Final Destination

Fine, so obviously I can't keep up with maintaining my blog nowadays. Been just a bit busy and lazy to be honest. But I'll try to update it every now and then, just not as often as I once did.

Why I'm updating now is mainly because of one main reason - I am finally a Police Inspector! =D Or what we are referred to as National Service Probationary Inspectors (NSPIs). After 13 months of slaving away, I have finally hit the ranks of being a full fledged Senior Officer. No longer will I need to wear the common number 3 police uniform. No longer will I need to comply to the order of needing to march around the academy. No longer will I need to greet every walking officer sir. A new sheriff is in town. And that sheriff is me XP

Yesterday was our Passing Out Parade. It was something I wanted ever since I heard I could get into this position and now that it has been done - I still remain focused to complete the next phase of training, the Company Commander (CC) course. That's right. I will be a company commander. What is it? Basically, I will be in charge of a barrack's/company's (coy) admin, logistics, discipline, inspection, etc. On top of which, with my new NSPI rank, I am quite basically a walking god. My rank is so high that the next highest National Service officer below me would be a sergeant or 5 ranks lower than me. It's also very uncommon to have Inspectors roaming the streets of the academy, so to have someone like me hold the rank.... hehehe

Anyway, my next course will be a tough one. I'm expecting one of the worse trainings yet. Even though when I went away to Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) for my 16 day leadership training course at Pulau Ubin 2 weeks back, I still think this CC course will be even tougher. Not to say that the OBS training wasn't tough; in fact, it was extremely tough. Up to this point, it has been the toughest training I have ever gone through. It was intense, extreme and a whole new experience for me. After the whole experience, I have to say that I was at the prime of my physical fitness. Never before have I been so fit. I had muscles and strengths erupting from places I didn't know existed. Truly, it was a great experience to go through this course but I'm grateful it's all over too.

Just for the benefit for the people who don't know what I did, we basically went through 3 different expeditions - land, cutter (sail boat) and sea.

The land expedition was a 4d 3n expedition where we had to locate checkpoints on the island using a map and compass. This required us to backpack our belongings and other essentials like our tents, water, ponchos, etc. around the island in search for these checkpoints. It was not easy at all, especially how we basically walked the entire day through rain and shine. I was bitten by a couple of red-black ants. It was a fascinating experience to be bitten all over my leg, but something I definitely didn't enjoy at the time. Up to this point, I still have the markings of where the ants bit me.

Then of course, there were other things like glazing upon a lake filled quarry. To most the sight was breath-taking and I tend to agree. It was quite a sight and surely most will take it as a once in a life time experience to see such a sight. What I found a bit new for me was how we had to pitch tent and cook our meals in the middle of nowhere. After which, the washing up using whatever beach sand we can find to scrape away the burnt pots and other utensils. Everything we did, we had to do with whatever resources we were given, and quite frankly, it was very uncomfortable to be living without the comfort of our luxury.

After the land exp, we had to embark on a 3d 2n cutter expedition. It wasn't long before I started to get sea sick. The cutter really affected a lot of people on the boat because of how it swayed from one side to another so easily under the impression of the advancing waves. Fortunately for me, I didn't vomit like a Singapore Merlion, but I heard a lot of my friends vomited on the other cutters.

Overall, the cutter expedition was interesting under the fact that I learnt a lot about sailing; how to tie different knots, how the wind affects the sails, how irritating it is to have to anchor up each time you wanna move off. It was fun, but I'm glad it's over =P

