Saturday, April 26, 2008
Came back from another DOTA game session. I have been playing DOTA with my platoon mates a lot recently. Last book out I played with them, I played with them again this book out and thursday's nights out. I don't know if I am addicted to Warcraft yet again but I think I play so much because I need a place to vent all my stress out.
Life as a trainee is always the worst. Sometimes I really wonder what the fuck am I doing all these for. Days in SISPEC has only become tougher not simpler. SBO is like parts and puzzles of life both in camp and outfield. Helmet really can't get any stinkier (and remain as stinky after countless washes). Soon LBV will join in the fun and I will be a stinky warrior all over.
I am tired, mentally tired, physically tired, and tired of waking up everyday at 0530 thinking that it is another long day ahead. I just wanna lead a normal life, seriously.
Thanks to the new syllabus, BSLC only lasts for 8 weeks, which covers almost everything in the old BSLC syllabus which actually lasted 10 weeks. Days become so compact and we have PT and SOC to do right after an outfield and the next day had similiar intensity of PT. Everyday I just knock out at 1030, literally KO. It is a good sleep, but not enough. Not enough to recover from the fatigue from the previous training. Plus the schedule is so compact that there is hardly any time to SIB (slack in bunk) in the afternoon. Even if there is one, we will usually be called to do "honourable duty" of loading/unloading stores for activities and outfield trainings. Since we are supposed to be "leaders of six men" in the future, we need to know what to do next time as a spec, so we have to do most of the stores on our own to learn. Thats when I start to hate being the Duty Platoon. I remember in BMT, duty platoon doesn't do much. The safety specs do most of the setting up of water point and collection of ice. Blah blah..
Friday afternoon I talked to one of my section mates. Really a good chat, not in the intellectual sense but I learn the perspective of someone who thinks NS is a chore. He is, to some extent, largely individualistic and a perfectionist. Hence he can't stand it when we have to wait for everyone to fall in before we can continue our next activity. Like I have said before, army is about how fast the last person falls in - the rate determining step. As a perfectionist, he cannot allow himself to be the last in the team, yet he can't take it when he has to wait for the last slowpoke to take his time to fall in. I am not saying that his mentality is wrong. Everyone's character is different and we can't say exactly what is right or wrong. If everyone has the same mentality as him, our platoon will be the most efficient platoon. However, there is just some people who are slower than the rest. So the fastest has to wait for the faster people and the faster people have to wait for the fast people. The list goes on..
Talking about efficiency. I really think my section is one of the most efficient section in the platoon. We will always reveille at 0530 sharp, and still fall in at 0545. Even if we have to fall in with long 4 LBV, we still managed to wear everything and fall in (somehow, really, not forgetting we did our wash up in the morning). I am really quite proud of that, hehe.
I am now listening to the recordings of Capriccio XXII and XXIII. Really nostalgic. I can still remember how I played (the out of tempo beats, wrong keys, as well as the correct parts la) last time. Really miss band. I really enjoyed myself attending practice sessions. Even when I was waiting like 60% of my time for my parts to be played, I still feel that I have a part to play in making a meaningful music and that I feel belonged to a team. I shared the same sentiments back in BMT. Back then, the platoon could really work together and achieve the "efficiency". Everyone knows what each of us is supposed to do and we do it swiftly. But now, I don't feel that my platoon is bonded at all. Section 1 and 2 are the noisiest of the company, and section 5 seems to be in their own world all the time. (Can't really blame them, all the section 5s are at the 5th floor while the rest of the sections (1-4) is in second floor). There is a clear distinction between the sections, mainly due to the difference in education level. But I like my section the best, heh. We have good mix of people, like korean hearthrob, grandel (spelling?) and the most famous Taiwan Lapchiong. Yesh that is my new nickname in my platoon. I can't really describe it, but my section is really cute. Really a good variety of people.
Alrighty, I have better sleep soon. Still have to prepare for my essay test and interview on sunday and monday respectively. Wish me luck, I shall try my best to get in and become a MO. Bwahahaha.
PTE Y T CHI, out.
