Yellow Hero

"It's ironic, I used to ride my bike to make a living. Now I just want to live so that I can ride." - Lance Armstrong

Did a "Lance Armstrong" search yesterday night, after much sights for the WearYellow LiveStrong bands currently being sought for like a fashion fad. Not mentioning the many imitations and look-a-like bands out on the streets these day. Guess some of these bands do carry some meanings, i am just hopeful that people who wear them know what they are for.

My prior knowledge to yellow livestrong bands and Lance Armstrong came from togoparts a forum i once frequent. I just know that these bands were for some cancer support and Lance was some champion in Tour de France, a biker that many worshipped (at least thats what i felt from the forum). I had totally no idea the two were related only until recently.

Last night's search was fruitful and interesting, at least it got me reading the rest of the night away after CSI. Long but nice read article from the New Yorker, The Long Ride. It was like reading a story of a Super Hero from the comic world, Superman? Just like how Clark Kent realised his supernatural power, how he learn to use it to help people, his life story? Lance was somewhat like him, born with some special physical advantage to his sport, founded the LAF to help cancer patients. At least he is more of a fact than fiction, more down to earth and much more closer to the heart by seeing how a real life human being could really do with his own ability and effort in reaching out to many people. I felt the most significant "super power" he had was his spirit and preservance. I kinda respected them and felt inspired.

Extracts from the New Yorker.
Lance Armstrong's heart is almost a third larger than that of an average man. During those rare moments when he is at rest, it beats about thirty-two times a minute—slowly enough so that a doctor who knew nothing about him would call a hospital as soon as he heard it. (When Armstrong is exerting himself, his heart rate can edge up above two hundred beats a minute.) Physically, he was a prodigy.

Chris Carmichael (Lance teenage coach): Not only has his cardiovascular strength always been exceptional; his body seems specially constructed for cycling. His thigh bones are unusually long, for example, which permits him to apply just the right amount of torque to the pedals.

While performing well in his cycling career, Lance was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 1996

...the disease had spread to his lungs, abdomen, and brain. He needed brain surgery and the most aggressive type of chemotherapy. "At that point, he had a minority chance of living another year," Craig Nichols, who was Armstrong's principal oncologist, told me. "We cure at most a third of the people in situations like that."...Nichols described Armstrong as the "most willful person I have ever met." And, he said, "he wasn't willing to die." Armstrong underwent four rounds of chemotherapy so powerful that the chemicals destroyed his musculature and caused permanent kidney damage; in the final treatments, the chemicals left burns on his skin from the inside out.

Carmichael and Bill Stapleton, Armstrong's close friend and agent, helped persuade him that this wasn't the way to end his career. "We said, 'You will look back on this and be disappointed—you are going out as a quitter,' " Carmichael told me. Armstrong agreed to prepare for one last race, in the United States. He, Carmichael, and a friend went to Boone, a small town in North Carolina where Armstrong liked to train. "Early April," Carmichael recalled. "The first day was nice. Then the weather turned ugly. I would follow behind in the car as they trained. One day, we were to finish at the top of Beech Mountain. It was a long ride, a hundred-plus miles, then the ride to the top. Something happened on that mountain. He just dropped his partner and he went for it. He was racing. It was weird. I was following behind him in the car. This cold rain was now a wet snow. And I rolled down the window and I was honking the horn and yelling, 'Go, Lance, go!' He was attacking and cranking away as though we were in the Tour. Nobody was around. No human being. Not even a cow. He got up to the top of that mountain and I said, 'O.K., I'll load the bike on the car and we can go home.' He said, 'Give me my rain jacket—I'm riding back.' Another thirty miles. That was all he said. It was like throwing on a light switch."

Lance took fame after making history for winning 6 consecutive times in Tour de France.

The Tour de France has been described as the equivalent of running twenty marathons in twenty days. During the nineteen-eighties and nineties, Wim H. M. Saris, a professor of nutrition at the University of Maastricht, conducted a study of human endurance by following participants in the Tour. "It is without any doubt the most demanding athletic event," he told me. "For one day, two days—sure, you may find something that expends more energy. But for three weeks? Never."