Finally, our sea expedition. It involved us kayaking over a distance of 117km in 4d3n. But to cut a long story short, we killed ourselves and covered the distance in 3d2n to make it back in record breaking time. The route was challenging for how we had to cover locations which involved us to push through 'tread milling' areas. One particular area, the Changi Naval Base, the first day, we kayaked for what was nearly 4hrs on the same spot trying to break through the current of the waves from the oceans. It was excruciating because we were so exhausted by the time we reached this Base that we still had to push ourselves without stopping for 4hrs because if we did stop, we would have been drifted back to where we started, leaving all our hardwork to waste. What made us take so long was how everyone had to move together. No one goes too far ahead, no one goes too far behind. So the stronger ones would be up ahead but the weaker ones would start to fall behind. That's why before the stronger ones could actually pass through the area, we would have to wait for the others and thus, sending us back to where we started. It was sooo frustrating to have to go through that because during that time, I didn't think it was going to end. Just seemed too impossible to complete and I thought I wasn't going to make it. That was only the first day, not to mention the next few days. Just seemed too difficult at the time. But now! It's over! And boy am I glad it's over! XP

Well, like I said, it's not like it wasn't hard, but I'm expecting something even more difficult when I go through the CC course. I'm not too sure of what we will be doing, but I am expecting one of the worse. We'll just have to see what will happen. But for now, I will enjoy my freedom as an NSPI and roam the streets of the academy as a walking god. muhahaha!

RoboCop

Yes, well another chapter of my NS story has just crossed over in a blink of an eye ... in the blogging world that is. Whereas in actual reality, it seemed like decades. Time just isn't moving as fast as I want it to move and to me, it seems like time stops every second to catch its breath. Nevertheless, it's still moving, so that's a plus ... I guess.

Last week, we returned from our police station attachment program and I chose to return back to my division where I worked for nearly 4 months. I didn't tell anyone beside one or two so to many, it was a surprise for them to see me. But this time, when we went back, it was an attachment program to the Police HeadQuarters as well as the Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPC) - which meant following a police car to do their rounds around the vicinity and attending to different cases, which was exactly what I wanted to experience as a police officer.

So anyway, we went and to my expectation, the attachment to the HeadQuarters was really boring but the attachment to the NPC was a whole lotta fun. We were able to attend to different cases on the ground rather than having people come to you at the Police Station.

One case that I really enjoyed attending to was one noise pollution case at 3am. The location was this apartment block 9 storeys up and from the moment we arrived at the scene, we could hear the noise from ground level. In my heart I went, "Awesome! This is gonna be great!"

So we went up and found the apartment and started knocking on the door. We knocked and knocked and knocked but no one answered. That was when we started to really knock =P I, for one, was knocking on the window and pressing the door bell till I think the whole neighbourhood could hear. But we definitely knocked and called out loud enough for the lady next door to come out and reveal herself as the person who called the police.

Anyway, to cut the long story short, after a good 20-30mins of knocking, we managed to get the lady who was inside to open the door, turn the volume down and close the door on us. Oh, and she was pretty pissed at us because we intruded into her privacy as we tried to open the window to get her XP It was clear she didn't like what we did to her window hehe

Besides that, there were a whole lotta other little stuff we did during our shift that made it quite enjoyable. Just like how we were able to attend to a case at one of the largest condominiums in Singapore, the Caribbean Club at Keppel Bay. w00t! It was so much fun walking inside as an officer of the law looking cool and stuff ... but it was kinda cramped inside.

With that aside, now I'm back at the Police Academy training again =( We've got a whole lotta exams coming up and I really hope I'll be able to do well. After which, we'll be going to Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) for what should be 16 days of 'fun'. Not sure if I should be ecstatic or freaked out, but either way ... I know it's gonna be 16 days of physical and mental stress. Oh, and just as a word of warning for those who will see me after that - even though I may come out with all sorts of bulging muscles (XP), I have been told that I will look like a really dark Malay too =P Not dark enough to be an Indian, but just a dark enough to be a dark Malay.

