100 days...

One of my sms at the stroke of midnight this morning read, "Get the champagne ready, 100 more days to freedom!" It was from Daryl. I've beenthe one who constantly harass him and my BMT buddy whenever it's the 5th day of the month, reminding them that it's "1 Year or 6 months" or whatever number of months left to finish our service. Well, I was gonna do the 100 days thingy, but the past week has really been hell.

Apart from being sick, I went back to camp on Wednesday to find that there was shit load to do and prepare for my Batallion going on standby. Packing of field packs, drawing of stores, drawing of map overlays etc etc. It was hell.. I had 2 days MC and I already felt that the week was tormenting, just imagine if I had been working since Monday. To compile the misery, or rather my misery, I, along with my 2 fellow Pioneer sect comd was called to do guard duty at the last moment yesterday. 2NTM... Really 2NTM.. (well, for the standby, we have this 2NTM thing which stands for 2 hours notice to move, which means u gotta be ready to take on any tasks given to your company or batallion within 2 hours..) We were notified that we're activated for guard duty at 2pm... Guard duty officially starts at 6pm, but we usually go to the guard room to prepare at 4pm. So, there you have it, 2NTM. Goodness..

And the reason for this last minute activation? Well, my batallion was going to have this handing over and taking over ceremony of 1st year commanders to 2nd year commanders. Practically, all 3rd Sgts (which is my rank and my peers who have been working with me for the past year in the batallion) handed over their duties to the newbies, except for my platoon. Because, sadly, my newbies who'll take over me are still undergoing training and will not graduate until mid-March. Sigh. These guys who handed over their duties are either 2 or 6 weeks away from their ORD.. Yah, though it's plain obvious I'm going to leave much later than them and shouldn't be complaining here like a whiny kid, but just imagine, we've been through the past year together.. Whatever they've done, I've done with them. What separates us is that they enlisted 3 months earlier, and got posted into my unit 3 months earlier, which coincidentally, was the lull period. Which means, the extra 3 months that they've serve more than me, was basically to do nothing? It's just plain bad timing I know. But they were getting a big fanfare, send off, show of gratitude from the batallion, and there I was, scanning visitors' IC, checking vehicles, standing from 5.30pm all the way till 12am, standing in for somebody who's getting his plaque and busy packing his stuff to bring home. IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE MY DUTY! Arghh..

I just hope, and I'm praying real hard, that this kind of last minute changes will not happen in my last 100 days in Army. Give me a break.

"Ask not what the country can do for you, but what you can do for the country" rang in my head several times yesterday evening. I think this sentence can only work its wonder of motivating oneself if both have done something for each other.. What have I got from the organisation in the past 19 months?

Taken ill.

Been taken ill. Same old sinus problem creeping in.. My doc shone a torch to see my throat and nasea, and said "Wa, your nose blocked until go Lao Pa Sat liao".. Haha..

Now whole body damn nuah. Thanks to the medicine.. This afternoon ate the flu pill, within one hour I couldn't take it anymore and just went to sleep. It's a damn power small pill, coincidentally light blue in colour too! haha..

Elated, shagged.

Happy, elated to be exact but shagged out at the same time..

Elated cos I got marksman for my live firing 2 days ago!! Wheee!! Damn proud of myself.. And it did came as a little surprise.. But whatever it is, I've done myself proud and I've really got that much more confidence in my shooting now.. =)

It's been a long while since I've worked non-stop in a week. Where training in camp is back to back. I haven't got proper sleep since last week. Not too good.. Time to catch up on lost sleep this weekend, and yet not to miss out on the fun..

Anyway, yet to say that, I'll be going for a scope op in March to try and solve my ankle problem. The doc actually suggested a reconstruction surgery, but I was really hesitant about it. It's kind of too big scale and invasive a surgery I guess.. Because my ligament isn't torn yet, at least from the scan results 9 months ago.. So chose to do something much less invasive. He's basically going to open up a small hole, insert pinhole camera inside my ankle and see if there's any scar tissues that's causing pain in my ankle and clear it up. Hopefully it'll take some pain away, though I think the bulk of the problem will persist (judging by how my ankle is aching now after running up and down live firing chambers for 2 days).. We'll see..

CNY is around the corner, and I can't wait!!! =)

Applied..

I've put in my application for overseas studies today! Like finally! Haha.. Well, applied for mass comm related courses at 3 universities in Perth and Brisbane. Applied at QUT, UQ and Murdoch. Will basically have no problems getting in. So it's a matter what they offer me and what I really want to do at the end of the day.

I was advised by the councellor to consider one of the top 8 universities (Aust have this Group of 8 Universities thingy), as it'd most probably mean that my degree is more recognised in Singapore, even in the civil service. Well.. Good point there, but I realised after talking to the lecturers at the exhibition that, what I'm going to study is also important. Is it going to interest me? Cos if it doesn't, then I think I'll struggle to do well... So it's really the weighing of things here.. Murdoch's mass comm programmes is very well recognised in the media industry here.. And I can see the course structure is good and they're sorta the only one (out of the universities I'm considering) to have a faculty for Mass comm. Speaks of how established their Mass comm is.. Only concern is, if I'm gonna go into govt sector, which I can't possibly rule myself out totally, will the degree be recognised? A hint that it might be is that, the medicine course in Murdoch is recognised by the Doctor's Profession association in Singapore. Hmmm...

Well, at least something off my mind now and can wait till the offer comes, and probably sound out more stuffs and if any necessary changes is to be made, there's still quite a lot of time to do so. =)

It's 2008!

Happy New Year everyone! It's 2008! Whee!

Time flies, in a way.. I can still remember I blogged about wanting to set a new year resolution 12 months ago. Haha, and it is now 2008 already!! (For the record, I ended up not setting any new year resolution.) -.-"

Well, I've sorta got my resolution for this year, and maybe couple of years later. I might think harder to get a more detailed one, but the rough idea is there. I must really study hard and get good grades! This is no bullshit, not an easy way out in setting my resolution, but something really hit me today and I must make sure I see it through..

Everything's looking bright and good. 4 more months to ORD. I seriously can't wait! CNY is round the corner again!! I love CNY. I just hope my CNY don't get burnt cos of stand-by. *prays*

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! May 2008 be a better year for all!