Life as a trainee is always the worst. Sometimes I really wonder what the fuck am I doing all these for. Days in SISPEC has only become tougher not simpler. SBO is like parts and puzzles of life both in camp and outfield. Helmet really can't get any stinkier (and remain as stinky after countless washes). Soon LBV will join in the fun and I will be a stinky warrior all over.
I am tired, mentally tired, physically tired, and tired of waking up everyday at 0530 thinking that it is another long day ahead. I just wanna lead a normal life, seriously.
Thanks to the new syllabus, BSLC only lasts for 8 weeks, which covers almost everything in the old BSLC syllabus which actually lasted 10 weeks. Days become so compact and we have PT and SOC to do right after an outfield and the next day had similiar intensity of PT. Everyday I just knock out at 1030, literally KO. It is a good sleep, but not enough. Not enough to recover from the fatigue from the previous training. Plus the schedule is so compact that there is hardly any time to SIB (slack in bunk) in the afternoon. Even if there is one, we will usually be called to do "honourable duty" of loading/unloading stores for activities and outfield trainings. Since we are supposed to be "leaders of six men" in the future, we need to know what to do next time as a spec, so we have to do most of the stores on our own to learn. Thats when I start to hate being the Duty Platoon. I remember in BMT, duty platoon doesn't do much. The safety specs do most of the setting up of water point and collection of ice. Blah blah..
Friday afternoon I talked to one of my section mates. Really a good chat, not in the intellectual sense but I learn the perspective of someone who thinks NS is a chore. He is, to some extent, largely individualistic and a perfectionist. Hence he can't stand it when we have to wait for everyone to fall in before we can continue our next activity. Like I have said before, army is about how fast the last person falls in - the rate determining step. As a perfectionist, he cannot allow himself to be the last in the team, yet he can't take it when he has to wait for the last slowpoke to take his time to fall in. I am not saying that his mentality is wrong. Everyone's character is different and we can't say exactly what is right or wrong. If everyone has the same mentality as him, our platoon will be the most efficient platoon. However, there is just some people who are slower than the rest. So the fastest has to wait for the faster people and the faster people have to wait for the fast people. The list goes on..
Talking about efficiency. I really think my section is one of the most efficient section in the platoon. We will always reveille at 0530 sharp, and still fall in at 0545. Even if we have to fall in with long 4 LBV, we still managed to wear everything and fall in (somehow, really, not forgetting we did our wash up in the morning). I am really quite proud of that, hehe.
I am now listening to the recordings of Capriccio XXII and XXIII. Really nostalgic. I can still remember how I played (the out of tempo beats, wrong keys, as well as the correct parts la) last time. Really miss band. I really enjoyed myself attending practice sessions. Even when I was waiting like 60% of my time for my parts to be played, I still feel that I have a part to play in making a meaningful music and that I feel belonged to a team. I shared the same sentiments back in BMT. Back then, the platoon could really work together and achieve the "efficiency". Everyone knows what each of us is supposed to do and we do it swiftly. But now, I don't feel that my platoon is bonded at all. Section 1 and 2 are the noisiest of the company, and section 5 seems to be in their own world all the time. (Can't really blame them, all the section 5s are at the 5th floor while the rest of the sections (1-4) is in second floor). There is a clear distinction between the sections, mainly due to the difference in education level. But I like my section the best, heh. We have good mix of people, like korean hearthrob, grandel (spelling?) and the most famous Taiwan Lapchiong. Yesh that is my new nickname in my platoon. I can't really describe it, but my section is really cute. Really a good variety of people.
Alrighty, I have better sleep soon. Still have to prepare for my essay test and interview on sunday and monday respectively. Wish me luck, I shall try my best to get in and become a MO. Bwahahaha.
PTE Y T CHI, out.
sharkfin fullstopped here
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Time flies really fast. Each week in army I looked forward to book out day and, poof! 4 weeks have passed since I entered BSLC.
