encourage others but don't expect reciprocation.

Whatever the reason, its only God who can help me in such times where the black dog takes over.

(Oh yes, you realise that I never talk about school nowadays? It could be a trap, and people might use those words against me, so might as well shut my bally mouth about it. Careless talk costs lives... I let a few things loose once and I think I got away with it. I should be more careful.)

Online again.

2009-02-08T20:33:00.002+08:00

Well, I haven't been blogging a lot recently, but well, I suppose since no one reads it anyway, it wouldn't do any harm.

Well yesterday, I was watching an episode of Dad's Army and it showed this scene where ARP Warden Hodges was miraculously unhurt when a bomb nearly got him. After that, he was shown talking to the vicar about how thankful he was and how he resolved to be a better person after that.

It got me thinking. God is merciful, and he shows this mercy throughout our lives. How often have we not been thankful to God for His mercy? Do we respond to His mercy?

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3: 22-23

Come What May

2009-01-01T22:24:00.002+08:00

The year ahead, I expect, will be no different from the last one.

Miserable.

Painful.

(A continual list of negative adjectives)

I now realise I need God more than ever.

I'm not fighting to win.

I'm fighting for survival.

Gott mit uns.

Postnote: Wishing the visitors (if any) a Happy New Year.

Perth, WA

2008-12-21T20:29:00.002+08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. Here is a brief summary of the Perth trip.

Day 1:
Qantas flight to Perth. After reaching hotel, immediately depart for Perth Central to eat. After that we walked 2 km home. Thank goodness it was cool.

Day 2:
Trip to Bull Creek to see the RAAF Museum. They store a Spitfire, and this huge original Lancaster bomber. It took up the whole hangar. They also had this C-47 in which you could peek in the back door (the one you jump from). I looked in and then I suddenly remembered Band of Brothers. I then saw the static line up on the ceiling of the C-47. Then I looked down. Silence.

Day 3:
Trip to Fremantle. Went to this fish and chips place. Really good stuff. Highlight was the visit to HQ Western Australia University Regiment. They had this museum with all the WW2 tanks like M3s on the perimeter of the parade square. There was this re-enactor inside wearing the uniform of a Light Horseman in WW1. He let me wear his ammo bandolier (containing replica, actual weight .303 clips). Its quite heavy if you carry it by hand, but actually wearing it is quite OK. There also was this diorama called 'In Flanders Fields' with all the soldiers advancing over a parched, burnt land. There were also these mockups of a POW camp, with the cholera tent, and a figure with jungle ulcers. Awfully disgusting, to say the least. I wouldn't want to have any of those.
And thus concluded the Remembrance part of the trip. A wooden plank at the exit of the POW gallery summed it all up.

"When you go home, tell them of us and say - For your tommorow, we gave our today."

Day 4:
Swan Valley. Winery after winery. I'm a teetotaler. I don't drink, and when I tasted white wine, I think I was a bit doozy for a few seconds. I wouldn't want to down a whole bottle of the stuff.

Day 5:
City West. Bought 633 Squadron (book) there. Cheap secondhand books, but a very limited range.

Day 6:
Arrived in Singapore. Enough said.

I said it was going to be brief. I forgot to mention the flies going all over my beef. That was the worst lunch I had in years. And the most expensive. Price does not equal a good experience. Lesson learnt. Never eat next to a winery.

An Update

2008-12-06T19:54:00.002+08:00

Well, back from Malaysia. Watched Madagascar 2 there.

and it was darn funny. The plot is quite well-woven if you ask me.

Funny lines:

***

Kowalski: [the plane has crash landed and the penguins are looking at a clipboard] Only two passengers unaccounted for, Skipper.

Skipper: That's a number I can live with! Good landing, boys! Who says a penguin can't fly?

***

(ultimate tough manly quote)

Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit, and a whole lotta duct tape.

***

Alex: [to Marty] I broke your iPod!

***

Private: In case of a loss of oxygen, please place your masks over your faces to hide your terrified expressions from the other passengers.

***

Julien: [after Melman has announced he has only 48 hours to live] "If I had only two days to live, I would invade a neighboring country, and force my ideology on them, whether they wanted it or not."