If all goes according to plan, I will be gone on the 8th of April till the 24th of April. After which, we will be rehearsing for our POP =D Something I'm just dying to look forward to cause I know, when that comes, the day of all this stressing will almost be over! Then, if I manage to get what I wanna do after, it will be smooth sailing till the end ^^

Oh, and what I wanna do after I POP is to become a Company Commander back at the Police Academy. The current Coy Commanders say that life in the PA is really boring and slack which is exactly what I want cause then I'll have more time to do what I wanna do and not have to do something that I don't wanna do which in the end, prevents me from doing what I wanna do. hehe

And yeah, I know that since this is a public blog, chances are ... some trainees might find this site and have a read of it. For all I know, they may already be doing that because when I'm on duty doing provost, they could have searched me up and discovered my life outside of the PA. How do I know? Simple. Because I do it to my instructors =P But only because my friends told me that they found our instructors friendster account. lol

So to all the trainees out there who might read this, I say this to you. As far as I'm concerned, life at HTA stays in HTA. Never do I or will I bring it out of those walls and into life outside HTA. I do what I have to do because it's what I have to do as part of my national service. But once I'm outside, call me your friend because at the end of the day, we are all still people of this world - nothing more.

Anyway, back to something more joyful - my ORD date! =D

I have done some calculations and to my delight, I have discovered that if everything goes according to plan, I should officially finish my final day of service on the 23rd of Jan, 2009. My original ORD date should be on the 10th of Feb, 2009. But with the 14 days of leave I am entitled to, and with CNY occupying two very convenient slots on the 26th and 27th of Jan (monday and tuesday), I will be able to officially finish on the 23rd of Jan, which is a Friday! ^^ Yay! What are my plans after that? Well, at the moment, I only know I will stay for the CNY bit to do my part XP. That's for sure. When I will go back to Australia, I will have to see. Hopefully not too long because I'm just simply dying to go back!

Anyhow, that's just a quick review of what has been going on here for me. I will try to update again before I head off to OBS at least. Can't promise I will update so often now because it's just getting harder and harder to update as often as I did in the past. But for now, this will have to do.

Rush Hour 3

I think it's pretty obvious that my blog is kinda dying off because I haven't really been able to properly maintain this thing with all the things that have been happening. It doesn't really help how I just discovered that the last time I blogged was over a month ago back in 2007 XP

So righty now, I'm not gonna do a mega blog post to make up for it because I really can't be bothered. This blog post is meant for the few of you who try to check up on me every now and then to see if I'm alive - so this is me saying, "I'm still alive!!!"

A lot has happened since my last blog and I will go crazy if I try to recap everything here. So I'll just try to briefly cover the main things that have and are happening with me now.

Firstly, Amoz is leaving soon =( / =) Yeah, I'm sad and happy at the same time. Sad because I'm losing the company of my only brother for an entire year and I will definitely miss all his weird quirkiness and 'Amoz-ness'. But! It's only for a year so it won't be too bad.

Happy that he's leaving because it means I get the laptop all to myself and I won't have to fight with anyone over it (which means I have to pay the bills myself now...=[ ), and I will ORD very soon - not now, but soon. See, if he were here, it means I still have a 'long' way to go but now that he's leaving/gone, it's a lot closer than if he were here! =D

Nevertheless, I see this year as a year of being active. I plan to occupy myself with a lot of Police and Church because I knew in my heart that this would happen this year and I see it happening already.

Once I pass out of the OCT course, I will definitely be quite occupied at work and whatever comes along. This, I will cover more later when I am nearer to the POP =P

As for church, I'm starting to get more active as I promised. I've started leading the youth worship and hope to get more active with the electric guitars with the main service. One of my goals for this final year is to learn the bass too so we'll see how that goes XP At the moment, not so good, cos honestly speaking, I can hardly remember where the basic bass notes are on the bass =P That'll take time I guess.

Attended two of my cousin's wedding over the past month and I guess it was nice to see our cousins tie the knot. But with each wedding, the remaining cousins who are still single/temporarily attached will usually start listing the next possible candidates for the next wedding and needless to say, the line is getting shorter and shorter and coming towards me. But whoa! I'm still 18! There's nothing to worry about. I've got time XP Relax Boaz.

Lately, I've stepped up and out of my comfort zone a lot more and tried a bunch of different stuff that I wouldn't have imagined I could do now. One of which was becoming the emcee for our senior bar social night where we celebrated our promotion to senior cadets. I never would have imagined doing something like this before coming here but I guess as officer cadets, these kinda opportunities will come around and hey, it's a good experience too. I took up the challenge and glad to say, it didn't go as badly in reality as it did in my head. Sure, it was difficult trying to get people to volunteer but it's over now and looking back, I'm glad I did it. It was interesting and kinda enjoyed myself making a fool of myself on stage.

