Hi ppl.. this blogpost is suppose to be up by yesterday.. but sumhow, it got erased.. so i have to do all these in 10mins b4 i rush off to camp!! so can't really explain much..
last wk got live firing of 2 weapons and also juz finish a 24 hrs exercise (which is practically guard duty.. and surviving on only like 2hrs sleep).. so slept quite a lot yesterday..
the exercise was suppose to be from thurs-fri afternoon.. but then my major said no good.. so he declared tat to be a practice!! we are so tired by the time we did the actual exercise (which is frm fri-sat morning).. becos' on thurs morning (the sgts thinking tat it wld be a real exercise), they turn us out at 1am in the morning with only 3hrs sleep the previous nite and there we march over to the site and stayed there till evening.. was trying very hard to keep awake until evening.. but manage to do it.. and until the major said tat was a practice exercise and everyone was so pissed off.. ah.. watever!!
to end off, got 3 prayer requests:
(a) got scolded by my platoon sgt as I did not react to a event which happen in the exercise (everyone was suppose to react to it immediately!.. but then, i was partly lazy but then also waiting for further instructions.. so sway sway, i got so called "blamed" for not reacting..).. my name was recorded down even though i tried explaining.. but they didn't bother.. so pray tat i will have NO confinement or punishment or anything of tat sort.. thanx..
(b) have a GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun) live firing tml.. so as usual, pray for me to remember my drills, not to misfire, etc and most impt for safety.. thanx..
(c)this wk i have an OC nite, where i wld be performing Michael W. Smith's "Friends".. so ya.. pray for me abt tat too ya.. pray for NO stagefright, etc.. thanx..
ok.. this time really got to run.. im running late..
read more abt. me this wkend..
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Zoom.. and the weekend is gone!
Haiz.. here am I writing my last words for this week b4 I do the same old routine every week (ie, to bk in..)..
You all maybe wondering why I'm bking today (Sat) instead of tml (Sun).. the reason is simple.. becos' tml morning, I got live firing of 2 different weapons.. so tonite have to bk-in.. haiz.. this means family outings and church is gonna be a miss for me this wk.. *deep sigh*..
So as usual, if you all read this blogpost in time (ie, b4 sun), then pls. pray for me in terms of like nothing (be it minor or serious - eg: misfire, etc) will happen to me and the drills of the weapons I will remember if the drills are needed on the spot! Juz pray for me ya.. thanx.. =)
Well.. so to compensate lost time tml, my family went out yesterday for dinner and at the same time, shop for my top for CNY.. shop for abt. an hour b4 deciding on an OP T-shirt..
Was also suppose to treat my family to dinner yesterday but then queues were long at every restaurant we go and also I wanted to give them something extraordinary.. something we had not tried b4.. we found some places but then it was way too expensive.. so in the end, I postpone the treat to some other days and in the end, we ate in foodcourt.. we actually find places to eat for abt 2 hrs!!
this morning, met up with my friend, Marcus, to watch "Meet The Fockers".. its quite a crude show though.. but i did not really laugh.. oh well.. maybe my $8.50 was not well spent??
and then after the show, we proceeded to Scotts Foodcourt to eat lunch.. we ate Thai food (ie, the Jerk Thai stall).. quite ok.. this is the 2nd time we ate the food.. we now koe wat is nice and wat is not nice.. but then, we ate a vermicilli salad which was not nice and not worth it.. its $5 and its consider expensive!! wanted to eat mango salad, but no more already.. so oh well.. now we koe!!
well today, I'm suppose to attend my cousin's b'day dinner at my uncle hse.. my grandma is cooking Peranakan food for dinner.. but then, its juz too bad tat I need to bk in tonite.. haiz.. *tearing..*
so I'll be home alone for a while later becos' my family wld all be gone.. so ya..
well.. gtg and buy dinner and watch TV a while b4 zooming off to camp..
Signing off with a deep sigh..
