2010 annual report

Hi all! To whoever still bothers to read this pathetic space that only update once a week.

It’s the last day of the year and so, here’s an annual end of the year ‘reflection’ again! Ok, it’s more of a summary of what happened this year, as usual. I had the idea of uploading photos to mark certain significant events, but I’m too lazy to do so and I’m kinda in a rush to get out of the house. So, here it goes, a quick one I hope.

I kick started the year with an outrageous trip to Bintan, aka the Scam Island. The nasi goreng was ultimate hilarious. I really enjoyed the trip. Just a bunch of guys, childish, yet matured enough to take care of themselves, and their brothers in arms. Somehow, i hope i can go on another trip with them. We might have changed a significant lot by the end of this year, but i think the core, the character of the person will never change. If he is funny, he is funny. If he is a leader, he will always be one. And 4 of those who went are deemed leaders of this country. These are the people i can trust my life with.

And after enough fooling around in scam island, i resided in another island for 9 weeks. The island of pulau tekong. It was tough, tougher than i thought, but i survived it and was elated during the Passing out Parade. Honoured to be in the drill squad, which came in 2nd, and as such, was in the front row of the parade. It wasn’t grand, but i guess it’s enough to mark this significant milestone of my life. Loved my section, and i’m sure my section loved me. They thought so highly of me, and i think they are the ones who got me a ticket to a ride of my lifetime. And so, i was posted to Officer Cadet School after the pop. I was all geared up and ready for the tough infantry training, the jungle confidence course in brunei, the unlimted route marches, the crazy field camps and tough mental challenges to go through. I was posted to an unusual Wing. Sierra. There were a billion regulars, mostly air force and navy sign ons. And i was kinda out of place. The 3 weeks there was quite ok, just getting used to life in Safti. However, i was tempted to sign on. I thought hard about my future during those 3 weeks, after the a level results were released. There was sort of a plan. But i consulted my parents and they said, ‘wait, don’t be hasty.’ I guess those were the wisest words i heard for a long time. I was young and naive, easily influenced, and didn’t know i was playing with probably my whole life. So i thought, yea, ok i shall listen. We’ll wait. And i waited.

On the last day in Sierra, i received the news that i was going to Air Wing. The plane has come to save my soul from torture. I was jumping for joy and telling the whole world the news. I was one lucky idiot out of how many others to be able to go to Ground Based Air Defence. And so i served my service term of 7 weeks in Air Wing OCS. I met a 26 year old uncle who talked sense and gave me precious advice. He ‘s a Mechanical Engineering grad of NTU and told me about his life, his decisions, his WRONG decisions, his regrets and mistakes. He didn’t want me to make the same mistakes and we spent one whole night talking. I probably grew 3 years older after the session. He left the Wing early since he was a non combatant and required 2 weeks less training. So i lived alone in my room for 2 weeks, settling unconventional stuff like getting a Social Night date and figuring out what to wear that won’t get me confined. The 7 weeks was bad enough with politics and stuff, i didn’t want any more crap. I realised I had so few female friends to ask and even had to turn to my motherly ‘sister’ for help. That was how desperate i was when the date drew near. And so, that s how i met a saviour in xunqi to help me out. The build up to the event was kinda hectic, but i guess everything paid off. It was expensive, but somehow worth it. Part of officership training is handling this kind of events, knowing what to do, and of course, having fun ultimately. And perhaps, it’s training to grow up, be a gentleman, and make more female friends before i start seeing guys as attractive. Social Night was a significant day of 2010.

After the 7 weeks in Safti, i left for Air Force Training Command in Paya Lebar. I can’t disclose much about training, but all i can say is that it’s tough in some ways, relax in others. 26 weeks. It wasn’t easy. But yet i pulled through again. Yes, without my knees giving way or me doing stupid things. It was a rather smooth sailing 6 months. I made a bunch of great buddies, who i believe, will be of definite help to me in future. As they call us – the scholar batch. All except me of course. The RSAF Combined Graduation Ceremony went all well, i received the sword all officers receive, got my wings to signify the Air Warfare Officer vocation, wore the No.2 ‘suit’ for the fine dining. And after all that training, i’m back in Safti, rehearsing for the finale. The commissioning parade on 15 January 2011.

That was about the entire NS life i had so far.

In between, i started to learn driving, manual, and will be taking the test on 1st March 2011. I also decided to diversify my qualifications and signed up for ACCA, of which night lessons begin next week so that i can fully utilize my time now. I guess this should be the path i’m taking afterall. Yup, it was a great year of ups and downs (as always) and this is the year i learnt the most life skills. Skills like living independently, which i m kinda loving it, social skills, time management (which still needs brushing up), DECISIVENESS which improved a lot and perhaps brotherhood..

This is the stage where i grow up, choose my path, pave it, and work towards it. I shall end this post with what i dreamt last night. It’s significant i guess, the last dream of 2010. And it woke me up at 4am, and i couldn’t sleep anymore. The details are kinda difficult to type out, but i think i can draw one conclusion from it. I think i’ve decided i should know someone better.

That’s it, folks. I don’t really like to set resolutions, so i shall keep it that way. Come what may, 2011!!