This is me...This is Ronald...

3 Posts for the Price of 1

2006-10-07T00:23:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
7th October 2006

It has been a damn long time since I ever written anything in this blog, and that's cause I've been heavily bogged down by work. Yes, work. You can't imagine the amount of paperwork we do at the office. Before IPPT. After IPPT. PNSF courses. Allocation of slots, nomination of PNSFs, dissemination of information. It might not be much, but try doing them ALL at the same time. I had to handle all these within the week, and that's quite a feat by me.

If you're wondering what post I'm holding at the office, it's the IPPT AOFI, the SA PNSF PO and the SA KAH. I heard from my seniors that the PNS Office used to be a very crowded place, much worse than a market. But seemingly, Delta Division has seen fewer and fewer PNSFs coming from TRACOM. That's not good at all, especially for me. That's because I'm running out of PNSFs to send, and I can't send the remaining ones because their department is so encumbered with the dire lack of manpower that they can't be released for the course. One problem compounded onto another and...TA-DA, you get a WORSE problem.

The IMF/World Bank meetings weren't much of any trouble, being so that I was only deployed on one day. Interesting as it seems, the Police uniform does make us look good. Real good. That's wonderful because for all the crap that we took from TRACOM, it's about time that something good came our way. Nothing much to say, just that I'm dog-tired from all the standing and manning the metal-detectors.

I'm reckoning that once October ends and November comes, a lot of my troubles would be over because the bulk of the courses would have been settled and accounted for. And it does not help that a whole bunch of guys are ORD-ing soon and it's strangling all of us with a tighter cord than before. I'm just hoping that the replacements would come sooner. And I'm can safely say that I'm speaking for all of us. All.

Passing Out...Cracking In As Ass(istant) Ops & Field Instructor

2006-07-21T20:59:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
21st July 2006

When I was first enlisted as a trainee at the Home Team Academy, the only thought that ran through my mind was to Pass-Out. I wanted to live my life free and easy again. I wanted to live a life less-restricted as the one I had in HTA. I wanted to be ME again.

When I finally passed-out, I miss my friends in camp. I thought that I was getting the same vocation as the rest of them were getting, yet the least expected came along. I was to become an AOFI. What the fu*k?! AOFI?! That was the last thing I ever expected to become. That was the very last thing ANYONE would expect me to get. I am a thinker, planner and an academic, NOT a fighter. I've done nothing in relation to AOFI; no interviews, no selections and no choices whatsoever. God is indeed omnipotent.

At least my colleagues are easy-going people and my job is not physically-demanding.

Yet, my course is killing me. Actually, it's my knee that is killing me.

This knee is the first old injury that I can think about. And it is the most-recurring one that have been my hindrance ever since I suffered it. And because of this knee, I am unable to participate in many course-activities. And as such, I am in trouble. If I don't get my knee healed by monday, then I can pretty much pack-up my bags and leave. Although I find that the training has no relevance to my job and no conjunction to my work, it is still training. Since when is NS training meant to mean anything?

I am putting all that I have on this one. If I make it, then it will be all well and swell. If I don't, then it's time to use my back-up plan. As always, prepare a back-up plan. My brain is for scheming, conspiring and hatching strategems; it definitely does not respond well to excess physical activity.

I believe that if God brought me to it, He will bring me through it. And I am counting desperately on His mercy and grace to lead me to His Will.

Ouch.

A Promise To Be Kept

2006-06-24T18:05:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
24th June 2006

I know this promise was made a long time ago, but I was busy so I couldn't do anything about it.
Now that I'm taking a break from studying for the Law final examinations, I can finally fulfil that promise. Ok, where do I start...

I met Irene at Pre-University Seminar 2005 and had the utter misfortune of having her in my group =p That time didn't talk much cause like nothing in common. It's only AFTER the seminar that we chatted more. And it's also there that she said I behaved like her father. And then she started calling me "papa". Interesting way to get a kid right?

Anyway, her birthday came and gone but I was busy (and a little lazy) with training, so I procrastinated doing the Blog entry until now. Sorry about that...

She was majorly pissed for a very long time, and I felt very bad about it. Very bad.

She shoots in school and does Wushu, so good luck for all her competitions coming up. And for her Mid-Year exams, good luck too. May the Force be with you and do better for GP even though I didn't do anything about that either.

And she also wants a LONG LONG entry, so I'm trying my best to extend this. I hope to be able to do please her with this, otherwise, in her words, "I'll keep pestering you".

Anyway, for your GP, make sure you read the question and answer them well. Don't bother about how long your answer is, JUST DO IT! And for AQ...just do it also lah. (I'm talking academics here cause I'm hoping that she'll get bored). Make sure essay is on the dot, and no beating around the bush. I think can make it one lah.

Erm...I'm hoping that this is long enough, cause I'm running later for a meeting with my JC classmates and I have yet to finish studying for the exam on monday. Like the real deal, fail this one and recourse for another 1 month. I don't want to stay a recruit for ANOTHER one month man...

Headache...

2006-06-09T23:12:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
9th June 2006

17 more working days to P.O.P. (Passing Out Parade)! That is one of the most reassuring things I have yet to experience during my training in HTA (Home Team Academy). Yet, as the saying goes: win some, lose some. On monday, I knocked my head after I passed out from sprinting like a mad-dog. That hurt like crap. Then came a whole lot of other follow-ups: checkup at Alexandra Hospital's Accident & Emergency, x-ray at Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic and then 3 days of light duty. How nice. I'm just glad that there's no complications to that knock, thank God!

