Days of my Life

I met up with Kelvin yesterday, at Suntec for dinner. He was a friend from SISPEC, same company, platoon and section. The few of us got along while, which include, Yong Jie, Bryan, Siong Hern, Koong Woei, Kelvin and myself. We are less wayang, which also explain why none of us were selected to crossover to OCS, and work together well.

            The above picture was taken at Tekong Parade Square, right after an excercise. Shag, but memorable…

Come to think of it, I really missed those days. The friends which you make during training are those you can keep. As you all go through the same shit together. Of course there’ll be fuckers, more then half the platoons are not.

Back in training days, I was the one who gave him his nickname, Big Ass, because as the name suggested, his arse is damn big. Haha… Even our SGTs called him that.

I was rushing to Suntec Mac’s as I was already 15 mins shy from the meeting time. And there, in front of me, walking up the steps is Kelvin. I called out to him and we shared a ‘Hi’ look. He stopped dead on the steps and wait for me to catch up.

As soon as I stood beside him, he raised an eyebrow and asked, ” Don’t tell me you recognise me from my butt!”

I looked at him, with a laugh, and nod.

 … I got a kick from him -_-”

We had Fish and Co for dinner. I was abit reluctant for the sinful indulge, as I’m on austerity drive. However, the thought of ‘it’s not like everyday you meet with a good friend and have a nice dinner’ had me sold over to the dark side.

Just as I expected, after dinner, he introduced me to the Prudential Insurance. You know? The one where you get stopped over by people in their mid-20s, requesting for a survey, at either a busy interchange or shopping center. And before you know it, you are sitting down spending the next 30 mins (if you are lucky) listening to their so-called plans. Yes, that’s the one!

If a good friend contact me out of the blue next time, I will sure ask them a) Are you working for an Insurance Company or b) a Multi-Level Network Marketing company…

We have come a long way. This is one event where every cousin of the Tan’s family ( of alcohol age) would try to make it.

And that was 1999. We’d Steamboat as our chef, ying Qi, was ‘too lazy’ to cook. Haha… Fuck! I look so out of place here! Urghz…

This was taken in 2004. The 3 sad singles (Me included) filled up the 3 spaces at the back, while the 3 pair of couples took  their position in the front. Starting from left to right, we have…

1) Jason and Da Jie (They just held their Church Wedding, on the 15th)

2) My Bro and Brenda (Still applying for flat)

3) Jia Yuan and Er Jie (Gotten married last year)

I was using a Samsung then, and one of the function allowed me to take Matrix shot. Might as well.. The above picture is the result!

2005 was the year with the highest number of turnout. I was still going through BMTC then, which explains the length of my hair!  Among all the X-mas group shot which we had taken, I loved this the most

X-mas 2006…

 I wonder what will it be like this year. There’ll be a lot of drinks and I will try my best to not get drunk so fast, so that I can take some funny shots!

My best bitch, Shirmaine, had managed to get the job. As of 5 pm earlier (that’s the time she signed the contract), she’s officially an Event Planner.

I’m so happy for her. Like me, she’s also a Mechanical Engineer graduate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic. However, that’s so not going to be our career for the next decade. We only took that course as a form of insurance. Like what she told me earlier, “To look nice!”

Initially, she had her doubts. This job is a comission based job. She will get $1500 and the rest be up to her. Her previous job is also a comission based job. The backlash is, she only got, acoording to her boyfriend, Desmond, and I quote, “$15.10!” She had quit ever since. Haha…

I’m so looking forward to next year. It’s going to be a very healthy one. Cuiling and I had already made a pact to join every possible run together. Not only that, I’d already roped in my cousins to go for those events together. I;m turning into a goodie bag whore like Cuiling anytime now.

While watching the Stars Awards earlier on, I exchanged a couple of sms with her. We had decided to meet up for a Steamboat Session during the Chinese New Year period, with the same old Secondary School Gang. It’s something we should do ‘religously’.

Come to think of it, I never said this before. While watching ‘The Secret’ in camp the other day, someone in that show did mention something about being thankful for what you have… ( somewhere along that line) I can’t really remember but my point is,  I’m really thankful that I’ve this group of friends.