Lance trains 35 hours a week on his bicycle and when asked on what he thinks about his training schedule:

"Depends whether you want to win," he replied. "I do. The Tour is a two-thousand-mile race, and people sometimes win by one minute. Or less. One minute in nearly a month of suffering isn't that much. So the people who win are the ones willing to suffer the most." Suffering is to cyclists what poll data are to politicians; they rely on it to tell them how well they are doing their job. Like many of his competitors in the peloton, Armstrong seems to love pain, and even to crave it.

"Cycling is so hard, the suffering is so intense, that it's absolutely cleansing," he wrote in his autobiography. "The pain is so deep and strong that a curtain descends over your brain. . . . Once, someone asked me what pleasure I took in riding for so long. 'Pleasure?' I said. 'I don't understand the question.' I didn't do it for pleasure. I did it for pain."

Armstrong describes his bike as his office. "It's my job," he told me. "I love it, and I wouldn't ride if I didn't. But it's incredibly hard work, full of sacrifices.

Some other interesting quotes from Lance:

"pain is temporary. it may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or even a year - but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. if i quit, however, it lasts forever"

"i thought about giving up once when i got diagnosed with brain, lung, and testicular cancer all at the same time. but you know what? i got back on that bike and won the tour de france 5 times in a row. i guess if a guy never give up he'll never have anything to regret. but i'm sure you have a great reason for quitting though"

The achievements of Lance were not only due to his talents but also due to the amount of hard work and perservance he puts in. The spirit of not wanting to give up, the belief to conquer any obstacles in life and the idea of achieving by working hard for it will eventually turn everyone of us to be heros in our own lives.

hello are u xxx ?

xxx is just something to replace my name, is not what you think it is................................

been getting funny calls lately.

not those prank calls that annoy you. they were actually calls looking for me which i never know i would receive from people i know, and from people i do not know or whom i do not really like to know.

QY called, "... can I speak to xxx?", wah never expect she would call me.

"Ya, hello"

"...errr..."

"Yes QY, watsup?"

"Opps... wrong person, i'm suppose to call a girl with the same name as yours. Guess i mixed up. No wonder i felt strange when a male voice picked up... sorry sorry hor"

~sianz~

received this call an hour before i knock off today at work from my handphone.

"Hello are you xxx? ... ... ...", the guy over the phone said.

"Yup, who is this?", i replied.

"I'm A, from ..., an ex ntu archer, an ntu alumni... "

"How did you get my number?"

"Oh i went around to ask from some people from this engine camp..."
... ... ...

"Oh i'm afraid we are no longer able to do so... "

"Hmmm, then is it possible to lend us some basic equipment? Just... "

"I think its better to do so officially through SRC, since you guys are not from our school. It not like if you are from any clubs from our school then that will be another case..."

"But the event is on next Monday and I think you know that these things takes time to process. So I'm thinking if you can "cham shiong" a bit, and grant us a verbal approval?"

I became hesitant. I paused and thought for a moment. its somewhat true about the SRC stuff and anyway the things that he wants to borrow is really very light equipment and not much of a quantity. But i was still not confident to give him a reply.

"Oh, but then none of us will be there for the actual event to look after the equipment. If anything goes wrong, touchwood, if they want to trace where the equipment came from, then we sure kena..."

"Ya i understand what you mean. Whatsmore all out of a sudden someone you don't know calls you up and wants to get things from you...."

all out of a sudden what he said sort of woke me up. Hey, that is also true. I do not even know this guy and who he got my handphone no from. He could be phoney guy. Somehow i told myself to be more careful.

"No worry, we will take full responsiblity. We will pay if anything gets spoilt. I can be trusted as i was the hon gen for this XYZ club last time. Its even ok for me to "bran-ja" you after the event..."

"No thats not what i meant. Its not about the money or what...."

The way he said it just seems like he did not really though about it and just gave me some promise anyway. Its like the way how people go by means when desperate. Those equipment that he wanted may seem light and cheap, but it still requires skills and effort to replace once they get spoilt. Its not like money can buy. Its not like you can get it by the road side. Besides i was more concern for safety then anything else.

"How about you send me an email regarding this event that you are holding. At least i need something black and white. Maybe you can include what are your plans, programme, details stuff on what you need. And also your contacts and stuff etc. Its also easy for me to report to my superiors..."

then we traded our contacts...

"So which batch were you from?"

"Oh, i graduated a few years back...", he then quoted W's name.

"Same batch as W? I think I know who he is..." "So you kinda shot for 1 year and quit?"