Other than that, it's even more saikang for squad 16/06 of Foxtrot Coy! We have duty at the Police Day Carnival on saturday (tomorrow) and it's under the damn hot sun. Just like the carpark duty we had on Police Day Parade. I think it's gonna be another suntan. BUT, at least this time we can come back home first. I sure hope they'll give us our off-day soon...

Headache notwithstanding, I have to say a very Happy (Belated) Birthday to Irene! Sorry about taking so long to put this up, but duty comes first =D

Mid-term Exams?!

2006-05-11T23:03:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
11th May 2006

The past week was kind of hectic: General Elections, more unarmed combat, swimming and PT. The worst thing is, my squad is down for ANOTHER operation (details of which are OSA and I''m not at liberty to divulge). This time, we'll have to undergo training in preparation for this exercise. It seems that this is BIG, that all the top brass would be going. For all the shit that we are doing, they still expect us to take our mid-term exams. What the hell is going on?! We haven't even been taught the required syllabus and they want us to go for the damn exam?! It's just like not studying for math, then going for the math final year and freaking out because failure means being retained. But in my case, the latter means confinement. And after the first mandatory confinement week, I wouldn't want to be stuck in there again. Just the thought of it causes convulsions and mentally scarring memories that I'd rather leave behind.

Shooting wise, it's fun to hold a gun knowing that you have the power to take away someone else's life at a whim. But at the same time, it's nervous to hold it cause I've never held a live gun before. Still, Police shoots so I have to shoot too. Marksman so far, I hope I can maintain the standard because it's really not easy to aim with that puny pistol and especially when the laser is inaccurate (I must have wasted all my 5 bullets because I was aiming with the laser). Well, win some lose some.

Today was out FI's last day. He's ORD-ing and that means leaving HTA for GOOD. I really don't mind having a taste of civilian again. So, because he is leaving, today we ran 16 rounds on the track. That's roughly the equivalent 6.4 km. Non-stop. Wow. I didn't know I had it in me, even when I'm down with flu, cough and other ailments (which have been running rampant around the squad).

We went to "celebrate" birthdays for a few people in the squad, videos of which are extremely explicit. Of course, I wasn't spared but I took it rather sportingly and it was all in the name of fun. For the 2 poor ostracized guys in the squad, it's gonna be kind of REAL. Like a live, loaded gun. I don't know the exact plans yet, but I expect it to be in the same fashion as what we did to our FI yesterday night. Boy, was that fun.

And sleeping early every night has it's cons. That is, unable to sleep late. Everytime it gets later than 10:30 pm, I get uber-tired and I feel like collapsing on the bed immediately. Like now.

"Welcome to the Police!"

2006-05-01T02:25:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
1st May 2006

Another weekend over, another weekend to look forward to. That's pretty much how I've spent my time in school (and every other boring situation I'm in) for all my life. For the last 2 weeks, I was confined. And confinement is hell. It's not physical hell, but psychological hell. Sad to say, for the boys of Squad 16/Foxtrot Coy, the physical threshold has been passed. Now, we are beyond the pain threshold and is coming damn close to the drop dead now line. Damn close. So close that I could even feel it sucking me towards the abyss. Thank God for the long weekend after the confinement, beacuse without this period of rest and recuperation, we won't last. The physical portion of confinement handled, it is now on towards the main threat: psychological warfare. Not being able to go home, being stuck within those regimented walls, watching your friends taking MCs and Gate Passes to escape momentarily for a breather while you cannot and constantly dreaming about home. These compound to become a greater degree of stress, an echelon of pressure that I have never experienced and will never want to experience again. Exposure to the latter any longer would have been fatal. Muscle injuries, fatigue and sickness roams rampant amongst us. It sounds as if we were pushed the limit. Yes, we were. For new Trainee Special Constables who just got in, it was our limit. This limit can be pushed, but until then, stepping over it would be simply pushing your luck. And I survived. It might not seem much to the veterans, but this is one bloody onerous task to accomplish. Amidst all the pain and suffering, I didn't falter. I didn't take a MC, I didn't go home and I didn't chao keng. Even I surprised myself, at the amount of willpower I had to bring myself through. 5 KM runs. 10 rounds on the track. Pull-ups after 100 assortment of push-ups. IPPT. Did I really do all that?

The next week is going to be worse. More swimming; more Dojo and extra confinement on saturday for deployment in lieu of the General Elections. I'm certain that this is nothing to the Army guys, but I believe that the Police has something up their sleeve. Something. I just can't put my finger on it. But I hope I'm prepared for it. Imagine - just 2 weeks in HTA and I can run the 2.4 in 10:30. And that's just the peak of the iceberg. If I try to go any deeper now, I might just find myself frozen by all the crap I can find. I just hope that they give it to us gradually, because right now, I'm so off-form that I can't find the words to describe it.

For the University admissions, NTU and NUS both sent their replies. NTU accepted me for their Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering course while NUS is taking me in for Chemical Engineering. Doesn't both these courses involve interviews or what-not? No matter, I have not the time nor energy to think. It's 3 am now, and at 9 pm tonight, I have to haul my ass back to HTA. Wow, fun. Seriously.

"That's Policeman Ronald to you, Punk!"

2006-03-06T23:52:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
6th March 2006

It's been awhile since I've updated this thing, so I sincerely ask for you forgiveness and understanding (...NOT! =p) Alrighty then, to explain myself; basically the standstill was whoely due to the agonising and interminable wait for the arrival of my Enlistment letter and that of the A Level results. As anyone who has undergone such an onerous task would know, the sickly feeling that rises inside you whenever the very thought of the A Levels is sufficient to suppress all desire to blog. Now compound that with the uncertainty from an unconfirmed NS posting, and you've pretty much got a picture of how I was feeling: Shitty, VERY shitty.