We have sort of become the usual ones. We will try to make it for gatherings but we will be there if it’s a major one. Like a funeral. This year alone, I’d attended 3. One of which is my family member, 3rd Uncle. The other 2 being, Weilong’s Dad and Shaoya’s Dad.

I do feel for them, because I know how it’s really like when you lose someone dear to you. My Dad passed away 3 years ago and I’m still feel the pain till now.

Months before he died, he changed his diet. He started to go healthy. Running on Sundays when he isn’t working, and after he came back from work. He cut down on his coffee, which happens to be his favorite beverage, and switched to Green Tea. In hope lowering his sugar level .

He never came back after a run. It’s good health that he wished to have but is the process that took him away. I missed him so much. There are so many moment that I wished that he would be there to see it. So many tales to tell him.

He would have been proud that I had made it to SISPEC. I was never the altheletic kind and he’s always telling me that I would suffer in Army. I’d done better. I survived the toughest company, made it into SISPEC and learnt a life skill in SMTI.

He’s a good drinker. I never see him drunk before. I was still young at that time. If only I can drink with him…It would have been nice.

He did asked me to join him for the runs but I couldn’t even managed my 2.4km back then. 2 rounds around the stadium and I’m already a goner. Like at me now, a finisher of marathon. That’s also part of the reason why I  started going for these kind of run. To run for him. He would have want to join these kind of runs too. Whenever it get too hard in the process of running, I’ll think of him and that kept me going. I wished that I have the chance to run a marathon with him. But he’s now part of my memory only…

I miss you so much, Dad!!!

And we went to Mambo at Zouk.

Upon reaching there, WHAM! Like I told Jason, a friend from BRC, the queue is spectacularly long. I was the second car to reached. Sherlyn went first and got into the Velvet Queue. Her reason being, ‘At least the queue is moving!’ It was already past midnight and I was keeping my fingers really crossed that we could hopefully, get in there before 1 a.m…

Which we really managed to. We went in there, had 2 jars of drinks and went onto the dance floor. Fuck! Trance is certainly not our kind of music. We had problems dancing to the beat. I suggested going over to Mambo side, but the girls feared that we couldn’t get in. 30 mins later, and after 1 more Jar of drinks, Pat and Lyn was high. I suggested again (I’m dying for some Bananarama!!!), woohoo, they are with me.

That’s my girls!

Ended up, we didn’t even have to managed to. We just got it -_-”. The  3 of us stepped in and Sean Kingston, ‘Beautiful Girls’ was already playing. We just look at each other, thinking that we should had come here earlier instead…haha… I immediately take out my cell and thumb a message to the Birthday Gal, asking her to get the others to join us. The 3 of us are the Recce team, you see?

We didn’t regret our choice. Mambo is just so much fun. When I get tired from dancing, I’ll just focus my attention to those synchro losers standing on the platform. Oh My God! Do they actually know that they look really fugly? Doing that! The funniest moment is when they don’t know how to make movement together with the music being played. They will a) stand there, looking stone, b) whip out their handphone and engage in a sms-chat with a so-called friend or c) talk to their friend beside them. WAHAHA!!!

After like and hour, they decided to go into Phuture. It’s mainly R&B  music. Upon stepping in, me and Weilong decided that it’s time to call it a day. My god, It’s like a gangbang in there. Even a slim person would considered moving in there a challenge.

The rest decided to continue. We mouth goodbye (it’s too loude in there) and do some ‘Im going off’ signal and head home

The day before the Big Day and no one know what time to turn up for the tea ceremony. I quickly text the bride’s younger brother, Genki, to get a confirmation. After which, I forward the message to the majority. My mum later told me that she had told me brother that it’s like I’m the one getting married.

… How I wish! 2nd Wedding of the year and it’s not even mine. I complained to Cuiling that this would be the last time that I would be attending a wedding. She replied me, ‘Don’t say so fast! Jia you brother!’