***

(best quote in the movie in my opinion)

Julien:"Well, you gotta march right up to this woman, right? You look her right in the eye, you lean forward, right? Just a little - almost all the way. then you let her, like, lean forward, just a little bit until you're just a lips' distance away from each other. And then you just tell her...how much you hate her."

Funny stuff.

Self-Education : Pars Secunda

2008-11-29T22:01:00.002+08:00

Still have one part to go before I finish Differentiation.

Will move on to Integration.

Also learning French, German and Japanese simultaneously.

Why?

"Not because they are easy, but because they are hard."-JFK.

Airman #1

2008-11-25T21:45:00.003+08:00

This is a picture I did up in half an hour. Depicts an RAF guy with a moustache. I put in #1 in the title because there will be more to come. Place comments in Das Postfach.

Danke.

Self-Education

2008-11-24T16:53:00.003+08:00

It is my strongest belief that self-education is vital for the learner, because it encourages self-motivation, which is a key trait a learner should have. It also gives less trouble to teachers. If everyone educated himself well before the lesson started, the teacher would only have to correct what the students did not understand during his program of self-education, and the teacher could then expand further on the concepts and ideas the pupil has learned, allowing the student to think deeper on the subject and consequently derive the greater benefit.

(Enough of the essays.)

(And now for something completely different.)

Well, I've come back from Hong Kong. It was a nice trip. Went to CAS, GFS, TST Fire Station, lots of other places. I have learned much.

Yesterday during YM, we touched on this topic of "Freedom is questionable". My goodness, this is Philosophy in Church. There could be nothing more fun. Argument, debate, logic, reason, and counter-argument.

What is freedom?

Within our worldly confines, there is none. We just move from one prison to another.

So is freedom attainable? Is it real?

Yes it is. But not worldly freedom.

The greatest freedom is the only freedom.

Armistice

2008-11-11T20:30:00.002+08:00

It was on this day on which the armies stopped fighting 90 years ago.

Today, Remembrance Day is a day marked to commemorate the sacrifices the Commonwealth soldiers made for us.

Unfortunately, very few know of this day here in Singapore. Have we forgotten the sacrifices of Dalforce, ANZAC, the Plymouth Argylls?

Over here, people stare at you with that "is that guy gay?" look when you wear a poppy you got from donating to the RBL (Royal British Legion for those who didn't know).

A simple poppy. Small but meaningful. Yet misconstrued badly in our day and age. I envy those in the Commonwealth Realms. At least they still recognise this. What happened to the rest of the Commonwealth? Did not the British, Indians, Gurkhas, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders fight for your peace, your freedom, your lives?

We take freedom for granted today.

We fail to recognise our freedom was earned in blood.

"That freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have courage to defend it."-Pericles

LEST WE FORGET.

AAR

2008-10-26T18:14:00.002+08:00

Well, camp is over.
It was probably the most hectic and nightmarish one I ever had to run.

1st day. Some people didn't turn up for Energy course so Sec 1s had to fill for them, interrupting training time. At night, it rained heavily and the tents flooded. We had to remove the tents and luggage by hand. I got my new long pants muddy :(

2nd day. The Sec 1's drill was lousy. We had run out of time for drill and dinner, and so we declared Emergency. From then on, we scolded and screamed like they do in ITC Catterick. The Sec 1s responded well though. They improved their drill dramatically, as if a miracle. God answers prayers. We had Lights Out at 0100h, so they only had 4+ hours sleep. We had 3 because of boot polishing.

3rd day. Their drills were still good, all passed their drill exam, held a Passing Out Parade. Very good, introduced UDI drills.

Overall, this camp, to me, is a reminder of what God can do for us. Gott mit uns.

30th Post

2008-10-22T21:56:00.004+08:00

Tomorrow is UG Camp. 3 days of intense training (not mine, my corporals are training the private men.)

We get to handle pace sticks!

Pls pray for me. Camp will be until Saturday.

Pray for my corporals that they will pull this off well, and for the private men, that they will co-operate.

Achtung!

2008-10-16T19:06:00.002+08:00

I have made it. I am on to Secondary 4. No study camp. HURRAH!

Yet the results are hardly impressive. If I don't do something, my hopes for Warrant Officer could be dashed. Above average school grades. Tough. What do I do now. I do not want to waste my efforts.