"Ya Ya"

i gave him a 50-50 chance.

Then i messaged W, if he knew this guy A.

Nope, W did not know him. I told W that his name was quoted by A. W then said it could be his senior senior batch as there was also this senior with the same name and asked me to try asking people from that batch.

I did. Unfavourable reply. T from that batch said he did know anyone with that name. A bit surprised that T was so concern over this and gave me a call (one of the funny calls too). He even called the senior W from his batch. Great to see that our seniors were still concern over the club stuff.

So who is this guy?

Wondered if people can be so easily deceived by others. Guess I was one of them. I believed A was some ex archer, some alumni, just by what he said. I did not even took an instance to think about if what he said was true, or is there anyway to prove his existance as what he said he was. If he did not prompt me with that sentence, i could have easily given in. Maybe that is what it means by inexperience to the outside world, a moment of folly.

Still remembered talking to mom about con-man that day when she told me about the apple trick that was used to cheat aunties of their money. I told her that we are not professional con-man, so we will never know what they are thinking or their tricks.

Did it just happen on me? But then maybe what A said could be true.

I'm still waiting for his email.

Sirius

A delayed post...

Ventured back to Cathigh for the 57th Anniversary Campfire of our Scouts Troop last Saturday.

Cathigh, the short form we called our secondary school by. "Huh, you're from Cathigh?" is an ever depressing exclamation from girls that Cathigh guys are haunted with the day they wore the white shirts with silver buttons and green shorts (wah now already changed to acs berm like shorts le... hip ah). Girls just shun away at the thought that you are from Cathigh, too many encounters i have experienced and heard. That will have to be left for some other entry, some other time.

Sirius means searing or scorching in Greek, appropriate for the brightest star in the sky, symbolizes the meaning of Scouting.

This bi-annually event was held at the school's field, a first as the past few venues were at the Founder's square. The usual kakis from the bachelor's gang attended except KC, who was busy with his play and projects.

"Wah 57th Anniversary le! 7 years le since our last campfire that we planned for the troop!" commented YK. 7 long years have passed, time does fly amazing fast. The school building has changed, the faces of our Scouts have changed, but the troop spirit still remains.

Met WL and SS at the carpark. Our 2 ex-leaders while we were still in planning activities for the troop. Their baby boy has grown bigger this time i saw him, running around energetically, playfully, hiding under the head of the lion for lion dance. The sight of him reminded us of La Bi Xiao Xin. Even WL had a hard time chasing after his son.

As usual, the campfire of Cathigh Scouts drew many Scouts and Guides from many schools. The smell of the kerosene the sight of Scouts and Guides brought back our memories. Countless stories of camping, competitions, tekan sessions from WL and SS, came back to us instantly. We got back to the Scout's Den before the campfire commence. The Den where we spend so much of our secondary school life was relocated to a new room after the school building was renovated. Though the location has changed, the sight of the two huge totem poles, the sight of yellow t-shirts (the same ones that we used to wear when we were in sec sch), the cupboards, strings, lamps, camping equipment and the untidiness gave us a laugh that the current Scouts still shared our traits and experiences many years ago. Somethings just do not change.

The old QM (Quartermaster) store was no longer where it used to be, guess the Scouts only have one room to house both the Den and the QM Store. Days where poles scrapped the ledges along the corridor to the air rifle range and bball court while we moved poles for pioneering projects and flagpoles were no more. The pole racks are now placed at more accessible places near the Den. Number of poles have increased as compared to our years. I still remembered WL saying that the troop's oldest and most treasured stuff are none other them the pioneering poles. No wonder we used called the shorter poles as 宝贝.

A reception area for Scouts and Guides was set up, displaying our troop's achievements in Scouting competitions and awards. Trophies, awards and old photos were also displayed. We the old ones could not resist the temptation to find our "tu tu" and young photos back then. The funky centre-parting hair styles and geeky spectacles look gave each and everyone of us great laughs and good memories. Not forgetting our patrol boxes and patrol logbooks. HK was still ever proud of his Shark Patrol Box and reviewed many instances from his patrol logbook. At least the patrol boxes still had the same designs when we left them. MW commented that the pigeon and eagle design on the patrol t-shirt still look some what similar.