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
You all maybe wondering why I'm bking today (Sat) instead of tml (Sun).. the reason is simple.. becos' tml morning, I got live firing of 2 different weapons.. so tonite have to bk-in.. haiz.. this means family outings and church is gonna be a miss for me this wk.. *deep sigh*..
So as usual, if you all read this blogpost in time (ie, b4 sun), then pls. pray for me in terms of like nothing (be it minor or serious - eg: misfire, etc) will happen to me and the drills of the weapons I will remember if the drills are needed on the spot! Juz pray for me ya.. thanx.. =)
Well.. so to compensate lost time tml, my family went out yesterday for dinner and at the same time, shop for my top for CNY.. shop for abt. an hour b4 deciding on an OP T-shirt..
Was also suppose to treat my family to dinner yesterday but then queues were long at every restaurant we go and also I wanted to give them something extraordinary.. something we had not tried b4.. we found some places but then it was way too expensive.. so in the end, I postpone the treat to some other days and in the end, we ate in foodcourt.. we actually find places to eat for abt 2 hrs!!
this morning, met up with my friend, Marcus, to watch "Meet The Fockers".. its quite a crude show though.. but i did not really laugh.. oh well.. maybe my $8.50 was not well spent??
and then after the show, we proceeded to Scotts Foodcourt to eat lunch.. we ate Thai food (ie, the Jerk Thai stall).. quite ok.. this is the 2nd time we ate the food.. we now koe wat is nice and wat is not nice.. but then, we ate a vermicilli salad which was not nice and not worth it.. its $5 and its consider expensive!! wanted to eat mango salad, but no more already.. so oh well.. now we koe!!
well today, I'm suppose to attend my cousin's b'day dinner at my uncle hse.. my grandma is cooking Peranakan food for dinner.. but then, its juz too bad tat I need to bk in tonite.. haiz.. *tearing..*
so I'll be home alone for a while later becos' my family wld all be gone.. so ya..
well.. gtg and buy dinner and watch TV a while b4 zooming off to camp..
Signing off with a deep sigh..
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
Food for thought...
Hey ppl.. juz remembered something which my army major (we call him S3) said during his SAF 9-core values lecture and it made me ponder on this quote for a while.. I didn't understand it until he explained it!!
The quote is as follows:
It actually boils down to the word, BELIEF..
I dun really koe how to explain it in words.. its beyond my apprehension.. so wat can I say.. except to say,
GO FIGURE!!
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
The quote is as follows:
"Going to Church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than going to MacDonald's makes u a hamburger."
It actually boils down to the word, BELIEF..
I dun really koe how to explain it in words.. its beyond my apprehension.. so wat can I say.. except to say,
GO FIGURE!!
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
Friday, January 21, 2005
Where was God when the Tsunami hit??
"WHEN bad things happen, we start reaching for moral, or spiritual answers.
So it was with the undersea quake and tsunami on Dec 26 that has killed over 150,000 people, many of them poor folk in coastal villages across Asia.
Why them? And if there is a God, how can he allow this to happen?
The so-called problem of suffering is one of the oldest and thorniest in philosophy and theology.
The Why question is tough to grapple with when life deals you a blow, whether it's losing a loved one or being stricken by a serious illness.
The Book of Job in the Bible is one classic which deals with this issue: The story of a good, innocent man who loses his health, property and family for no seeming reason.
Then there's Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, in which Ivan the atheist articulates the challenge that innocent suffering poses to belief in God.
Put simply, there are three responses.
One is the atheistic response: Since suffering exists and is incompatible with a good, powerful God, God does not exist.
Two: Since God is good and powerful, those who suffer must have done something wrong to deserve it (either in their current lives or past lives, or perhaps through the taint of original sin).
It is true that some people's behaviour brings suffering to themselves. But unless you believe in sins from past lives, suffering visited on the innocent, say, infants, does not square with our sense of justice.
The third approach: God is good and powerful, and there must be a purpose to suffering, but we can't see it because of our finite human comprehension. What's important is how we respond to the pain and make something out of it.