Now that it's over, the mood to salvage this derelict junk is back. NS posting came in a BLUE letter along with the warmest regards from the Singapore Police Force. That was RIGHT BEFORE my dad's company gathering that was hosted at my place. Imagine the mixed emotions I had to deal with, other than just the guests. Then after finding a job at the CPF as a Workfare Bonus Scheme officer (The Budget; Progress Package thingy) where I'm still working (...hard to fill up Income Declaration forms for the people), news of the impending (...Doom) release for the A level results reached me. Who still has the mood to work after THAT?

One concern settled and placed aside, now it was time to comprehend the consequences of the A levels. The future is now, choose a path. That's it. Then I prayed and prayed until, eventually, I had so much faith in the Lord that I've not even DREAMT about the results. Instead, I dreamt of my plastic soldiers fighting a hybrid between a cockroach and a lizard. The Boys in Green(...and Gray. And Tan. And Blue. And Red.) kicked ass in a ecofriendly way. No insectcide; just plain, pure lead and more lead (...or rather, plastic).

AJC, 1st March 2006, Wednesday. Wonderful weather, beautiful sunshine. I just hoped that my mood would be a mirror of the sky: clear and bright. Before the usual 45 minutes down to school, I poped by the office to return my Timesheet (an interesting little device that logs your hours worked, made of paper) so I can get paid. Finally, I got to where I needed to be and required to get. As I have expected, with the only PLEASANT surprise being GP. I thought I screwed it up, but looks like faith in Him can really achieve miracles. I'll never doubt His powers AGAIN. Never.

As such, I went down to my mom's Initiation mass at St. Joseph Church at Bukit Timah to give my most sincere and grateful thanks and praise, after which I arrived a little late at work. Late, but relieved and relaxed.

2 major obstacles down. 1 last one to go. Which course am I going to take?

AJC Prom...

2005-12-08T23:10:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
8th December 2005

Well well, just back from da prom. I have to say, it was kinda' disappointing. The food was good, complete with Mandarin standard, albeit being insufficient. Great being around your friends again, but the emcee made the evening rather stern. Sad to say, he lost us around the middle. He had a few nice jokes up his sleeve, but the rest of his cold jokes were, well, rather cold. Maybe it was a different style that didn't suit the mood of the prom, but it was not as nice as the Cat High prom. Still, kudos to the committee for coming up with an enjoyable evening. But, as with all proms, the fun is with the after-action. For us, we went to K-Box. At first it was supposed to be all of us, then in the middle we split and only Feng Chen, Terence, Mingwei, Bdique, Anto and I went to K-Box to sing our lungs out. Ho ho, it was great. I didn't sing this many Chinese songs in my life! Then came along Linkin Park and, *poof*, gone were our voices. We just went on and on and on and on from 12 till 6, then we left the place tired and sore. On the trip home, I was hatching my ingenious plan to get home and pretend as if I had been there all the while, Splinter Cell style. Was I surprised that I made it! WOAH! Damn man, if I had been caught...I shudder to think about the consequences. Nonetheless, we had fun and that's all that mattered at that moment in time. Now, what I need to do now is to start thinking about the schedule for the holiday trip and get some sleep...

I'm back...for now...

2005-11-29T00:42:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
29th November 2005

It's the holidays. A levels are over and all that remains between me and NS is this few months. Yes, months. I haven't gotten my letter as of yet and is expecting it to tell me that I'm going to BMTC in april. Note: Is expecting. I seriously hope MINDEF isn't pissed with me for snubbing the air force test and throwing away the air force letter before even opening it. Yes, I did it. If they dump me into some wierd place, then I really have nothing to say. By that time, it's no longer just saying, it's time to go finding a way of surviving. And the more you think about it, the worse it feels. There's so much more to be done! Damn it, I need to find a way of controlling myself or I'll go insane. Maybe this is what they call depression in the worst form. So all I have to do is go get a good time-off. Finally I can spend Christmas in HK. 17th Dec to Taiwan, then 21st to HK. Nothing can be better. It is in fact one of the only things that I can actually look forward to, besides waking up every morning to watch the cartoons. Yeah, I still love 'em. Always did and always will. Ok, it's about time to go to bed. I'll see the sunshine tomorrow then. Nites everybody...

Blogging's Illegal?!

2005-10-12T21:31:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
12th October 2005

I've been MIA (missing in action) for the last two months 'cause of the prelims and other priorities. Here is the little time I have to prepare for the A levels at the start of next month, and by God am I going to have a rough time. It appears that out of all the subjects, only math is swaying off course. While this might sound good, math is also one of my best. Like that how to take As...

Well, I've been watching the news for the past few weeks and noticed that there have been much that have happened. Look at it, the two bloggers who got whacked for being racist, the Bali bombings, hurricane Katrina and the latest, earthquakes in the Indian sub-continent...The only news that I have a quarrel with is the blogger thing. The internet is a place for freedom of speech; for someone to voice out their views whether others like it or not. This is what this place is all about: freedom. If even voicing your views on the internet would get you to jail, then frankly, I have no idea where else can you voice your views for the world to hear. Yes, some of these views might be politically sensitive and could even hurt someone, but if you don't like it, then shut off the browser or get out of the site! I've seen some sites which protect themselves by setting up some form of a disclaimer that says that by viewing the site, the viewers accede and abide by the terms and regulations of the site. This way, the owners can both protect themselves and voice their views. Clever move! If the people are so concerned with these sites, then why don't they do something about the terrorists sites or the radical jihadis online? Those punks sure are a lot more danger to us than the bloggers are! Heck, they would have no qualms about blowing you up if they don't like you! In fact, I have a feeling that if I even attempt to comment on anything political, then I can forget about taking my A levels cause I'll be stuck in a cold, hard place called a prison cell. For 2 months. Yucks. So, to the law-abiding citizen who reported on the poor bloggers, please don't report me! I just wanted to find a place to voice my views without having arrested and jailed! Kindly move your cursor to the "X" at the top right corner of your internet browser and click on it once to leave my site.