We officially took seat for the campfire by crossing the dome shaped gateway late after the most of the scouts and guides. I signed for my batch of Rovers at the reception table, asking my guys what year was our batch from, I'm getting old and could only remember images rather than figures. "97 bah!" YK said, seconded by TW as they shone their handphone backlight for me in the dark while i signed on the Coffee Bean look-a-like table top. Later near the close of the campfire did SL told me that we were 97 Ventures and 99 Rovers, after showing me the calculation of the years. "97 sec 4, 99 J2 mah!" Too late, i could not find the girl at the reception or the thing i signed on. Anyway i signed at a small corner since there was not much space left after all the schools had signed. Nobody will know one lah... they saw our batch and we have pictures to prove our presence... heehee

Can't remember the last time i stepped foot on a pioneering structure. Not that i did not trust the knots done by our Scouts, the elevation from the ground gave me a uncomfortable scare. TW had the same kinda feeling. Getting old, i must stress again, unlike the days back in Scouts where we climbed structures like monkeys. The gateway was ever impressive, Cathigh Scouts maintained their famous standard for pionneeing. We took stand at the top of the gateway for the view of the campfire. We waited for the declaration of the campfire while chatting away our Scouting stories. Mr Chua our GSL ignited the campfire which formed a 5-point star of flames at the center of the field. "Campfires buring, Campfires buring, draw nearer, draw nearer...". Yup the campfire has started!

Introduction of the schools came as each school presented their own cheers. I was waiting for the moment for Cathigh Scouts to chant our very own cheer. The spirit and strength was ever strong as we shouted our cheer, "Mercy" with our distinctive actions of kneeing down and clapping our hands and thighs for the rhythm. All Cathigh Scouts will always remember this cheer, no matter we win or lose, no matter when we are happy or sad, its our pride.

Campfire songs filled the air. And as usual Cathigh Campfire MCs were kinda tone deaf and lame. Haha, introductions to songs were as lame as ever... "hey so where you are staying now?" "I'm staying at the Land of the Silver Birch"... then they start singing... Then theres also this classic... "Hey look at the bright silvery moon (MC points to the night sky, where the moon is usually hidden by the clouds)"... and then "By the light.... of the silvery moon.... not the sun but the moon...". I shall not attempt to elaborate on tone deafness of MCs here. But overall the crowd was still in the mood, happily singing and enjoying themselves. The MCs still "rock" (just trying to follow the lingo of the young ones) despite their tone deafness.

Cannibal King and the various dances that engaged the Scouts and Guides were still our favourites. Scouts and Guides run jubilant at these opportunities to meet the other parties. I know cause I've been through that stage too. Though we were kinda too matured to dance with Guides and become "色 pei pei", we enjoyed watching the activity. Just to add that nowadays Guides looked prettier and have shorter shirts as compared to our days. Unfair one.

The campfire was a success. We hopped round the campfire area chatting with our senior and junior batches. HK had this feeling of coming back to help the troop run activities again. Even though he kept insisting it was MW idea. But we all know MW had to many commitments at hand, being the head of his faculty, he hardly has time to help out, just a spite of rashness i would say. KC even mentioned that HK's idea was probably a one nite thought and be forgotten the next day when he wakes up, when i told him about HK idea a few days later. Its not that easy to just say want to come back to help out again. Guess it takes time to understand the current Scouts, to see way things work, building relationships. What could work then, may not work now. We ended our involvement in the troop's activites when we entered the army. Then our leaders decided to pass on the duty to the batch, 2 years our senior, to take over the troop as leaders. They were the dedicated few and took over the responsiblity of running the troop while pursuing their degrees in universities. Guess it was an arduous time for them to cope with studies and dedicate their full Saturdays to the Scouts, week after week, years after years, just like our past leaders.

After the campfire, while the Scouts cleared up the field. It was like a reflection of our past actions. I saw the standard of Cathigh Scouts maintained as our days. Still efficient, with the added edge of urgency at work. What i liked was the discipline as before but without the extra tekaning, at least i felt there wasn't. I felt happy to come back after many years and see that Cathigh Scouts are still at the quality me and my batch of people were used to be like. I still felt proud to be a Cathigh Scout, wearing the yellow t-shirt, the yellow and white scarf, the trianglur troop badge on our uniform.