Personally, I am inclined towards the third response. But it begs the question of why anyone would want to cling on to a belief in God when it appears irreconcilable with the fact of suffering.
My answer is simple and non-rational: I believe because I need to, because the implications of living in an amoral world of meaningless suffering are too horrendous for me. At an experiential level, I also believe because I see God in my daily life.
Faith can never be circumscribed by logic. And so millions hold on to what Karl Marx considered an opiate and Buddhism considers an illusion - the idea of a supreme spiritual Being who loves, consoles and redeems.
For me, the starting point is that God is. And God is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere). But I no longer think he is omnipotent (all-powerful).
There are at least two limitations to God's power and they explain why suffering takes place. The first is free will, and the second is the set of natural laws he has set in place.
God's will ends where our free will begins. God can do anything - except force a free human being to believe in him, or stop man from doing what he wants.
So you have the Holocaust, murders, abuse of innocent children by their own parents, and a host of other truly evil deeds - because man chose to exercise his free will to do evil.
The second limitation to God's power is natural laws. God could conceivably turn water into wine, raise the dead. When he does, which is seldom, it's called a miracle.
Most of the time, God allows things to happen in accordance with the laws of Nature. So tectonic plates shifted and tsunamis lashed shores.
Is God then a bystander watching from afar when his natural laws wreak havoc on man?
Christian theology teaches that God is here, with the suffering. The story of Jesus is precisely that: of the divine Being made incarnate, who suffered with man, for man.
There's a tale about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was asked where God was in the horrors of the Holocaust. The German Lutheran pointed to Christ on the cross and said: God is suffering there with you.
You don't have to be a Christian to see the ethical challenge in that. A suffering God challenges humans to act in community with others who are suffering. Bonhoeffer's famous line puts it thus: 'Man is challenged to participate in the sufferings of God at the hands of a godless world.'
To paraphrase that, I would say: Man is challenged to participate in the sufferings of others in a world seemingly without God.
For it is only through man's compassion that God can be seen in suffering and tragedy."
Abstracted from 16-Jan 2005's edition of The Sunday Times, Page L12; written by Chua Mui Hoong
So it was with the undersea quake and tsunami on Dec 26 that has killed over 150,000 people, many of them poor folk in coastal villages across Asia.
Why them? And if there is a God, how can he allow this to happen?
The so-called problem of suffering is one of the oldest and thorniest in philosophy and theology.
The Why question is tough to grapple with when life deals you a blow, whether it's losing a loved one or being stricken by a serious illness.
The Book of Job in the Bible is one classic which deals with this issue: The story of a good, innocent man who loses his health, property and family for no seeming reason.
Then there's Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, in which Ivan the atheist articulates the challenge that innocent suffering poses to belief in God.
Put simply, there are three responses.
One is the atheistic response: Since suffering exists and is incompatible with a good, powerful God, God does not exist.
Two: Since God is good and powerful, those who suffer must have done something wrong to deserve it (either in their current lives or past lives, or perhaps through the taint of original sin).
It is true that some people's behaviour brings suffering to themselves. But unless you believe in sins from past lives, suffering visited on the innocent, say, infants, does not square with our sense of justice.
The third approach: God is good and powerful, and there must be a purpose to suffering, but we can't see it because of our finite human comprehension. What's important is how we respond to the pain and make something out of it.
Personally, I am inclined towards the third response. But it begs the question of why anyone would want to cling on to a belief in God when it appears irreconcilable with the fact of suffering.
My answer is simple and non-rational: I believe because I need to, because the implications of living in an amoral world of meaningless suffering are too horrendous for me. At an experiential level, I also believe because I see God in my daily life.
Faith can never be circumscribed by logic. And so millions hold on to what Karl Marx considered an opiate and Buddhism considers an illusion - the idea of a supreme spiritual Being who loves, consoles and redeems.
For me, the starting point is that God is. And God is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere). But I no longer think he is omnipotent (all-powerful).
There are at least two limitations to God's power and they explain why suffering takes place. The first is free will, and the second is the set of natural laws he has set in place.