You know what is the difference between a recruit and a private/trainee? As a private we are given much more freedom to manage our own timings and things to do, as opposed to being a chao recruit when we have to follow the timing given by sergeants strictly (and often resulted in rushing-to-wait syndrome). However, that does not mean that the inefficiency of the SAF is eliminated as a trainee in SISPEC. I have come to the conclusion that in the army, it is not about how fast you complete what you are supposed to do, it is about how slow the last person finishes his job (AKA rate determining step). Naturally, no one wants to be the first to fall in downstairs and made ourselves stand under the hot sun waiting for slowpokes who are obviously taking their own sweet time or can't be bothered to run down to fall in. Therefore, people start to fall in later and later hoping that they can be the last few to get there and yet get away with being reprimanded for falling in late. Unlike in BMT, a recruit will get punished severely for seconds late at the company line. I can't tell for sure if the sergeants are slack or can't be bothered with discipline of the trainees after so many batches of BSLC, but I can say that they are letting us run the show and they are the spectators of this tug-of-war between appointment holders (section i/c, platoon i/c, company i/c) and trainees. As long as the training syllabus is met, they will think that their job is done.
Bah
While the discpline standard is not comparable to that in BMT, the training is definitely tougher than in BMT. The sergeants may not be strict when we are doing our regimental duties, but when it comes to training they are ruthlessly cruel (not in the sense of torturing but mental stress, especially the appointment holders). It is especially torturing for company I/C, because he has so many things to do, so many orders to issue because the sergeants refuse to step in (and of course, when they step in, that means all hell breaks loose). I have been so far, fortunate enough not to be appointed as Leader Sergeant Major (LSM, aka company I/C). It is not a lot of saikang to do, but it is just a hell load of stress when everyone is asking you for instructions. He is the one, usually, first to wake up and last to sleep. He will be asked to fall in downstairs anytime for instructions from the sergeants so his mind has to always be on high alert. 3 days of duty are often extended to 4 or even 5 days. If I ever become one, I really don't know what would become of me after that week, lol.
Army life aside, I have just been informed that I am shortlisted for NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Well, not really a big achievement, seriously. I will have to go through 2 rounds of interviews and one essay test. After 4 months in army, I don't know how much my english has deterioriated. It is probably bad, really bad, because I have been listening to sub-standard English in the army. The assessors will probably be laughing their heads off when they see the essay I am gonna write. Well, I am just gonna hope for the best. Interview-wise, I am not so confident. I have never really gone for an official interview and my first interview is gonna be of such importance to my future. Sounds scary huh? Furthermore, the interview is just less than 10 days away, and i am gonna spend 3/4 of that time in the army doing nothing of relevance to what I wanna pursue in the future. Heh, I am really running out of time to prepare myself ready for the interview now..
If I get into medicine, that means disruption of NS for me! Hahaha, yeah, I am already dreaming of the 3 bars as a MO now. Even the OCS-graduates are gonna salute to me next time! Wahahaha, yeah man, dream on. =.=
You know what is the difference between a recruit and a private/trainee? As a private we are given much more freedom to manage our own timings and things to do, as opposed to being a chao recruit when we have to follow the timing given by sergeants strictly (and often resulted in rushing-to-wait syndrome). However, that does not mean that the inefficiency of the SAF is eliminated as a trainee in SISPEC. I have come to the conclusion that in the army, it is not about how fast you complete what you are supposed to do, it is about how slow the last person finishes his job (AKA rate determining step). Naturally, no one wants to be the first to fall in downstairs and made ourselves stand under the hot sun waiting for slowpokes who are obviously taking their own sweet time or can't be bothered to run down to fall in. Therefore, people start to fall in later and later hoping that they can be the last few to get there and yet get away with being reprimanded for falling in late. Unlike in BMT, a recruit will get punished severely for seconds late at the company line. I can't tell for sure if the sergeants are slack or can't be bothered with discipline of the trainees after so many batches of BSLC, but I can say that they are letting us run the show and they are the spectators of this tug-of-war between appointment holders (section i/c, platoon i/c, company i/c) and trainees. As long as the training syllabus is met, they will think that their job is done.