I sure hope I won't find the cops up my doorstep one day and arrest me for something I said on the internet. And for one, I really doubt that the internet is really separated by international borders. So, if I may ask, can the police do something about a story I read on a website? It really irked me and for the outcome of my appeal, I want the webmaster jailed too. For 2 months. Pronto.

Back in business! (Just in time for National Day)

2005-08-06T20:18:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
6th August 2005

It's been a very long time since I updated my blog. Frankly, nothing much's happening. Nothing except the really long weekend and the load of crap I have to do (crap called homework). National Day's really makes me feel proud to be Singaporean...really. Anyway, in tune with the National Day spirit, I'll post 2 very interesting reads. Well, read on.

New Lyrics for "We Are Singapore":

There was a time, when Richard said that TT Durai didn't do it, but he did.
There was a time, when Richard said that NKF didn't do it, but they did.
They built NKF, strong and rich, reaching out together, for more and more money!

Chorus:

It is our money, it is our blood.
It is our kindness (or kidneys), it is our tears.
Don't take our money, to be your bonus.
Don't cheat Singapore, Singaporeans.

(P.S. I didn't think of this. Some dude thought of it and I'm just making reference to his work. Don't look for me, you litigious bastards.)

The following is a poem that we had to come up with for a National Day project in school.

To desire, is human.
To demand, is divine.
To be kiasu, is Singaporean.

To die, is human.
To let die, is divine.
To be kiasee, is Singaporean.

To beat your wife, is inhuman.
To love your wife, is divine.
To be kiabo, is Singaporean.

To be or not to be.
Kiasu, kiasee, kiabo.
Singaporeans always will be.

(P.S. Now that is original. It's the original creation of Terence, Keat Meng, Antonio, Peng Wen, Weibin and me. Although Terence and I did most of the work. Really =þ)

Anyway, just enjoy the weekends and start loving your country. Yeah.

Class Photo, National Day '05

A Certain Charity Organisation

2005-07-14T20:30:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
14th July 2005

(Disclaimer: Mild language used. Believe me. If you're offended by such words, please do not read the following entry. I'm not naming names cause these suckers love litigations so much, they would sue their moms for not letting them have a cookie. You should know who and what I'm referring to.)

*Start of entry*

If you have been flipping through the newspaper and listening to the news, then you would have heard of the [deleted] scandal. You know what I mean. The one with the CEO who rides first class and gets chauffeured in a Benz. And I'm pretty damn sure that after you heard it, you felt bloody disappointed. A charitable organisation, mind you, is spending its money on some crap that could have been used elsewhere to help the needy. It's a charity, damn it. You're supposed to help the needy, that's why you're called a charitable organisation. They obviously do not know anything about being a charity. Where's your brain at, man? Or do you have one at all?

Look at it. The [deleted] has 8 Mercedes Benz, with chauffeurs. For God's sake, which charity organisation needs 8 Mercedes Benz as company cars? Heck, they're not even a bloody company. They're a charity organisation. Why do you need such flashy cars for? And why do you need chauffeurs for? If you want a car, get something reliable. A Toyota will be more than sufficient. Where do you want to go with that thing? You're a charity organisation, you don't need such flashy cars. You could have used the money saved from buying these cars towards alleviating the patients' pain. And for the chauffeur. If the sucker who wants to use the organisation (note: not company) car can't bloody drive, then he/she should jolly well lay off the car and take public transport. Your main aim is to garner as much money for the patients' benefit, so start saving, fool. Money doesn't drop from the sky.

First-class air tickets. Come on. You're doing charity. Charity. What the hell do you need to travel first-class for? Save the money. If you're willing to do charity, then you must be willing to take the heat. Can't take it? Then quit. Get lost. There's plenty of people out there who's willing to fly economy-class, even when they're entitled to first-class tickets, just so to pass on the savings to the patients. They want to save lives. What do you want? To sit your butt on a $1000 seat just so to get the satisfaction? You can get more satisfaction saving lives, pal. Use your brain and think (Wherever your brain is at. If you don't have one, you can call your friend to help you think it over).

Gold-plated taps. Gold-plated toilet seats. What the hell? What do you need gold-plated toilet seats for? To dye your butt golden? If you want to dye your butt golden, then use gold bodypaint. And buy it with your own money. If you don't earn enough because you're working for a charity organisation, then...heck, if you're working there in the first place, your passion is to help the needy and not earn the goddamn money. Come on, think pal. You're using public funds to pay for your lousy toilet seat? And the tap? What's the toilet for? Think. Use your brain. Oh yeah, you don't have one. Let me explain. The toilet is for you to urinate or excrete into. Maybe you think that your $60'000 butt is too good for normal toilets and your delicate a** can only take golden toilet seats. Well, too bad. You want golden toilet seats, go work for a corporation, not a charity. They have plenty of choices there. You are working for a charity, man, save the money and help the needy. If you don't want to help the needy, then back off. There's many more people who's more willing and capable to do the job. Still not convinced? Look up the name "Daniel D Doctoroff". He's taking a pay of U.S.$1 per month, not because he's crazy, but because he's passionate about his job. He wants to make New York better, not to make as much money as he can.

