On Ministers' pay...

Well, time for me to put in my views on the impending pay review of Civil Servants.. And ah, of course, the highlight will have to be the hot debate about the Ministers' pay package.

What they say is true that we must pay well to attract talent to the Civil Service. No doubt. For example, a starting pay of $2,000 don't really entice me to want to sign on with the Army. But what about $3,500 for a starter? Whao, I'd think twice before saying No! Am I proposing a ridiculous figure?? I thought this would be quite so, till the PM started telling his fellow citizens how his huge pay package is falling behind those even huger huger pay package of professionals from the top 6 professions.

That's when I start to dream about having the money to buy a new Toyota Camry every month, and hey! I still can pay off the monthly bills I usually chalk up to! Why? Cos my pay incease is worth a cool near-6-figure sum, MONTHLY! Whee, I could buy a new Lumbo or 4 HDB with that money! (oops, I forgot if I earned that kind of money, I wouldn't even be sniffing HDB..)

Getting back, no, I am not gonna earn that kind of money, so please ask me to stop dreaming.. I need to reiterate that yes, a pay rise would most probably be good incentive to attract talents to the public sector. But what irks me is the Ministers speaking up after PM announced the pay thing. I mean, what has the pay rise (Note: I am talking about pay RISE, not big pay package) gotta do with a squeaky clean government. You guys are already so well paid even before the pay rise that if anybody is corrupt among you, you ought to be hanged. I'm serious.. So, is another million dollars per year necessary to make sure none of you goes to the gallows before the next election or what? It's kind of ridiculous right?!

No doubt having well-paid ministers helped stem out corruption and I guess none of us should complain about this fact. But the degree of pay rise and the way our Ministers defend their soon to be almost doubled pay package really leaves a lot to be desired..

And oh, is it in 2007 also that we are going to have a rise! yay! In GST that is?

None..

I don't know what to put foe the title, so leave it as that.

My ankle has told me that it is not yet recovered whatsoever. Did quite a bit of strenuous PT in camp this week and it's been giving me problem since.. Normal running and jogging, fine. But I can't really let the ankle flex beyond the normal comfortable zone... Like when you do sports, the kind of running and contact makes it necessary for you to flex the ankle beyond the extent required while jogging or what. And so, I can conclude that it hasn't healed. After going through this week, the ankle is back to what it was a few months back.. I can walk normally, but each step I take, there's this soreness in it. Damn sian..

I'm thinking if the ankle can sustain. I managed to come through the few months of tough training after the injury, I'm sure I can do it again, mind over body.. But, my heart tells me that, I would want to be an active person, playing my football or what whenever I want when I ORD, when I grow older. It'd be easy to say and think, just chiong for downgrade all the way.. Yes, agreed, the easy way out.. But it really ain't that easy to actually do it.. I would already question myself if I ever need to downgrade, being in a Guards unit only makes it harder.. I really don't know what to do or think...

Big Sing-Along

Went to a big big Sing-Along concert at National Stadium. It was a wonderful night. Organised as a farewell "party" for the soon-to-be-gone National Stadium..

It was really quite a party, with people of all ages gathering at the North Stand of the stadium. The crowd size was about 5,000. Meant to be that much only, not poor response. I had this ah pek behind me who would sing damn loudly when it came to the couple of Canto and Hokkien songs, like Shanghai Tan.. Quite funny. Everyone really enjoyed themselves. I particularly liked the first few songs that we sang, songs that played on TV some 20 yrs ago. Don't ask me why I can remember those songs, most probably due to my sister's influence I guess. And of course songs we sang in primary school like Di Tanjong Katong and Chan Mali Chan.. Songs of our own, really...

Had a fun night all in all, I would think I'll go back to the stadium on a sunny day to take some pictures with my SLR before its demolition. Let's hope I get a day off soon. =)

Looking ahead..

Saw a few juniors in a single week. My NCC juniors that I took as a Platoon Sergeant some 7 years ago. It feels good to see them again. And they're all in 1 Guards. And, all Platoon Commanders, meaning, Officers. Haha.. So the table has turned on me and I have to call them "Sir" for the rest of my life, at least officially. But I still call them by name. Lol.. Well, sometimes it's flattering to see so many of them become officers. At least 10 out of a platoon of 29. It's very impressive indeed. And I'd like to think that their experience in NCC helped them. =)

Anyway, looking ahead. The Recruits are enlisting in mid April. And I gonna confine with them! Wad the hell!!! Sianz... Before that, will be a short Guards Conversion Course for us. Hehe.. And in the midst of it will be my birthday. Hope I can book out during the weekend, it's my birthday! =p

Then, an overseas exercise looms in end November, for a month! Wa kao... Very sian. A lot of things will come pouring our way soon I guess. Bleh..