Oh! And just last Saturday, I decided to go shopping. Yes, that's right. I went shopping. Alone. A surprise to me too. But wait! Just because I went alone, doesn't mean I 'shopped'. Oh no. When I say shop, and when I say alone, I meant I went shopping alone ... with a purpose. A goal. A target. I went shopping to buy an iPod speaker. I wanted one because it was really getting quite quiet and lonely in my room and thought it was irritating having to wear earphones all over my room and when I saw my friend with an iPod speaker, I thought it would be nice to have one in my quiet old room.

So with my determined desire to get an iPod speaker, I went to Bugis Junction. For people who know where that is, you know what I'm gonna be talking about. It was TORTURE for me!

I am someone who doesn't like to window shop alone. If I do shop alone, I go with a purpose. So I had no time to waste around there. But you add the elements of ..

Boaz + purpose + time limit + people + more people + and even more people + small walking space = psychotic anxious Boaz begging God to allow him to find the iPod speaker because he doesn't want to come back again. And that was it really. I went CRAZY trying to look for it. People were stopping in the middle of the small walk path and that really made me go 'seow' (insane). It didn't help how it was so hot and humid so I was really desperate to find it and get out of there.

Thank God, I found it with time to spare and decided that I deserved a reward for shopping, finding it, sweating in a shopping junction and utilizing my effective yet innocent Puss-n-boots bargaining skills by begging the uncle to give me a $3 discount (to which I felt guilty for doing after winning =D). That's when I got myself a cup of Bubble tea ^^ Yum!

I'll end with this; another story from that 1hr of torture at Bugis Junction.

When I was looking for my iPod speaker, I was frantically trying to get out of the clothing section because none of it looks anything like an iPod speaker. While doing so, I came towards the end of the line and noticed this Caucasian flipping through a display of soccer jerseys. Upon spotting that, I remembered I promised myself I would get a Liverpool jersey this season because I liked the design of the jersey this season. So I made my way there and after the Caucasian made this purchase of a jersey, I made it obvious that I was interested in getting one too. The sales person was quick to ask what I wanted.

Immediately, I showed him the Liverpool one and asked him what size would fit me.

"For you, medium. Medium." I pulled it out and gave it to him.

"Ok. How much is one?" I asked him

"We're having an offer. $30. Chinese new year offer. Usual price $35. Confirm direct rejects from original jerseys"

"Wah, $30. Can give me better price?"

"It's on offer. Chinese new year offer. $30"

"Yeah, but maybe you can give me a better price?"

"Hey! Understand english? I don't have time." He gave me this smile which I read as insulting and something that read along the lines of, 'I don't need your money'. If he was going to give me this kinda attitude, there's no point if I bought anything from him. So I turned and walked away. hehe, it was interesting though. I've never been turned away like that before. How fun! =D

- Oh, and I realised that coming here, there wasn't any point in talking like how I would if I were back in Australia because as I told my friend, it's so much easier if I talked like a Singaporean than how I would normally speak here XP It's a lot easier and clearer for my friends and to save time from having to repeat, I talk like one of them now. Not that I want to but because I 'have' to =P No offence to any Singaporean who reads this, but this is what I'm kinda doing now. I thought that if I could talk like how I would normally speak, it would be 'ok'. But I've realised, it's a lot easier if I didn't .. so yeah, that's how I speak now whenever I'm in Singapore talking with some of the locals (even though I'm a local too =S ).

Elf

Yes, it has been a while. And needless to say, it's pretty clear my discipline of blogging weekly has gone down the drain along with other things I'd usually dispose of.

Anyway, quite a bit has happen since I last blogged so I'll see what I can recap briefly in this blog post that I don't intend to blab on endlessly.

