Monday, May 15, 2006
Since the fdc days, people like Boon Kian, Jun Yi and many of my other friends have been saying that my blog is like an army blog, too many entries detailing my life in army, my comments and feelings about my unit. In fact some of entries got too negative and ever since then, people always think that I've always got a negative opinion of army. Sometimes, I cannot help it but vent my frustrations in my blog, a place for seeking solace and a peace of mind sometimes. Sad to say, only the people in my unit knows how bad things are going on right now and the way it's being run. However, I've decided that if there's no need to talk about army, I won't talk about it unless necessary, probably only the good things like when it's time to ord and ippt results etc.
Army may be dominating my life right now but I'm determined not to let it dominate my life outside of camp. I've been contemplating getting myself a camera phone ever since I enlisted, leaving my pervious camera one in the hands of my sister. It was a samsung flip phone with only a typical VGA camera with no megapixels at all. Ever since then, I've been changing phones within the non-camera range. From my 3120 to 6030 and to my current nokia flip phone, 6060. I may be able to afford better camera phones but because my camp doesn't allow camera phones in it, I had no choice but to stick to a normal phone. Why risk getting myself into trouble over a phone. is it worth it? After ord, there's plenty of reasons and excuses for getting one, who's gonna stop me, probably my wallet.
Since Easthawk last year in November, I've been wanting to get one but my body was willing but my mind wasn't. I'm a freaking miser when it comes to spending money, it's both good and bad, depending on how you see it. I only spend when I deem it's necessary. Other than that, it's hands off my wallet. Some stuff that I won't stinge on is food because I'm a big lover of food. Maybe I'm just like Jughead, I won't grow fat no matter how much I eat. I eat alot but I never fail to let my lazy attitude get in my way to exercise. Guys who're in army will probably agree with me that the moment you book out, you're always on the look out not just for girls in the civilian world but also good food. It doesn't have to be expensive, good and cheap hawker food will do. That's why my friends are always astonished when I tell them a typical lunch for me at home could be a bowl of laksa and handmade noodles bought from my favourite coffee shop. I can eat that much.
Ever since YJ spoilt his phone by putting his nokia n-gage into a pool of water in someone's else boots, I asked him to go get a phone together. I asked Nemo to join us as well considering he needed to buy a non-camera one as well. While waiting for YJ to arrive, I met Boon Kian dressed in his smart casual who was on his way to to the Esplanade to catch a choir
performance. If there's someone who I can look upon as an example to see life in another way, it will be him. He's one of the few individuals in my unit who doesn't let the screwed up things in camp get to him. In fact, you can't even tell he's in army. It helps that he's in GOH and he lives in Tampines. The amount of time GOH gives and the time and money saved on travelling allows him to do stuff that he wants to. Maybe it's just that I'm giving myself too many excuses. Everytime I come back home, it's mostly for a day and it's just to wash my clothes and catch up with my friends. It seems as if I'm treating my house like a hotel. Only when I've got a 2 day rest or a full weekend then it's back to my old life.
After YJ arrived, we walked to Suntec to get our phones. I managed to chance upon those 2 shops the last time I went there on my birthday. While scouting around then for my own phone, I checked out the price of the nokia 6030 for my fav spec. Amazing it's only $168, 20 dollars cheaper than the usual standard price of $188. While Nemo and YJ got their phones, I was busy getting myself familarize with the 3230. If case you people are mistaken that I needed a camera phone because I wanted one for the sake of having it, you're wrong. I needed one that I can play mp3 ringtones, take pictures as and when I want to and I want a phone that can be customize to my needs etc. I spent the whole of yesterday night and this afternoon trying to figure out how to use the phone and transferring data between my phone and laptop. It doesn't help that my mp3player decided to die on my half way and it only became ok when I called the creative hotline for help. I've never wanted to buy a digital camera for myself because my family already has one and it's too troublesome. Besides my wallet and phone, I've also never left my house without my mp3 player as well. There's hardly any more space left for a camera unless I bring a bag.
My respect for YJ has increased after yesterday. He had wanted to go get the phone today as yesterday was Mother's day. I was worried that the offer will only last till Sunday so as to play safe, might as well get it while the phones are still cheap. He didn't just go out yesterday just to get his phone, he even bought the "Da Chang Jin" vcds plus 2 slices of cakes for his mum from breadtalk. It led me to wonder what have I done for my mum yesterday. Probably I've given her problem after problem with my constant nagging about army and making her worry about me. I've never even bought anything for her yesterday but I believe my mother wants more than gifts. Something that money can't buy and I believe she doesn't need anything right now other than have the whole family sitting down together for a meal. My oldest sister is married and living outside while my second sister is always jetting overseas for work. I wanna become a better son and give my mum less worries.
So it was off to look for a place for dinner after getting our phones. The thing about me is that I've been too dependent on going from places to places in my father's car. The only walking I do is within the shopping mall itself so yesterday I wasn't familiar at all when I had to walk outside of Suntec, crossing the road and looking for the outdoor food centre that YJ was talking about. To be honest, I didn't even know it existed!
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I've decided to include more pictures in my blog to make it more interesting and not always just type and type like there's no tomorrow. We ordered stingray, satay, fried egg omelette and chicken wings to go along with rice. Nice dinner to end the day with. The downside of the dinner was the bad service that came along with the dinner really. The stall owners I felt treated us like dirt just because we ain't foreigners? That's just my personal opinion. It will be sad if that's true because all the comments and complains made the the Straits Times forum will then be true. Singapore's service sector has a long long way to go.
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Nemo enjoying his dinner
The guy that refused to be photographed haha. However I promise to get a good picture of him one day. The day that he will let his guard down.
What was meant to be a joke and casual talk with YJ didn't quite turn out well. Me and Nemo were just joking that we will be "eating" the new guys that will be coming in but we never meant it. I guess we were just testing YJ's reactions to our comments. For the Changi batch that went through the worst tekan sessions and seeing how fucked up our lao jiaos are, we are determined never to follow in their footsteps. What pissed me offf further was the fact that they didn't even go through fdc, they were the normal rps that went through only the 2 weeks of lectures. I don't think we've have to prove to anyone that we will become like them. We only have to show it to everyone that we aren't as bastards as the lao jiaos. My worst fear is that the new specs in my shift will be like the old ones but I'm glad to say they aren't. I think it's time to show that we aren't like the old ones as well. The best way is through our actions, nothing else matters.