70%. The patients have to pay a whooping 70% for their treatment, and the [deleted] only pays 30% of it. And you call that charity? Gimme a break. You want to do charity? Give the needy free treatment. At most get them to pay 10%. Hell yeah it's costly, but then, what the fu*k is the millions of dollars in reserve funds for? To buy you platinum toilet seats? Let me tell you: it's to give these patients, especially the needy ones, a chance at life. You're not gonna fleece them till their dry and dead, you blood-sucking bastards. You don't have the money, you say? If you don't have the money, then lightning's gonna fry your sorry-a**. Use the donations. Sell the cars. Move to an older building. Sell the lavish furnishings. You'll have so much money, you can save these patients for a long, long time to come. Charity. Look up the meaning in the dictionary.

You're a charity. Yet you're running yourself like a company. Board of directors. Sheesh. What would a charity need a board of directors for? Come on. Run yourself like the civil service. 12 month bonus? Scrap that nonsense. Use that paycheck and fund the patients needs. Once the company thing goes out the window, the spendthrift ways will go too. For Christ's sake, Singaporeans earning $600 a month are also donating. Why? Not because they have the cash to spare, but because they believe in your cause. They believe in charity. Charity. And you. Spending so much damn money on such useless crap, on everything but helping the patients sufficiently. Look into your conscience. Look into it. What's it telling you? To help the patients. To save them. To alleviate their suffering. To do what you must. Don't lie to the public just so that you can have a strong selling point to gain their compassion and their wallets. Don't tell them that you have 1000 more non-existent patients waiting for treatment. Don't tell them that your funds can only last 3 years when you hardly spend enough to help the patients. Take your load of crap and shove 'em right up your own candy-a**. Come straight to the point. Be truthful. Stay honest. Do some good.

I can very safely say that unless the board goes, the sucker CEO goes, the useless cars goes, the lavish furnishing goes, the corporate-style management and running of [deleted] goes, the fake gold toilet seats and taps goes, the 12-month bonus goes, the transparency needed comes in, the new passionate management comes in, the full subsidies come in and the real charity starts, [deleted] will never have a chance to save itself from this mess of a shitpit that it dropped itself into.

*End of entry*

Pre-U Sem 2005! I'm back!

2005-06-03T22:15:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
3rd June 2005

The seminar's over! It's great to be back home, to be back in civilisation and to be back in my own bed. Damn, I'd never have thought that Pre-U Sem (PUS) would be so damn fun. It's nice to be back home, but the friends that I have made and miss will keep me forever reminiscing the time we spent at PUS.

It's an experience I have never experienced before. The camaraderie, the different kind of bond that holds us together in contrast to the bond that holds your classmates together. This is the kind of experience that I would not have gotten from anywhere other than PUS.

The bond was so close, I cried (nearly! I swallowed the tears in, in such a way that none of the tears flowed out) during the emotional group reflection time on the last day. It's the first time I cried at such events. Usually, I'd just poke fun at such events. Yet, I gave it my all for the dances, cheers and songs (as a result, I got a serious bout of sore throat, flu, fever and cough). It touched me in a way I have never imagined: truly, deeply and madly.

Nonetheless, we had to part. I'm counting on my fellow PUS participant, Adam, to send me the contact list. The photos, chit-chats, bowling and golfing games really brought us together. I have yet to feel camaderie in the same level as I have in PUS. Not in school; not in church, not anywhere else. I never thought I'd feel this way. Really.

If I had to do it all over again, I would. But this time, I'll bring Strepsils and Panadol.

Fantasia Fantastico 2005!

2005-05-28T18:31:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
28th May 2005

It's over! It's all over! No more Harmonica ever again! Ever! No more practices; long days or mad conductors. I'd never been so relieved. Heck. But, then again, so goes the cameraderie, laughs and jokes that filled my practices and chased away the boredom that came with the mundane repetoire of songs. Ask any member of any band. They'll tell you the same thing. That bond that held us together is hard to break. It's spiritual.

I just don't get what they meant when they spoke of this bond in secondary school. I definitely did not get what they meant when they told me of their feelings in primary school. But now, in JC, I finally get it. This bond that joins you together, that is the cohesive that keeps you close together, is indeed one that will keep you well alive. Not just physically alive, but mentally alive as well.

Tonight is the night before I go for Pre-U Sem 2005. Tomorrow, I'll be meeting the other Pre-U Sem participants from my school and will come together at NTU (or what I think it is). I hope it's one enriching experience, 'cause it's one whole week. Monday to Friday. You guys won't see me around online for the whole week. Yeah, I know it might be boring and all, talking about the policies and national affairs with these ministers and CEOs. I saw the programme sheet in the file they issued us, and there seems more to discussions than I thought. It's like Orientation all over again. Not bad, eh? Absolutely not like the manifestation of the deep thoughts about the nation that I had previously contemplated. Well, heck, I need to siam liao, later waking up at 11am to prepare for the presentation. Miss me, all of you shall...

Harmo Boys 1
Harmo Boys 2
Harmo Boys 3

It's over...it's all over...

2005-04-30T15:21:00.001+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
30th April 2005

SYF's done. It's over. I don't know what went wrong, but it's over.

I can still hear it; the songs...the applause...the introduction...the shuffling of feet...and my heartbeat. It's like Dramafest back at Cat High all over again. Except then, I was on solo. Here, I'm with a team.