God's will ends where our free will begins. God can do anything - except force a free human being to believe in him, or stop man from doing what he wants.
So you have the Holocaust, murders, abuse of innocent children by their own parents, and a host of other truly evil deeds - because man chose to exercise his free will to do evil.
The second limitation to God's power is natural laws. God could conceivably turn water into wine, raise the dead. When he does, which is seldom, it's called a miracle.
Most of the time, God allows things to happen in accordance with the laws of Nature. So tectonic plates shifted and tsunamis lashed shores.
Is God then a bystander watching from afar when his natural laws wreak havoc on man?
Christian theology teaches that God is here, with the suffering. The story of Jesus is precisely that: of the divine Being made incarnate, who suffered with man, for man.
There's a tale about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was asked where God was in the horrors of the Holocaust. The German Lutheran pointed to Christ on the cross and said: God is suffering there with you.
You don't have to be a Christian to see the ethical challenge in that. A suffering God challenges humans to act in community with others who are suffering. Bonhoeffer's famous line puts it thus: 'Man is challenged to participate in the sufferings of God at the hands of a godless world.'
To paraphrase that, I would say: Man is challenged to participate in the sufferings of others in a world seemingly without God.
For it is only through man's compassion that God can be seen in suffering and tragedy."
Abstracted from 16-Jan 2005's edition of The Sunday Times, Page L12; written by Chua Mui Hoong
Saturday, January 15, 2005
A peaceful week...
Hi.. for all you faithful readers out there, you may koe tat turnouts are a weekly affair in my course of training..
but surprisingly, due to some internal factors, there was NO turnouts this week!! PTL!! ha..
This wk's 5BX (which is in short for 5 basic exercises, which is done every morning for at least an hour or so.. and last fri, guess wat we did after the 5BX.. We learnt some basic steps of hip-hop from my new sergeant.. He is currently a break-dancer and performed at the recent Jolin Tsai (Cai Yi Ling) concert.. yes!! He is tat good.. so after the 5BX, he thought us some basic steps.. It may look ez.. but its NOT.. its tiring and quite straining on certain body parts (depending on which body part you put ur most weight on!).. and as u koe.. most of us have a bit of coordination problem so early in the morning.. so kena knock it down a few times.. but we get the hang of it after a while.. so its cool huh.. we get to learn hip-hop!!
I'm not too sure whether I shld be happy or not.. becos' I'm appointed the platoon I/C for nxt wk.. I was appointed by my course commander and the course commander told my sgt.. His reason was becos' I had prior training as a leader in my sec sch (which is I was a chairman in Choir) and he said he wld not forget, becos' of my unique surname.. so ya.. today juz b4 bkout, I was appointed the new IC.. so I had to say commands etc.. Me as usual, once gets nervous, I forget everything and suddenly juz realise tat being an IC is not an ez job at all.. well.. pray for me abt this huh.. pray tat I won't die or stress up or anything like this.. Thanx.. but the comforting thing is tat I only do it till thurs but the bad news is tat I may have the chance of a turnout this coming week.. so the strength muz be reported fast and all tat.. STRESS!! STRESS!! and MORE STRESS!!! Someone help!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH...
Tml leading worship in church but then I can't practice on the piano, becos' my piano is under servicing.. haiz.. guess I'll juz make do the real practice tml.. my hands are getting "ichy".. dun koe y.. hmmm...
Yesterday and today at camp is simply a rotting day.. Practically, I did nothing the whole day.. yesterday was suppose to be outfield.. however, it was cancelled due to the PC (Platoon Commanders) interview.. and this morning was games day.. but I did NOT played any games.. so I juz sat there and watch ppl play soccer while at the same time, talk with one of my section mates.. we had a good chat actually.. =).. so guess the time was spend fruitfully =D
Oh.. b4 I end.. this is an abstract from MediaCorp Radio Site abt. the station, Lush 99.5fm which I talk abt. in my last blog post.. so c the following for the description of music they play.. if u like wat u read, then go tune it immediately!! For ppl who are overseas who are reading this and wish to tune into live tuning via the internet, I'm sorry to say I can't fulfill the wish of yours.. It somehow dun have the live tuning thing to the station.. so sorry abt tat..
anyway, here is the description:
"MediaCorp Radio launches LUSH 99.5FM as the latest addition to its stable of stations . The new station will commence programme transmission 995 minutes before 2005, at 7.25am on 31 December 2004.