Bah
While the discpline standard is not comparable to that in BMT, the training is definitely tougher than in BMT. The sergeants may not be strict when we are doing our regimental duties, but when it comes to training they are ruthlessly cruel (not in the sense of torturing but mental stress, especially the appointment holders). It is especially torturing for company I/C, because he has so many things to do, so many orders to issue because the sergeants refuse to step in (and of course, when they step in, that means all hell breaks loose). I have been so far, fortunate enough not to be appointed as Leader Sergeant Major (LSM, aka company I/C). It is not a lot of saikang to do, but it is just a hell load of stress when everyone is asking you for instructions. He is the one, usually, first to wake up and last to sleep. He will be asked to fall in downstairs anytime for instructions from the sergeants so his mind has to always be on high alert. 3 days of duty are often extended to 4 or even 5 days. If I ever become one, I really don't know what would become of me after that week, lol.
Army life aside, I have just been informed that I am shortlisted for NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Well, not really a big achievement, seriously. I will have to go through 2 rounds of interviews and one essay test. After 4 months in army, I don't know how much my english has deterioriated. It is probably bad, really bad, because I have been listening to sub-standard English in the army. The assessors will probably be laughing their heads off when they see the essay I am gonna write. Well, I am just gonna hope for the best. Interview-wise, I am not so confident. I have never really gone for an official interview and my first interview is gonna be of such importance to my future. Sounds scary huh? Furthermore, the interview is just less than 10 days away, and i am gonna spend 3/4 of that time in the army doing nothing of relevance to what I wanna pursue in the future. Heh, I am really running out of time to prepare myself ready for the interview now..
If I get into medicine, that means disruption of NS for me! Hahaha, yeah, I am already dreaming of the 3 bars as a MO now. Even the OCS-graduates are gonna salute to me next time! Wahahaha, yeah man, dream on. =.=
sharkfin fullstopped here
Saturday, April 05, 2008
I can more or less tell what is the main difference between a JC student and a Poly student. Their characters are different. Though I am not generalising that all poly students are rowdy and unruly nor am I saying all JC students are supposed to be more disciplined and down-to-earth, I can say that poly students tend to be more spontaneous and street-smart while JC students are more reserved and keep comments to themselves.
In my platoon, there is a significant increase in the proportion of NSFs with poly background as compared to my BMT platoon. I have spoken to some of them individually. They are really nice people, but they tend to get a little annoying with they are together with the likes of them. As the saying goes, togetherness is power. They can act really rowdy when they are together, sometimes to the extent of being disrespectful and irritating. Especially behind the backs of those in power, they get really playful. I am not saying that we should all behave as angelic and innocent as we are in front of the sergeants (even to the extent of wayang-ing), but there is also a limit to being playful.
We all want to slack, we all don't really wanna do things the "proper" way even if we think otherwise, so we all play afool when no one is looking at us. When we get punished, everyone start pushing the blames on one another. like, wtf? It really gets onto my nerves sometimes.
And good that we all got a one time good time, we ought to really be whacked for all the things we do in front of them and behind them.
Sometimes, I also think if they are the people I am gonna work with for the next 6 weeks. Then again, they are really not a bunch of hooligans, they just become bolder with their friends around. Individually, they don't really dare to whoop up too much trouble. Hopefully, we all will be able to work hard together and play hard as a whole, too.
In my platoon, there is a significant increase in the proportion of NSFs with poly background as compared to my BMT platoon. I have spoken to some of them individually. They are really nice people, but they tend to get a little annoying with they are together with the likes of them. As the saying goes, togetherness is power. They can act really rowdy when they are together, sometimes to the extent of being disrespectful and irritating. Especially behind the backs of those in power, they get really playful. I am not saying that we should all behave as angelic and innocent as we are in front of the sergeants (even to the extent of wayang-ing), but there is also a limit to being playful.
We all want to slack, we all don't really wanna do things the "proper" way even if we think otherwise, so we all play afool when no one is looking at us. When we get punished, everyone start pushing the blames on one another. like, wtf? It really gets onto my nerves sometimes.
And good that we all got a one time good time, we ought to really be whacked for all the things we do in front of them and behind them.
Sometimes, I also think if they are the people I am gonna work with for the next 6 weeks. Then again, they are really not a bunch of hooligans, they just become bolder with their friends around. Individually, they don't really dare to whoop up too much trouble. Hopefully, we all will be able to work hard together and play hard as a whole, too.
sharkfin fullstopped here