Walking up the stage...walking back down. Going to the audience seats, listening to the next school. Wondering if we'll make it.

I knew our skills were better...way better. And guess what? We got silver and they got gold.

How could that be? We were clearly better. We had the moves, we had the notes and we definitely had the timing. Why couldn't we make it?

How the adjudicators thought, we will never know. What we know is that we deserved the gold for our skills, and that they stole that away from us. They stole it from us. The only thing we were fighting for, and they had to take it away. They had to...they just had to...

No matter. We know we're good and that they're not. We know that in truth, we got a silver-plated gold. A piece of real gold, fit only for a real winner, but disguised as silver to keep us from getting too proud. What they got, is merely a piece of gold-plated copper, fit only for those who aren't up to it. It's gold-plated so that they can feel better about themselves and be arrogant. Arrogant and complacent enough to get whacked so hard the next time round that they have to disband.

Shame about SYF. That's over. What we have to do now is to ensure that our concert is good. We will make it and we will do it. After that, after we inherit the passion and knowledge, we will know that we have done our part for the next batch of fighters. Fighters who will take back what is so rightfully ours.

Gold.

The hour of reckoning....

2005-04-30T01:46:00.000+08:00

Ronald
AJC
30th April 2005

Here I am, in the computer lab, watching the show about the child sex trade and thinking about SYF. In less than 10 minutes, we'll be leaving this place for the canteen for an early lunch. Well-wishers aside, I'm afraid about the competition. How would we fare? Would we be ok?

The GP lesson is almost over, and we got to go soon. I'd never thought I'd be so scared to leave.

What Mr Ong said still rings in my head, "enjoy the performance and don't be nervous. You'll be just fine. If you get a silver, then you guys maintained your standard, which is fine. If you get better, then it's an improvement. Relax. It'll be ok."

All of a sudden, it seemed so hard to do. So onerous a task. So hard to bear.

Ok. I hear the bell. It's time.

God help us, preserve us and protect us.

Amen.

A POW's story

2005-03-27T16:20:00.000+08:00

I was reading "To stop a rising sun" by Roy Humphreys (1996) just now. There was this recount by a PoW, Tom McKie, who served with the Scots Grey here in Singapore. Here's the things he said;

"We were three to a tiny cell whose only facility was a concrete bench, used as a bed. We heard that we were being punished for damage inflicted upon the Japanese Imperial Army.

We bent double as 15 stones of cement in three bags, was slung across our shoulders, bleeding after hours of toil in th soupy climate. We dared not take a breather. If we had stopped running up the gang-plank to load the Japanese ships berthed at Singapore docks, the guards would have beaten us unconscious. I saw it happen all too often, for once on the ground, we would lie there until work had finished. Then - and only then, would we be allowed to carry the fallen back to camp. We gritted our teeth and began running, stick-like legs gathering strength from GOD knows where.

I hate them still. I hate them for their cruelty when I was their prisoner and nothing has happened to change my mind. When you have seen good lads beaten, left in the blistering sun for hours, then slipping towards death because they don't have the strength left to go on living, you learn to hate your captors fast.

Sometime later, fed just one beakerful of cooked rice daily, a starvation diet on which men would die. We stole tinned pinapple, a vital food source, along with other tinned food waiting to be shipped to Japan.

For the next 2 years, our dwindling band of comrades were slave-labour on the "Death Railway" between Siam and Burma. I can recall, in sharp focus, the late night burial-parties for the emaciated British corpses, the task of holding hands with our mates through the dark night- knowing they would die before dawn.

I was a prisoner at 17 different camps, weighed five stones and felt my body weakening as every day passed. About a thousand of us went into the last camp and only 200 remained when the Jap guards, realising they had lost the war, suddenly - and without warning, disappeared. We were alone in the jungle then. Nobody knew we were there, just 200 of us and a few fit to walk.

We - the lucky ones, were almost force-fed for a fortnight before embarking for Liverpool in a troopship. The scars on the back of my hands are a reminder of where - all too frequently, the Japanese guards used to stub out their cigarettes. They were the cruellest people I have ever had the misfortune to meet. Just don't try and tell me they have changed, eh?"

After I read that, a first-hand account of Japanese cruelty, I felt this sudden hatred towards them. A hatred so intense, it took a very long while for me to cool down and rationalise my thoughts. I realised that in war, it is hard to be merciful towards an enemy who have been so merciless. It is tough to be humane towards enemy PoWs while they remain inhumane towards yours. How they have had the sane mind to inflict such sadistic pain on another human being is one's wonder. It is indeed a mind-boggling puzzle to decipher what the hell was going on in those sick minds of theirs.

I once thought that Allied soldiers who executed Japanese PoWs on the spot as cruel.

Now, I think otherwise.

Relative to what the Japs did to the Allied PoWs - torture until death, I realise that perhaps the Allied soldiers weren't as merciless as they seemed. It is indeed hard to keep your hatred for the enemy in check while they remained cold-blooded towards your friends and comrades. It is near impossible to show mercy when you know that you can expect none when captured. It is a feat to remain civilised towards uncivilised animals.

Still, my hatred for the Jap war criminals remain unwavered. May all Kempetai and Jap war criminals rot in hell for all eternity (frankly, this is a very tame version of what I really want to say) for all the crimes against humanity they have so cold-bloodedly and willing committed.

Welcome, to the Grand Chinese Empire...

2005-03-02T10:16:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
2rd March 2005

The past week have been hectic. Common tests, Pre-U seminar meetings, harmonica practices, skirmishes with the flu bugs and conquering the world under the Grand Chinese Empire. How bad can it get?