LUSH 99.5FM is a trendsetting radio station focused on luxurious music and sounds, showcasing a rich mix of new age contemporary music such as Chill-Out, Urban Lounge and Nu-Jazz. Featuring the latest news in music and arts, the station targets listeners aged from 25 to 40 years old who are keen on arts, wellness and travel.
The station will operate 19 hours a day from 7am to 2am. Test transmission for the station commenced on 27 November 2004.
The personalities behind the station include industry names such as Chris Ho and Vivien Tan. A familiar radio deejay, music reviewer and singer, Chris Ho deejayed on Perfect Ten 98.7FM and was named Most Outstanding Asia-Pacific radio personality by the Australasian Broadcasting Arts & Sciences in 1987. Chris Ho will anchor mornings on LUSH 99.5FM, giving music lovers something to wake up to each morning.
Cruising along with listeners in the evenings is Vivien Tan, best remembered for co-presenting the local entertainment lifestyle TV show, “Show Buzz”. Vivien has also been a face synonymous with channel [v], after spending a year with the TV channel as a VJ. Having fronted “Star Asia Travel” - an Asia-wide travel program, Vivien is more than familiar with the lifestyles of fine living and will host evenings on LUSH 99.5FM.
Radio personality and Deputy General Manager of English Programming at MediaCorp Radio - Bernard Lim will head Programming for the station, while Creative and Music direction will be under the baton of Andrew Crothers and Jeremy Phua respectively.
According to Bernard, “We've seen a rising trend in listeners who enjoy the music selection of LUSH 99.5FM and we are happy with the encouraging response from them during the test transmission. The new station has given us an opportunity to feature more lifestyle programming content, catering to listeners who are always on the pulse for sexy, sensual and smooth sounds. The radio tower has a penthouse suite and 995 is the number on the door.”
So remember to tune in to LUSH 99.5FM for a taste of lavish listening."
ok lah... guess got to end my blog post here and go out with my family for dinner.. Yummy!!
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
but surprisingly, due to some internal factors, there was NO turnouts this week!! PTL!! ha..
This wk's 5BX (which is in short for 5 basic exercises, which is done every morning for at least an hour or so.. and last fri, guess wat we did after the 5BX.. We learnt some basic steps of hip-hop from my new sergeant.. He is currently a break-dancer and performed at the recent Jolin Tsai (Cai Yi Ling) concert.. yes!! He is tat good.. so after the 5BX, he thought us some basic steps.. It may look ez.. but its NOT.. its tiring and quite straining on certain body parts (depending on which body part you put ur most weight on!).. and as u koe.. most of us have a bit of coordination problem so early in the morning.. so kena knock it down a few times.. but we get the hang of it after a while.. so its cool huh.. we get to learn hip-hop!!
I'm not too sure whether I shld be happy or not.. becos' I'm appointed the platoon I/C for nxt wk.. I was appointed by my course commander and the course commander told my sgt.. His reason was becos' I had prior training as a leader in my sec sch (which is I was a chairman in Choir) and he said he wld not forget, becos' of my unique surname.. so ya.. today juz b4 bkout, I was appointed the new IC.. so I had to say commands etc.. Me as usual, once gets nervous, I forget everything and suddenly juz realise tat being an IC is not an ez job at all.. well.. pray for me abt this huh.. pray tat I won't die or stress up or anything like this.. Thanx.. but the comforting thing is tat I only do it till thurs but the bad news is tat I may have the chance of a turnout this coming week.. so the strength muz be reported fast and all tat.. STRESS!! STRESS!! and MORE STRESS!!! Someone help!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH...