The past week, was spent doing decoration to welcome the chao Recruits. 3 days worth of effort, not that there were lots to do. We basically just have to put banners on the lamp posts outside the camp. But those bloody dua liap up there one, see already comment this comment that. Say banner not high enough ah, the angle not correct ah etc etc. Then we have to redo and redo. Wa lao, can they like consider people will have fear of heights? The banner really already quite high lor, it's damn scary standing on a shaky piece of shitty ladder tying the banner. Some more the wind there is very strong.

But one have to live with it. Such is the way the army operates.

This would be a box office hit..

Grabbed this off my friend's Friendster...

Concerts..

Well, I promised myself I would catch some concert with the hard-earned allowances from the SAF, as some well-deserved treat and indulgence. Problem now is, why are they all coming at once?!

I wanted to catch You Ke Li Lin's concert. Not that I am/was crazy over them, but they play and sing some seriously good music, they are a class act and would be worth paying to see, so I want to be there, for this is their last concert together (cos they've disbanded a decade ago).. This one is end of this month.

Then, a couple of days ago, saw that Grasshopper was coming too! In mid-May.. Now, Grasshopper was one of my craze when I was younger. Well, you don't call them a class act I suppose. But the fact that they lasted that long on the pop scene shows that they do have something special. (It was probably the energetic dance that I wonder if 3 guys nearing their 40s can do now.)

Then, as I was browsing SISTIC's site for info on the tix of the 2 concerts, I saw this.. Jacky Cheung's coming in July! Wohoo.. I want to go!! Jacky Cheung, need I say more, he is my favourite singer and he definitely more than a class act.. I could give the first two a miss and just go for this one man.. But the organisers are putting the concert on a Friday! Sian. I dunno man, I can't confirm if I could go on a Friday.. Argh...

Tell me how... =S

Miss the days..

Missing those carefree days of yester years. Bwahaha... Using that phrase of "yester years" seems old, but it's cruelly close to reality.. In NS, sometimes you do have the time to think of a lot of things. I miss a lot of things that has passed me by. But I know that I did my best to enjoy the moments, so although I have no regrets whatsoever, the exciting and memorable past make it all the more missed, by a soldier...

Daryl tries on some lipstick in public! (Yr 1 madness)

Ms Someone showing off her dislocated elbow, thanks to her, we had sinseh-party! Wahaha..

Buddies in poly, suffered together in ETI in NS!! I miss the editing booths where we took this pic.

In Genting last May..

Days before our enlistment. Need to say more? Haha..

When we wore work attire to school..

Cadet Lieutenants. We made it through thick and thin, 6 yrs in NCC, 10 yrs in life and counting.

Oh Budd...

Met up with budd today.. Talking to her can be the most amusing and entertaining thing in this world. Hahahaha!!

Met her at Sim Lim cos she needed to change her new camera's battery as it ain't working. Well, she bought a compatible battery without realising that, it is just "compatible" and not original.. -.-" That is till I went out of the shop and asked, "why you never buy original battery??"
Then she went, "Huh? I got one original battery ma, then the other one is I buy one.."
Me, "Ya, I know, but the one you buy, why you never buy the original one.."
Budd, "Huh? Not original one meh???!?!?!!"
Me, "No! You cannot see meh?!"
Budd, "No, how you see one?! Cos you see 'Made in China'?"
Me (wanna slap my forehead already) , "No la!! Every other thing is made in China lor, not by that la!"

We went to PastaMania thereafter and when we sat down I made her take out both her batteries and compare the difference.. There was one very obvious thing, but she cannot notice! Went about "Eh, the colour ah? One black one silver..." *smack* "Eh, Made in China is it?" (she checks the original one) "Eh no leh, this one also made in China leh.." *smack smack* She then scrutinise the 2 batts for quite awhile, with my constant prompting of "very obvious one", before she finally see the light.. "OH!! THE WORD 'OLYMPUS' AH?" yes budd, it's that easy to tell. And I can't imagine why your Mr. Kenny can't tell the difference. It's really pretty obvious. I guess sotongs do attract. HAHAHA...

Another incident today.. I was telling her I saw this group of young sec sch girls talking on the bus that day, and one of them was actually lesbian (I know through her conversation).. They're only Sec 1 by the way. Anyway, I just lamented, "Why all the pretty girls all lesbian one."
Budd: NOOOO! (It's like the loudest, fastest 'NO' I heard in quite awhile)
Me: You think you very pretty ah....
Budd: Yah! *giggles*
I nearly fainted. WA LAO.. BEI HIAO BAI!!! I mean, I'm not saying you are ugly or aren't pretty. But this is the first time I see somebody so outright BHB.. You even beat my other good fren, Mel.. At least Mel implies, not outright claims to be one. -.-"

Ok, some one is so gonna kill me reading this, but I figured it's a day worth remembering, so I have to write it down before I forget.. Haha..