I must do my best for O-Level.

God defend my battered soul.

The road ahead.

2008-10-12T16:22:00.001+08:00

Soli Deo Gloria - To God alone be the glory.

He has done so much for me thus far, and I should continue to depend on him during this next challenge:

O Level Chinese. The Big One. Preparations are underway.

Pray for me.

Ne'er a dull day

2008-10-08T18:19:00.002+08:00

How exciting can life get. In 5 minutes, I get know I've been nominated for a 6-day educational deployment to Hong Kong by Lee-sir(UG), and I'm getting a flu jab.

Never a boring day.

Frei

2008-10-07T15:19:00.002+08:00

I have survived...for now.

I am super worried for my HCL and Maths. If something goes wrong, I might end up in the study camp at the end of the year.

Prayer. It's the only way forward now.

Apart from that, at least the exams are over. I did better than I expected. Gloria.

Heh... I got my bday present already. A pair of hobnailed boots. Good for drill, work and outdoor use. It goes CLICK when you walk. The sound is addicting. :)

Time to catch up on exercise.

Preparations for War

2008-09-22T22:01:00.002+08:00

Still have a lot to cover before exams, but I'm making good progress.
I won't be blogging much, but do pray for me, my brothers and my sanity.

Godspeed to those taking exams as well.

Glück ab Kamerad!

Fallschirmjager

2008-09-20T16:59:00.006+08:00

Exams around the corner, studying really, really hard. A lot hangs on the results of this ordeal.

Here are lyrics to the new song in the cbox. Courtesy of ingeb.org (Deutsche Volkslieder)

1. Hinter den Bergen strahlet die Sonne,
glühen die Gipfel so rot,
Stehen Maschinen, die woll'n mit uns fliegen,
fliegen in Sieg oder Tod.
Hurra, wir starten, hurra, wir starten,
wenn die erste Morgensonne scheint,
Fallschirmjäger, Fallschirmjäger
gehen ran an den Feind!

2. Hoch in den Lüften fliegt unser Vogel
stolz und frei durch die Luft,
Standhaft und ehrsam sind unsere Herzen,
wenn das Kommando uns ruft.
Hurra, wir fliegen, hurra, wir fliegen,
wenn die erste Morgensonne scheint,
Fallschirmjäger, Fallschirmjäger
gehen ran an den Feind!

3. Hoch aus den Wolken stürzen wir nieder,
tief in die feindlichen Reih'n.
Gegner, wir kommen, habt ihr's vernommen,
bald wird der Sieg unser sein!
Hurra, wir springen, hurra, wir springen,
wenn die erste Morgensonne scheint,
Fallschirmjäger, Fallschirmjäger
gehen ran an den Feind!

Ardua

2008-09-14T18:38:00.001+08:00

This is not good. My drill standards have been questioned. By arrogant people no less.

Cheerfulness in the face of adversity.

Have to train more even though exams round the corner.

From here, the only way is up.

PER ARDUA

AD ASTRA

To the stars

2008-09-10T20:39:00.002+08:00

Baptised already. It is a new beginning.

The ceremony itself was pretty much usual, but kinda funny though. I really need to get my glasses fixed XD

After coming out of the water, the situation was what I called "the time when you feel most accepted and encouraged." In the space of 5 minutes, I had shaken more than 10 hands, possibly 20.

Then came encouragement cards.

Frankly, I wasn't expecting such things. I get the occasional encouragement note from the friendly YMM Barnabas every now and then, at random times, but usually, I never get encouragement or congratulation for anything I personally do, anything I have gone through, passed out of, things that mean a lot to me. When I passed out from UDI, FGB, SNCO, all the congrats I got were from my DG and my coursemates.

Never anyone else.

I was shocked. I felt rather uncomfortable for the next few days.

And I realised how much I had missed for years.

And I realised how long I had survived without it.

You can go a long way without encouragement, but when you realise it, it hurts real bad.

That's where hope in God comes in. P.U.P. has taught me a lot about trusting in the Lord no matter what happens, even when all the world betrays you.

Only He can save us from our despair.

God defend us.

I am reminded of a song that I used to hum throughout UDI. (Man, you can never get enough folk music on this blog, aye?)