So let's see, I've had my first of many exams in the PA and I'd just say I did alright. I was highlighted, along with several others, in class for our results but after finding out my 'score' that the Course Manager so sluggishly gave me, I wasn't totally pleased. Therefore, I have decided to push myself for the remaining few exams I have left to be among the top. And so that's the academic.

As for the physical, I'd say I'm quite ok now. Among the top few but still more than capable of going further which I plan to. But with all the festivity occurring at the moment, it's going to be harder to reach that point. There's no doubt that with the cancellation of several recent physical training sessions that my physical level has dropped slightly. By the time I return back to camp, I will have to work a bit more to be satisfied with myself.

I finally had my first IPPT, since coming in, a few weeks back and that's how I judge my fitness now. The other four stations for me are really no problem at all. The four being chin ups, sit ups, shuttle run and standing broad jump. People tend to have great difficulty at the standing broad jump station but I am blessed with a strong set of legs to get maximum points each time =)

So yeah, the only station I really dislike to the max is the 2.4km run. But somehow, like a goldfish, I keep forgetting how painful running the 2.4km really is. Unfortunately, it really doesn't take long for me to remember the hatred I bore of it as we ran the distance. Thankfully, I didn't drop all the much and still managed a time of 9 min 20 secs; a drop of 15 secs since my last run. I think my secret to running that fast is having someone by my side who I can scream and shout at as we run. Having that someone there allows me to shout at the top of my lungs so that I won't look like an idiot. And strangely, it works. Not the part where I look like an idiot but having to encourage someone. Maybe it helps my breathing. Or maybe it helps distracts me of other pains in the body. Either way, it helps.

Enough of training life. I've forgotten about training cause it's Christmas!!! ^^ yay!

It's my favourite holiday of the year. Not so much because of the presents. In fact, I'm not in it for the presents at all but rather, the Christmas mood. I love Christmas songs and if you didn't know, I listen to Christmas songs all year round. I musta fallen in love with Christmas when I was little after hearing some of the Christmas songs I've heard.

Anyway, we've managed to arrange it such that we get leave from training from last friday evening onwards till thursday morning. A good 5-6 days of leave which will do me a lot of good because I need it! Just some time to relax and not worry about having to attend some lesson makes me happy.

So what have I been doing? Well, had my cousins wedding yesterday at Four Seasons Hotel. It was nice and all. A bit less formal than the usual but it was good. A quick procession followed by a rich heavy buffet lunch. It was so heavy and rich that I was K.O'd by the 2nd plate. And the plates weren't that big at all! I was squirming in discomfort from the pressure that was forming in my stomach by the end of it. Fortunately, the few minutes of pain quickly decimated as I 'vultured' around the dessert table to have another bowl of dessert. That plan of feasting quickly died after finishing the few bites.

Tomorrow night, we're having this church Christmas celebration at Furama Hotel somewhere in Chinatown. The budget for the event was estimated to around $26,000. Unbelievably, in case you haven't heard, by the grace of God, a one time offering brought an amazing $52,000 onto the table. Something that the leaders were not expecting so we are believing that it is going to be an amazing night tomorrow with many lives saved. Let's see what happens tomorrow =)

For those who do read this, I'll end with this thought which I am so proud to have been a part of Gods plan.

For those who did not get to know about it, when I was in basic training in the PA, I was blessed enough to bring one of my friends to Christ. He was open and eventually, he started to attend the church I go to. Well, week after week, he continued to attend and to cut a long story short, I am so glad to say that after knowing him for 3 months, I can see tremendous change in him. There is a new light and hope in his life and if it wasn't for God's grace upon him, I don't see how he could have found something that has made him as happy and different to how he is now. I'd see him fellowship with the other youths as if they were good long time friends and as I came to this conclusion about him, the sight of him singing in the youth carolling group made me so proud to have been a part of Gods plan in his life. I wouldn't have thought that anything like this would have happened to him when I first met him. He's like a completely different guy. Someone who I found to be lost and ill-disciplined suddenly became this amazingly happy young chap with full of joy in his life. There is not a day that I don't see him smile whenever I see him. He even told me the other day that his grandma told him he looks a lot more handsome now. And I think she is right in saying so.