Come to think of it, nowadays, unless you are rich, it’s only at a Wedding Dinner that you would get to eat Shark Fin. Which happens to be one of my favorite dish. Haha…

There’s no Shark Fin today. Due to some complication, the dinner at Carltons was cancelled and replaced by a buffet at the church after the solemnisation.  It’s also the first time that I attended a full-fledged Church Wedding. Thankfully, it’s not exactly that boring, but it’s something that I wouldn’t want to attend regularly…haha…

During Fay’s Wedding, I was manning the front desk and this time round for Mei’s, I’m in charge of Logistics. It’s kinda fun whenever someone close married because you get to be involved, one way or another…

They sang a total of 4 songs if I’m not wrong. The first one up is ‘You Raise Me Up’ by Josh Groban. No, don’t get me wrong! Josh isn’t there to sing it. It’s sung by 2 of their churchmate, I think. Too bad, I don’t know how to sing it. Else, I would have gladly do a sing -a-long session. After that, they sang 2 Sunday Songs. Followed by ‘More Than Words’, not the Boyzone or Bees Gees Version. It’s a shame that Singaporeans aren’t that ’sporting’ enough. I’m fighting back the urge to stand up and sing along, swaying together to the music. Haha… I don’t want to be mistaken for a ‘female-side-loony-relative’, that’s why I kept my butt glued to the hard wood bench.

The buffet is great. I love the Strawberry Tarts, Cheesecakes and the small slices of breads. Woohoo… The cheese hotdog could have been better. Not tasty enough! However this is the first time that I actually thought the Cordial Drinks was good.

When will my turn come?

Haha… Naw, I still enjoying a stressless, and happy single life!!!

After 2 years, I’d my IC back. I collected it from my Brigade Commander last Friday. At the same time, he handed me a ‘Coin of Excellence’ via a handshake. I later complained to Ming Yong that he should just give me $50. I will be happier.

A cousin of mine asked me whether will I be celebrating, I gave her a firm NO. I’d a great time in army. The experience was good. I went into one of the toughest company, Mohawk, and survived. I was then posted to School of Infantry Specialist (Too fuck up to become an Officer) to undergo a  Basic Section Leader Course. I had a great time. My Section-mates are cool and the time shared are memorable.

After 10 weeks of so, the whole lot of us were then posted to different school to specialize in different fields. I was posted to School of Military Medicine where I was trained to become a Medic Specialist. It was kind of depressing initially, because there’s only 11 people in the entire company. Worse still, 9 of whom are Junior College boys and the other one is a muslim. Ended up, I had a fun 3 months.

We were later joined by 8 PIs after 10 weeks.

As usual, before I know it, it’s time to say good-bye. I was posted out to HQ 2SIB in Mandai Hill Camp. 3 months after me posting in, I was attached to 1 SIR as there’s a shortfall in their BCS team. Goodbye to office life and hello to the green green grass of home.

There’s 3 different units in Mandai Hill Camp. Namely HQ 6 Division, HQ 2SIB and 1 SIR. Each of the units have their own Medics. And of course with 3 different groups sharing the same place (Medical Center), there bound to be a rift or a line drawn.

Ming Wei and I, both Senior Medic 2 I/Cs of our respective unit, were the lucky chosen 2 to be attached. Sad at first but the overall experience was worth it. It’s through this attachment that strengthen the bond of the Specialist of the 3 units. It’s also my first time away from home for that long. Taiwan was my home for a month.

I’m going to miss Army…

It’s what I will call the good old times…

10 years down the road

I did another one of those Personaility out of boredom and curiosity again. And below are the results…

Emotional

When you walk into a room, it’s hard not for people to notice you. Your confidence and easy conversation make you an attractive friend and lover. 

Intelluctual

Weekends are meant for relaxing, not working. Whether it’s grabbing a drink or going out dancing, you know how to unwind. 

Physical 
Sunny days are not lost on you. If you get the chance, you hit the beach or the mountains to enjoy the fresh air.

…The results are so not true! I’m not really an extrovert, more to the kind who will walk into a room, find a clique and relax one corner. The last thing I really need is to dig a conversational grave with some hi-bye, which usually result in ‘Are You Done!’ sort of awkwardness, for 30 minutes. I can really die…

The part on the weekend and sunny days are real though. I’m into running and swimming nowadays. The off side is that there’s no mountain in Singapore. The highesk ‘peak’ in singapore is Bukit Timah Hill. What a drag! Haha