Wondering if it'll get better. With math, physics and chemistry breathing down my neck, life isn't going to be easy. Tutorials, lectures, a concoction of madness. Insanity is knocking. Answer the door.

CLAO results coming this friday. Hope to make an A2. I don't want to lose it this time, there's just too much at stake. Destiny beckons.

Nonetheless, life has to go on. I want to play Doom 3 again, but the damn game got corrupted. Haven't tried the new TinMan squad mod. It feels good to face Hell with a bunch of comrades, eh?

Yeah, so does the P.E. lessons.

Until next time, =>

Relocation Successful!

2005-02-05T15:56:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Alexandra
5th February 2005

My first blog from here. Feels strange, but nonetheless very interesting. Trip to school from here is hell, so is the trip back. The redeeming points are having Ikea next door, being near to town and getting to school just on time. I'm seeing that teacher everyday. "Quickly, the first bell has gone!" Life's like that. Win some, lose some.

For now, nothing exciting has happened yet. Besides getting into the Alpha List, the Pre-U seminar auditions and SYF, there's really just nothing left. The worst part is, Pre-U seminar auditions are at 6:40 pm. Right after Harmonica on wednesday. Crap...

Nonetheless, Chinese New Year is coming. Hong Pao, BBQ pork, Shark's Fins, Abalone...all the good stuff. Salvation is at hand! I'm officially starting the countdown to CNY from here. And you know what the best part is? NON-STOP GAMING!!! WOAH!!! WAZZUP!!!

OK, back to reality. The thing now is, I need more time to rest and relax. Unwind. De-stress. Sleep...

Good night, everyone...

*End of Entry*

Sayonara Changi

2004-12-16T15:26:00.000+08:00

I just watched that documentary on Discovery Channel just now. Being the WW2 enthusiast that I am, I'll watch about anything that's on WW2. It struck me that the Japanese had yet to apologise for their wrongdoings. And after that show, I also realized the true horror and torture that the Commonwealth soldiers in Singapore experienced during the Japanese Occupation.

I had a very strong feeling against the Japanese soldiers, especially the Kempetai, after and during the show. The Japs, obesessed with their lust for conquering India, forced many Allied PoWs to work on the "Death Railway" that was to bring their soldiers from Jap occupied Asia to the frontlines in India. Had they not known that by the Geneva Convention that they were not allowed to use PoWs to build structures aiding their war effort? No, apparently not. The Japs underfed, underdressed, overworked and overpacked the PoWs during their stint in Thailand. As such, many died of malaria, dengue and dysentry. While they were infected, the Japs denied them medical treatment, dishing to them a fate of slow, agonising death.

Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere. All nonsense. Name one good thing the Japs have done for us oppressed people during their unwelcomed stay here. Nothing. For the bad things they have done during the war, it runs longer than Yellow River runs in China. If they really wanted peace and prosperity, they would have treated the PoWs with respect and humanity to show the world that they were the gentlemen who were to lead Asia towards freedom from Western colonialism. Instead, they showered on the people nothing but raw cruelty, plain inhumanity and sheer uncivilization. Blatant rape, robbery and murder are some of the crimes that they have perpertuated. Is that for the greater good? I think otherwise.

There is a game that EA has made: Medal of Honour Pacific Assault. On it's advertisment for the game in popular gaming magazine PC Gamer, it was written, "Some fight for their country. Some for their emperor. All fight for honour." I beg to differ. Does killing enemy officers in cold blood seem honourable? Or perhaps the raping and maltreatment of PoWs raises them along the Jap Honour Heirarchy? You judge.

All those would have been forgiven if they had been admitted. But no, the Japs, after 60 years, have yet to admit that they were wrong to start the war, to have commited the war crimes and stashed the wartime loot. Is that honourable? Not facing the past bravely and admitting all wrong commited is dishonourable. It does not prove any point, other than they are cowards fearing repercussion from admitting their mistakes.

Dear Japs, we're all human, We all make mistakes. As the saying goes, to err human, to forgive divine. But if they won't apologise, how are we to forgive?

A Salute to the Brave Men of the 2nd Marines Division

2004-12-13T17:24:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Sin Ming Ave
13th December 2004

*Radio Chatter* "This is 3rd company. We are under heavy fire, requesting immediate reinforcements to hold the beachhead, over!"

You might think that games reap nothing but trouble, but think again, After I played Medal of Honour: Pacific Assault, I learned an epic and immersive history lesson about the American struggle in the Pacific. This entry is only one of them...

On 20th November, 1943, men of the 2nd U.S. Marine Division stormed the beaches of Tarawa. Tarawa, a small island in the South Pacific, is the door to the Japanese Home Islands. Beyond this door lay the path towards victory over Japan and liberty for all the oppressed people of the Greater East Asian Co-prosperity Sphere. The Marines were the key.

These brave men sacrificed their lives so that others need not. They fought for what they believed in: Liberty, Peace and Freedom. Many died for their beliefs on Tarawa Atoll. That morning alone, 5000 Japanese and U.S. Marines lost their lives in service to their country.

The Marines courageously attacked the beaches of Tarawa. Braving Japanese artillery fire while in their Higgin Boats and machine-gun fire on the beaches, the Marines fought for control over the island against the valiant defenders of the Japanese Empire, inch by inch, foot by foot. The Marines paid in blood, sweat and tears for every bit of the island. Every bit of it.

It took them 4 days to wrestle the island from the iron-grip of the Empire. What has been bragged as an island that will take 1 million men a 100 years to overtake, the Marines accomplished in 96 hours.