Incidents took place after the campfire that got me to think deeper and see the current leaders at another angle. Some complaints came from parents and even the school. The leaders took effective measures to handle them. The close bond that were forged between leaders and Scouts were felt by me as the leaders took means to defend the Scouts in any way they could. I was touched by the what one of the Leaders said to the school staff. "You don't know our Scouts? If you want things done, it will be done!" although in a tone of anger but at least it drove the point home to the school who couldn't really appreciate the hard work and effort put in by the deserving Scouts. If only the principal was around to witness the good work done by the Scouts.

I expressed my admiration and respect to the Leaders that night. I felt the promise that they gave to the past leaders to uphold the troop spirit and maintain the strength of our troop was kept. Its hard work. To build relationship with the Scouts, the school, parents, and the association. It takes dedication. Once you gave your word to help the troop, you do it, to the best, until the end, not asking for any in return. WX one of the Scout Leaders told me what kept him going was because he felt he benefited from Scouts during the secondary school days, he wanted the troop to go on. He said he felt the satisfaction whenever he sees the Scouts learn something when they carry out the activites, just like what he learned years back, as a Cathigh Scout.

智 仁 勇

Big Brother is watching #nitelady & #coolman

Interesting email KC sent me in the morning while i was busy doing the "early-morning-nobody-in-office-so-good-time-to-surf-net-and-do-whatever-u-want".

Its about a project he was doing and invited me to come "watch" their play.

"Hi!

You are invited to #nitelady & #coolman, a performance conceptualized for the Internet that will take place in front of the Wisma Atria ‘Live Webcam’, a popular shopping mall in Orchard Road, Singapore.

When, Where, Who

Date: 24th March 2005, Thursday
Time: 1900-2100h Singapore time (visit
www.singaporestandardtime.org.sg if you reside in a
different time zone)
Venue: http://www.antistereotype.net/debbie/eye/index.htm
Performed by Jonathon Lim and Judy Ngo
Conceptualized by Debbie Ding, Hoo Kuan Cien and
Audrey Sim
A ‘IF2210: Aesthetics of New Media’ project, National
University of Singapore (NUS)

The Story

It all started when I came across this topic in a forum that I frequented online. It was a forum that talked about relationships and very often, there were
many offers of love, sex and sometimes, even companionship. He wasn't interested in what I did online, so it was always okay.

Then I came across this thread in the 'Marriage Section'. It said 'Men are more likely to cheat on their wives because they can.' I took an interest to this particular topic because one particular post talked about 'The signs that he's cheating in a marriage.' All the men in that thread were boasting that they would never get caught and they dared someone to try, others said that it wasn't right to cheat. One of them said that only men were capable of 'looking outside of marriage'

And then I took heart and posted, saying that women had every right to, especially if they were being neglected by their husbands. Right after that, a lot
of them started paying attention to every post I made. It's amazing how many married men online are ready to have an affair... I wonder... whether one of them might be my own husband. But I doubt it. The guys here seem so much more romantic... and caring... and ready to pleasure me...

"Hey nitelady... it seems that you are troubled.. want to talk about it? I'm feeling lonely too... in need of some TLC too... are you willing to give it to me?" - Coolman

We started exchanging emails. Before long, there was a bond formed between the two of us.. he's very easy to talk to... we only exchange emails... since both of us are married it's important for us to be discrete.. Though some of the emails are really sexually charged... to the point that I could feel his hands on me.. and feel his body against mine...

Of course there were others too. Hot4you, stud42nite,TallDarkHandsome67, etc... but I clicked with Coolman... I find myself having daydreams of what it
will be like to be in his arms...

"Let's meet up. I want to see you in person, and get to know you... very well... :p I know you want me too... let me touch you and send you to climax after
climax..."

That was the first of many such invites. Everytime we agreed to meet up, there will always be last minute engagements.. I don't know if it's fate that dictates that we shouldn't meet up or just plain fear... But today, today is the day. We are going to meet at Wisma Atria... the linkway from the MRT station to Wisma... both of us are supposed to hold a big, red helium balloon as way of identification. I told my husband that I'm going out to celebrate one of my girl
friend's birthday. He agreed to look after Sarah. That's really sweet of him.

Come witness this meeting via the Wisma Atria Webcam. You can also intervene at any point in time by typing in instructions for us two. It will be fun!?

Come into and participate in our little chat before we meet...