All thanks to the grace and mighty work of God in his life. If I could be an instrument to bring more of these kinda people to get to know God, I would be more than happy. And what's more is that I heard him telling me that he is reaching out to all the people at his work place. Wow! That's something to give God all glory for!

So Albert, if you happen to be reading this, don't ever lose your heart and joy. You've not only become a better person but you've made others like me happier in knowing that your life has been of much glory to God's work in all of our lives; yours, mine and the people around you.

X-Men

Not entirely in the mood to blog but I might as well, seeing that I've exhausted all other possible activities I could do for the day.

Well, I could study and all, but guess what!? I'm not in the mood for that either!

Hmmm, I didn't realise that it has almost been two weeks since I last blogged. Kinda pathetic, I know .. but hey! I do try ... =P

I think a lot of people have been getting tired of all this blogging stuff. Can't say that I'm not cause I am. The whole idea of having to type everything up constantly is a bit strenuous, especially ... yup, when you're not in the mood. lol

Training wise, nothing much has been happening. Literally, nothing much has happened. I think during the one week of training I have, I'd actually train for half a week. And by train, that includes classes and other stuff put together. Like yesterday and today - if it wasn't for how we had PT in the morning, I'll be sleeping, playing CS and watching movies the whole day. I basically didn't have anything scheduled for these past two days and hey! It's not like I'm complaining or anything. In fact, I'd rather do this than to have to go to class and fight fatigue in front of the lecturer. It's embarrassing I tell you; to have to flip my eyes open when I know that his voice is coming towards me or has suddenly gotten louder because he has turned around to face the class to explain some law stuff. Comparatively, I'd say I'm quite ok. I know I'm awake during class. My friends ... well, does drawing a map on the table say it enough? If it doesn't, let's just say that they didn't quite use ink. It's liquid, just not ink. lol

Last week was just as relaxing for me. The reason why I don't attend as many classes as my other squad mates is because we upgraders have been exempted from attending lessons that we have already done like dojo training, shooting and swimming. So while my squadmates are off having a wonderful day getting pumped, you can say that I'm back at the bunk pumping lead into some bot in CS.

Anyway, as I was saying, last week it wasn't as 'full-on' as it would normally be because we were heavily affected from the Asean Summit event held in Singapore. A lot of police officers would be returning back to our Coy (company) as well as another one after a hards day work of protecting some VVIPs. And as a result, many classes were cancelled and I, being Head Provost, enjoyed the luxury of just sleeping in and waking up for breakfast before class actually started at 10:30am; provided I'm not on duty that is. We did that for the whole of last week and boy was it wonderful - not to mention the special food they served because of them. Us OCTs were 'allowed' to eat the food they gave the other officers and boy was it yummy. I was really sad when it was all over. It made life at the PA a whole lot more interesting XP hehe

Well, Amoz is going back in a couple months time and I have to say ... I'm happy and sad that he is. The only reason why I'm happy he's leaving is that by his departure, it means my ORD date is only getting closer. But if he's here, it means I have a long way to go and I don't like that. Oh, and I'm sure he doesn't like how I kick him off the computer at home whenever I come back during the weekends because I'm only there for those few days. hehe, but hopefully when he gets his own laptop, that won't be a problem.

And of course, I'll be sad when he leaves because I'll really miss the company of my brother. I mean we've been separated so much as of late and it doesn't help that we only see each other during the weekends for a couple of hours before we go off and do our own stuff. And now that he'll be going back, I'll miss another year together with him all over again.

And I'm sure by the time I go back, we'll both have our own world and will probably see each other every now and then; not like how it was when we were kids. Ah well, all a part of growing up I guess. It was bound to happen. Just didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Anyway, I really can't think of anything else to blog about so I'll just end here. I've got a full day of class tomorrow and I don't know how I'll possibly stay awake for most of it.

P.S: I really hope nothing happens to Rafael Benitez at Liverpool. (Just a side for me to note)