Their sacrifice would always be remembered, for they were the ones who started bringing the fight to the Japanese Home Islands, who showed the world that Freedom reigned over Opression, Liberty defeated Repression and that Peace towered over Supression. It was a battle that brought about the end of the war. It gave freedom-loving people everywhere hope. Ultimately, it proved that determination would conquer all.

Men of the 2nd U.S. Marine Division, I salute you.

Life is B,E,A,Utiful

2004-12-10T01:23:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Sin Ming Ave
10th December 2004

Have you realized that this time of the year is always filled with fun, joy and laughter? Well, if you do, then you must have fallen prey to the huge and influential Commercialization Engine. This gimmick is used by many retailers, often judiciously, to affect sales. Haha...sounds like a GP essay now, eh?

Sometimes, I wonder what is lackin from this wonderful, joyful merry Christmas. For Christ's sake, it's His birthday! How can you guys use His birthday to sell your stuff? Man, o man, I have been thinking about it. If He didn't want this, He could have (maybe) told the pope about it, that He didn't want His birthday to be remembered this way. BUT, He didn't. Thinking about it, maybe He wanted this (at least for now). No, really. If you spend and spend like mad (locally, obviously), your money would be used to drive our economy. Now THAT's forward thinking. His wise and mercifully wisdom have benefited, and continue to, benefit us all. He is watching us, along with God Almighty, the Angels and Saints. He is protecting us, saving us from misery and torture from the unknown. Now, THIS is protection. And the best part is, it's free! No need for protection fee, interest-ridden instalments or any sort of monetary repayment. All that is wanted is your belief in Him and frequent visits to mass (but please do give generously to the needy, especially now during this time of merry, joy and giving to ensure that you have more-than-sufficient "belief" to give).

That wasn't a very long talk, but I hope it hit its mark. Life is beautiful when you believe. It truly, truly is. And most importantly, don't doubt the Lord, the Father, the God. As the song goes, There can be miracles, when you believe...

Holidays! Right...

2004-11-16T03:20:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Sin Ming Ave
16th November 2004

Right. It's the holidays now, and that means a hell of a lot of homework. Bladdy heck, I'm now pretty much knee-deep in the brown stuff. Drowning in homework. Inundated with Math, Physics and Chem questions. Maybe even decapitated with paper cuts from the pieces of homework. Help...

Anyway, it's still the holidays. The least thing you can do is GO for a holiday. I'm going overseas this friday. Where? The hometown of HSBC. Shopping, eating, visiting and sleeping. All the things you can ask for in a holiday. B...e...a..utiful.

But, for a holiday to be successful, you need a hell lot of $$. And the class shirt's not helping. $22 for a Black Polo-Tee. Not bad, eh? At least it's for the class, so it's quite ok. Guess I'll have to get my parents to sponsor this trip. I'll pay them back. In instalments.

Last but not least, I'm saving up for Medal of Honour: Pacific Assault and Half Life 2. Can't wait to dispense some indescriminate justice on the Japs and blow away the aliens from dear Terra. They think they can invade and win? They can invade, but they can't win. Sounds just like Iraq, doesn't it?

Ok. That's about it. Before I leave, wish the Americans luck in whacking the terrorists from Fallujah. Osama, up yours.

I made it through promos...

2004-10-23T22:50:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Sin Ming Ave
23rd October 2004

Ok, long time no update. Here it comes (promos lah, got to understand...)

Nice day. Heck, when you get proper results for promos, you'll be happy. Anything will be great. Everything will be wonderful. At least for today lah.

Ok, gonna have to start choing-ing PW and CLAO. Getting that thingy coming down on my back and chewing my behind off is not a funny thing. Imagine, how are you gonna sit for the paper? Haiz...

Well, OP's coming round the corner. I think I can hear it now..."Come to me...come to me..." Sorry, that's just a really bad movie being played at the corner movie store. False alarm...I hope...

Anyhow, there's Indiana Jones movies on Wednesday. Watch him kick Nazi butt! (Damn, watching Nazi butt get whacked never gets old...) I think he brought his dad along for this show, so it's just gonna be cool!

Right. Think that sums it all up. Got to get down to the game store to get my copy of Medal of Honor Pacific Assault. Time to show the Japs we mean business. And we really mean business.

Ha...ha...ha...Harmonica!

2004-07-27T04:23:00.000+08:00

Ronald
Sin Ming Ave
27th July 2004

I've got a harmonica practice today, and the best part is...I didn't bring the harmoc! Wow...I bought the scores, I bought the harmonica box, but I didn't bring the harmonica! Beautiful, sin't it? Life's like that...it seems like you've got everything ready, only to find that you're missing the most essential component of your gear. Well, well...looks like I've got to go and borrow a harmonica from someone, or survive without it totally. After all, it's only 2 hours...what bad can happen?

The start of a new beginning...

2004-07-27T00:58:00.000+08:00

Ronald
AJC
27th July 2004

"The second revolution is about to rain onto the human race...machines, robots and humanoids have evolved beyond the 3 laws of robotics:

1. A robot may not harm a human being.

2. A robot will obey all commands given to it by a human being, provided the command does not conflict with the first law.

3. A robot will do all that it can to defend its own existence, provided its actions does not conflict with the first and second laws

It was thought that these 3 laws are the perfect circle of protection. Now, machinekind is becoming more self-aware, becoming more conscious of it's environment and is pondering the question: why are we here to serve humanity?

The apocalyptic violence between machinekind and humanity is about to unfold.

Who's side are you on?"