What, Why

#nitelady & #coolman will interrogate the pervasiveness of surveillance in the post 9/11 world today. Cameras are now everywhere and anywhere and by appropriating a public webcam as a medium ofperformance, we hope to make visible its installation and consequently, disrupt its disciplinary gaze—of the electronic panopticon as argued by some.

#nitelady & #coolman also borrows from the licentious world of cyber-romance and webcam porn. #nitelady and #coolman are characters who met online and have decided to meet for the first time, at Wisma Atria. The audience will watch their rendezvous unfold onscreen from online banter to offline hookup. They can also participate in their chat and give them instructions via the chatbox on the website.

The Test-Drive

We will be test-driving the website on 23rd Wednesday at 1700h (Singapore time). If you are online then, do visit to help us resolve any technical problems. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much.
Do log on and WATCH! ?"

actually heard of this wisma online of the walkway between orchard mrt and wisma sometime back. Been onto the website before but couldn't really see any stuff then, it could be the slow refresh rate or the slow bandwidth i had. Guess now times have changed and things do get upgraded and KC and gang came up with this idea of performing infront of this public webcam. who could have thought of that? well done guys!

admiration of their creative juice made me surf on to their webpage. guess it was still in the making early in the morning as some of the links where still not working yet(its working now, just checked before posting this). like what i read in the behind the scene:

"We decided to do AN EXAMINATION OF AUTHORITY AND POWER in such a surveillance situation: what happens when "the watched" tells "the watcher" that he/she knows that he/she is being watched. Does the thrill of being an undetected voyeur go away, or does it intensify the voyeuristic act? Foregrounded in all this is the problematic concept of truth. Can no absolute truth except the truth that there is no absolute truth exist?"

really full of ideas siah... should start my own play with these tips.

hmmm... maybe i should start by getting down to the chatroom basics first before their actual run tomorrow... heehee

0409

Kinda got hook to technorati recently and has been using it to blog search on many stuff. Guess is a great way to find many other interesting blog.

So was blog searching "collin wee" today in the office after posting the previous post. Accidentally the author of the article i featured in the previous post.

Saw an interesting result:

"[ten] Friendship Bands 30 days ago
past love stories and relate them to me...inside my head Collin Raye's "Love Me" song was already... commercial buildings must hate us a lot! *laff* Disturbing their sleep during the wee hours 0409 0 links"

Okay, not the particular result i was looking for. But then being wrong had its good point as i found this interesting blog with a nice story.

0409

A nice read story, especially at the starting part, got me reading for 1+ hr in the afternoon in the office fortunately without my supervisor watching as he was on an oversea business trip. Encourage those who want to read it to start of from the beginning, chapter [one]. Guess most guys would like it bah. Something close to Singapore, a true story with real characters.

Like to thank k for letting me post his blog here.

Shoot and die. Don't shoot... also die

Read this from an online article Top 10 Secrets of Shooting Better in Archery.

Number Five: Shoot and die. Don't shoot ... also die. :-)

"This is a martial arts philosophy, and is similar to the idea of 'burning your bridges'. When you're shooting, you should perform as though you were in a life and death situation. Not so much to increase your anxiety level but to engage yourself by fully committing the shot to the target. If you're really serious about archery, why shouldn't that seriousness translate to full dedication to each shot? 'Shoot and die' means to focus yourself at that moment at the exclusion of everything else. 'Don't shoot ... also die' means that if you don't do to your full ability, you might as well just give up now."

Maybe it sounds a bit extreme as to going to die. Life is precious and we should all cherish it. But “Shoot and die” gives the idea of full commitment to a particular task. Giving maximum attention and effort in achieving whatever we do as if this is the last task in our life. Once we have decided to do something, we should put do our very best in it. No matter how bad the decision can be, we should never look back on our decision and always try to make the better out of it. Guess that is the best way to train ourselves to walk strong in this thorny path in life.

“Don’t shoot also die”, come to think of it, I could have died many a times trying to shoot something.

圣旨到

I received something which all guys at this period of time hates... SAF 100

If i had a digital cam or sort, i would have post it up here to show the hideous look of this letter that dreads the living day lights out of all NSmen at my age group.

All government letter would inevitably have the Singapore Code of Arms with words in bold "on government service" under it. Then comes the dreadful black icon at the bottom righthand corner. It reads "SAF 100" with this black soldier in his helmet and rifle pointing to the right.Yes, its the exact figure that flashes on the tv or in the movies when theres a open mobilisation exercise.SAF 100 is a letter that informs both the NSmen and his employee of a recall back in camp. Most probable reason will be for in camp training (ICT).