The Minstrel Boy

The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death you'll find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" cried the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy right shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"

The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring that proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and brav'ry!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free
They shall never sound in slavery!

Oh yes, and 633 Squadron will play in the background when you visit. What joy.

Commissioning Ceremony

2008-09-06T12:33:00.002+08:00

Tomorrow is Baptism. It is a symbol of being dead to sin, and alive in Christ. It is the sacrament of justification by faith, bringing us in the closest union with God as a result.

It is commissioning.

It is commissioning to do the Lord's work.

We get no sword from this 'commissioning parade'.

But we get so much more...

We are God's Sons and Officers.

The End

2008-09-03T21:34:00.002+08:00

The last hurdle is over. Gone are the days of slogging tired butts to the Police Academy. UDI Course is OVER!!!

And I have successfully passed out as a full-fledged UDI (Unit Drill Instructor). Thanks to God for getting me through this physically and mentally demanding course.

Getting baptised in a few days time. Lots of major events in the space of a few weeks.

Day before tomorrow

2008-08-27T20:41:00.001+08:00

O level prelims tomorrow...pls pray for me.

PUP Wk 7

2008-08-24T17:49:00.002+08:00

It's amazing how God takes care of us. For the past 2 weeks of PUP, ways of handling stress have been taught (examples from David). He would place complete trust in the Lord, leave it in His hands and then praise Him.

UDI course coming up. It is a most ominous affair. Only God will get me through all 3 days of it.

The Navy Hymn

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

I'm back

2008-08-22T19:44:00.002+08:00

Well, I managed to recover. It was pretty much a really hellish week, probably worse than that at National Camp. Couldn't eat, couldn't do anything but sleep. Felt terrible. Thank God for pulling me through that week.

Anyway I'm back in action, and alive as ever. Sunset is available for download on my shoutbox, credits to the Band of the Royal Australian Navy. Really nice tune. If only they put up Evening Hymn as well.

Evening Hymn (The Day Thou Gavest Lord Is Ended)

The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank Thee that Thy church, unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.

As o’er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren ’neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth’s proud empires, pass away:
Thy kingdom stands, and grows forever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.

Attend B

2008-08-11T17:44:00.002+08:00

As can be implied from the actual posting, I am not on Pulau Ubin. In fact, I'm not even going there. I am on Attend B (sedentary duties only) until the end of the week.

National Camp...gone.

Must have disappointed a lot of people...Sorry.

Will make it up somehow...

Hopes

2008-08-10T13:53:00.003+08:00

I'm supposed to be in church now, but I'm sick and so I am here. National Camp is tomorrow. Really hope to be well in time. I have had amazing recoveries that took 8 hours. But even if I don't, really hope to join up on 2nd day. If cannot also, what to do? It was fun while it lasted. All the rehearsals for the dikir barat, all the admin and time spent coming up with lyrics. It was fun.

Hormat kepada panji-panji, hormat senja...TA!

2008-08-09T22:58:00.002+08:00

Happy National Day to all of you out there. Singapore live on. Of course I don't go around saying that. It could kill me. There is a limit to every worldly pride. I shall only boast of Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection.

Why do so many people associate soldiering with national pride. Soldiering is a profession. The media tells you that soldiering is for 'the defense of the nation'. 'It is a sacred duty'. Truth be told, these are not lies. But these are superficial to the true nature of soldiering. It may seem like fun, but soldiering is one of the most painful, bitter, tragic, terrible, miserable professions to be in. Why do I like it then...am I abnormal? Do I seek out suffering for its own sake? No. I don't understand it myself.

Then, another question. Is loyalty a virtue today? Have we become so INDIVIDUALISTIC that we FORGET what is really IMPORTANT? Has loyalty become an ideal? An ideal reserved for samurai of yore? Exponents of bushido? What has become of us? Why can we not speak of loyalty without being SARCARSTIC? Why do we seek to please ourselves and not the more important beings?

Man is sinful.

Only God can control.

I live in an age in which loyalty is scorned, and the loyal are the hunted.

Only God can control.

God defend us.

Promotion Pending.

2008-08-06T19:59:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow, I will be receiving the S/Sgt. epaulettes. It is a mark of responsibility. Only use to glorify God.

National Camp coming up soon. should be fun, less siong than other camps I've attended, although this is the longest one so far. Why couldn't I be on the one NCC organised...this one must go Ubin, PLC I can go anyday, anytime. Anyway, I will be missing school. Have to do PUP in advance.

Post lag.

2008-08-02T21:22:00.002+08:00

Sorry, I haven't been posting for a while. Been loaded with work (still am but breathing a bit). I passed FGB. The hurdle is cleared, prepaing for UDI course. Attended school's choir concert yesterday. Lagi pro. Well, going to finish P.U.P. now. Adios.

An Die Kampf!

2008-07-25T17:34:00.002+08:00

HQ came to inspect us, we learned a lot of new things today. We should improve though, how is beyond my means. I can't control everything. Leadership is a core competency. I have to learn it better, and practice it better.

Tomorrow is FGB course. 10h of non-stop drill. Nothing I hate, nothing I particularly enjoy.

God help me, it's war. Just this hurdle to clear before Drill Instructor Course.

10th Post

2008-07-24T18:38:00.002+08:00

10th post already. Not bad.

Really busy this week. Tomorrow, the Physics and English projects are due, next week is History and the week after is Chinese...

Taking the TD Gold and Heritage courses tomorrow for UG, followed by Footdrill Gold on Saturday at HQ. Oh no.

The last time I went to HQ for a long period of time, it took a few weeks to recover from the psychological trauma. It was so bad even the AFIs noticed it. Just hope my State Of Mind is positive, so I can meet the challenge. Not just that. Never cease to pray. It was reliance on God which got me through the Senior Noncom's course and it will be reliance on God which will overcome this hurdle...

Another week

2008-07-21T18:27:00.002+08:00

Well, it's been tough.

Friday: Took Total Defence Silver Course, going for Gold course this week.
Saturday: FPS Competition. Then went for piano class.
Sunday: Baptism class, PUP W2.
Monday: School, return books to library.

Yup, that's pretty much it. Looking forward to another busy week. Still got Literature project to do.

Attend C

2008-07-16T20:45:00.002+08:00

High fever today, Attend C. Stayed home, doing homework, resting. Pray that I will recover soon, I can't afford to miss lessons. FPS Comp coming up, doing research.

For a change, I'll post up lyrics to the songs in my imeem playlist.

Blaydon Races (by Geordie Ridley) c.1800s

Aw went to Blaydon Races, 'twas on the ninth of Joon,
Eiteen hundred an' sixty-two, on a summer's efternoon;
Aw tyuk the 'bus frae Balmbra's, an' she wis heavy laden,
Away we went alang Collingwood Street, that's on the road to Blaydon.

Oh lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

We flew past Airmstrang's factory, and up to the "Robin Adair",
Just gannin' doon te the railway bridge, the 'bus wheel flew off there.
The lasses lost their crinolines off, an' the veils that hide their faces,
An' aw got two black eyes an' a broken nose in gan te Blaydon Races.

Oh lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

When we gat the wheel put on away we went agyen,
But them that had their noses broke they cam back ower hyem;
Sum went to the Dispensary an' uthers to Doctor Gibbs,
An' sum sought out the Infirmary to mend their broken ribs.

Oh lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

Noo when we gat to Paradise thor wes bonny gam begun;
Thor was fower-an-twenty on the 'bus, man, hoo they danced an' sung;
They called on me to sing a sang, aw sung them "Paddy Fagan",
Aw danced a jig an' swung my twig that day aw went to Blaydon.

Oh lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

We flew across the Chain Bridge reet into Blaydon toon,
The bellman he was callin' there, they call him Jackie Brown;
Aw saw him talkin' to sum cheps, an' them he was pursuadin'
To gan an' see Geordy Ridley's concert in the Mechanics' Hall at Blaydon.

Oh lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

The rain it poor'd aw the day an' myed the groons quite muddy,
Coffy Johnny had a white hat on - they war shootin' "Whe stole the cuddy."
There wes spice stalls an' munkey shows an' aud wives selling ciders,
An' a chep wiv a hapenny roond aboot, shootin' "Now, me boys, for riders."