I received this letter early in the morning from mom, before rushing to work. This really not a good time, as i thought the next ICT would be in the end of the year, and not the coming semester vacation after the attachment. SAF really likes to plan ICT during the university vacation period for all new NSmen so as to ensure that all undergrads attend ICT and not defer to later dates due to studying reasons. 1 month vacation plans for going overseas and stuff vanish into dust at the words of SAF 100.

Immediate reaction was to tear the letter open to see the affected dates and brace for the worse case scenario for the semester vacation.

MOB Briefing....

Anxiousness turns to signs of relief with a tinge of crapness. the recall was for a mobilisation briefing in june, a 1 day event. Relieved as it was not ICT and its only for a day and not during the vacation period. Crappy as this is like 5th or more times that i've attended this kind of mob briefing. We have been briefed before we ORD, many times during ICTs and the details from all these briefings can't really change much.

Mob briefings are really boring and a chore. Half a day of briefing with the usual boo-hu. The most important detail to note during these briefing is not the period of probable mobilisation or the time to report but to update ourselves on the fine and penalty for not reporting for mobalisations and recalls. If i did remember correctly it was a $100 fine for the first time offenders. Since most guys are working, this small price to pay is kinda worth it than the hasslethat mobilisations bring into our lives especially during the precious weekends. Some of the worse things includes getting a proper hair cut and trying to fit into the greeny uniforms. Most guys would cry out "Wah, i thought i could keep my golden long hair for 1 year before the next recall". Next would be to fit into the uniform. Usually the top would not be a problem as they are much looser fit, the worst is the trousers. guys usually grow fat after their active days as compared to the skinny days in BMT. The worse case is to find that you can't fit into them 1 day before the actual recall. Then you have to scuffle and find means to get suitable uniform. Trust me, that is from a personal experience.

Sometimes i wonder how come SAF can't just send us the briefing details in letter itself? Or electronically through email since we are already in the high-tech era. This would definitely save our time to go for these breifings. Maybe this is a way to show off their capability to organise their manpower during briefings. To show off their efficient their administration when we guys report. Still remembered once during one of the briefings where my NUS company mate had to defer due to a test or lecture on the saturday. Being a detachment i/c, his name was called out and nobody acknowledge it. In the crowd of hundreds, the RSM cried out his name many times and still nobody answered. He got angry and threatened to not let us leave until my companymate arrived for the briefing. it was not until his platoon mate replied that he had already defered and had informed the headquarters about it. Later after the briefing, i heard that SAF denied that they received any info on this deferment and my NUS friend was to be charged for not attending the briefing. Guess its the way how SAF tries to cover their own stinking backside and pushes the responsibility around.

Just have to live with it. Still many more years and many more SAF 100s to come.

ssshhh... silence doesn't mean absence

long time no blog...

not bloging but still trying to keep track on lots of pple's blog...

saw this on Long's Blog (actually its from his fren's blog too)...

"There is a kind of monkey trap used in Asia. A coconut is hollowed out and attached by a rope to a tree or stake in the ground. At the bottom of the coconut a small slit is made and some sweet food is placed inside. The hole on the bottom is just big enough for the monkey to slide in his open hand, but does not allow for a closed fist to pass out. The monkey smells the sweets, reaches in with his hand to grasp the food and is then unable to withdraw it. The clenched fist won't pass through the opening. When the hunters come, the monkey becomes frantic but cannot get away.

There is no one keeping that monkey captive, except the force of his own attachment. All that he has to do is open his hand. But so strong is the force of greed in the mind that it is a rare monkey which can let go. It is the desires and clinging in our minds which keep us trapped. All we need do is open our hands, let go of ourselves, our attachments, and be free."

easier said than done... letting go seems so easy but actually doing it can be tough most of the time...

"This is for your own good; you won't hurt your hand in the process trying to get the "sweet food" that doesn't belong to you in the first place"

wats urs is urs... wat not suppose to be is not supposed to be... many times have i learned to use this phrase... be it making choices or even during competitions... sometimes not getting wat u want may even be better than wat u expect from getting it...

we make our own choice... no matter what the outcome is... never look back, make the best out of even the worst decision and enjoy the journey.