Oh lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

Its a Warzone

2008-07-15T18:06:00.002+08:00

Today was O Level LC exam. Okay, i guess. FPS training was cancelled because of lack of time. (Oh darn, we have competition on Saturday.)

A friend of mine told me that Christ would come in 2014, and then proceeded to give a long list of evidences. However, it may all be just speculation. Someone probably said the same thing thirty years ago, and so on and so on.

Whether or not it is true, I leave it up to the reader to check up more and then decide. But that isn't the main point. The thing is, Christ is coming, there will be great persecution, and it could happen within our lifetimes or maybe not. We often take life for granted, but truth be told, time is running out. Make every day count for God.

(sorry if it sounds confusing. That's all I can say.)

忙死我了。。。

2008-07-14T18:57:00.003+08:00

看來，這個星期真可以閙出人命來了。。。

星期一：FPS
星期二：FPS
星期三：補習，DG
星期四：FPS
星期五：UG
星期六：FPS
星期天：教會

還有很多功課要做，但要堅持到底。

我不可以懶惰。
我不可以懶惰。
我不可以懶惰。
我不可以懶惰。
我不可以懶惰。
我不可以懶惰。
我不可以懶惰。

1 Samuel P.U.P.

2008-07-13T16:57:00.003+08:00

It's amazing what IBS (Inductive Bible Study) can change you. Today we did the 1st lesson on 1 Samuel (Chap 1 to 3)

Main points:
-God is sovereign (Examples from all over the Bible where certain women conceived only because of God's plan, otherwise tak boleh 生孩子。Take for example Hannah, Sarai, Elizabeth)
-Disciplining is neccessary for the young (Look what happened to Aaron's and Eli's sons. If only they had been rebuked earlier on, they wouldn't have to end up dead by God's hand.)
-Be wary of false prophets (False prophets will contradict the teaching of God, and they will fail in their words.)
-Be God-centric when giving thanks to God (Hannah thanked God for his nature, not so much for giving her a child (See 1 Samuel 2)
-Don't kacau people for what they don't have (Peninah kept on irritating Hannah year after year about her barrenness, adding insult to injury Note: It was a major disgrace in those days for a women to be barren as women, well were supposed to be for baby-making purposes mostly.
In the end, Hannah was so heartbroken Note: The Hebrew word that described Hannah's sadness meant broken; shattered. that Eli thought she was drunk when she came to see her. Please don't cause people unnecessary misery.)

See, so much out of 3 chapters. God's word is amazing.

Hallelujah.

Stand down and work.

2008-07-12T16:13:00.002+08:00

National Camp training was okay, new people came. Watched the SPF band and Gurkha pipes do their Edinburgh Tattoo performance. Jai Gorkhali! (Hail the Gurkhas)

Couldn't go for the NE Show 2 because no more places. Never mind, always have next year.

And yes, Jeshrei is the first to reply on my shoutbox. Congratulations are in order. (claps)

A Brief Layup of Activities

2008-07-11T20:03:00.002+08:00

It's going to be a hectic weekend. Let's see...

SATURDAY
National Camp Rehearsal - 5-6 hours
NE Show Facilitation (pending) - 6-8 hours

SUNDAY
Church - 5 hours (time well-spent. wouldn't miss it for the world)

and i still have tons of stuff to do.

Today was alright, finished the Crime Prevention module and test. After that played street soccer and then went home. Going to do hw now. Before that, I shall put up the imeem playlist at the right side of the blog. Watch out.

God help me.

四處亂跑

2008-07-10T21:38:00.003+08:00

我今天沒做到了很多，一放學就去朋友傢去做FPS的東西，然後就回家。他家在裕廊東，我得浪費很多時間。真是的。我還得做很多，我教會現在有個新的PUP(Precept Upon Precept)，所以今晚要去做。我還要復習數學啊，日語啊，等等。。。

加油吧，知恩。

celer-et-audax

2008-07-10T21:24:00.000+08:00

喂，大家好，我是知恩。這是我新的博客。我有時會用英文寫這個博客，也通常會用中文。希望你們能欣賞。謝謝。

"celer-et-audax" is the Latin phrase meaning "swift and bold". It is the motto of the Royal Green Jackets, and now the motto of The Rifles. It epitomises the spirit of the riflemen of yore, and their legendary role in battle, especially in the Peninsular War.