Tml leading worship in church but then I can't practice on the piano, becos' my piano is under servicing.. haiz.. guess I'll juz make do the real practice tml.. my hands are getting "ichy".. dun koe y.. hmmm...
Yesterday and today at camp is simply a rotting day.. Practically, I did nothing the whole day.. yesterday was suppose to be outfield.. however, it was cancelled due to the PC (Platoon Commanders) interview.. and this morning was games day.. but I did NOT played any games.. so I juz sat there and watch ppl play soccer while at the same time, talk with one of my section mates.. we had a good chat actually.. =).. so guess the time was spend fruitfully =D
Oh.. b4 I end.. this is an abstract from MediaCorp Radio Site abt. the station, Lush 99.5fm which I talk abt. in my last blog post.. so c the following for the description of music they play.. if u like wat u read, then go tune it immediately!! For ppl who are overseas who are reading this and wish to tune into live tuning via the internet, I'm sorry to say I can't fulfill the wish of yours.. It somehow dun have the live tuning thing to the station.. so sorry abt tat..
anyway, here is the description:
"MediaCorp Radio launches LUSH 99.5FM as the latest addition to its stable of stations . The new station will commence programme transmission 995 minutes before 2005, at 7.25am on 31 December 2004.
LUSH 99.5FM is a trendsetting radio station focused on luxurious music and sounds, showcasing a rich mix of new age contemporary music such as Chill-Out, Urban Lounge and Nu-Jazz. Featuring the latest news in music and arts, the station targets listeners aged from 25 to 40 years old who are keen on arts, wellness and travel.
The station will operate 19 hours a day from 7am to 2am. Test transmission for the station commenced on 27 November 2004.
The personalities behind the station include industry names such as Chris Ho and Vivien Tan. A familiar radio deejay, music reviewer and singer, Chris Ho deejayed on Perfect Ten 98.7FM and was named Most Outstanding Asia-Pacific radio personality by the Australasian Broadcasting Arts & Sciences in 1987. Chris Ho will anchor mornings on LUSH 99.5FM, giving music lovers something to wake up to each morning.
Cruising along with listeners in the evenings is Vivien Tan, best remembered for co-presenting the local entertainment lifestyle TV show, “Show Buzz”. Vivien has also been a face synonymous with channel [v], after spending a year with the TV channel as a VJ. Having fronted “Star Asia Travel” - an Asia-wide travel program, Vivien is more than familiar with the lifestyles of fine living and will host evenings on LUSH 99.5FM.
Radio personality and Deputy General Manager of English Programming at MediaCorp Radio - Bernard Lim will head Programming for the station, while Creative and Music direction will be under the baton of Andrew Crothers and Jeremy Phua respectively.
According to Bernard, “We've seen a rising trend in listeners who enjoy the music selection of LUSH 99.5FM and we are happy with the encouraging response from them during the test transmission. The new station has given us an opportunity to feature more lifestyle programming content, catering to listeners who are always on the pulse for sexy, sensual and smooth sounds. The radio tower has a penthouse suite and 995 is the number on the door.”
So remember to tune in to LUSH 99.5FM for a taste of lavish listening."
ok lah... guess got to end my blog post here and go out with my family for dinner.. Yummy!!
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
Saturday, January 08, 2005
I'm still alive!! =)
Phew!! This wk is a hectic wk.. many things happen in my camp this wk.. the following are the reasons:
(1) Went for live range (ie, shooting with live bullets) for 2 consecutive days (waking up like 3-4am in the morning and never get to sleep until like 1-2am the next day..).. This is how "xiong" can range be!!
Sadly to say, I did not get marksmanship! But I dun really care, even though if i have the chance to get i, i dun mind.. but nevertheless, I'm not like super upset or wat..
Oh.. i actually hurt myself during the range shoot itself.. During the rundown of 100m to 50m to shoot 4 targets on a standing shoulder position (for those of you who dun koe wat is standind shoulder position, it is actually shooting the target standind up while the butt of the rifle is pressing against your shoulder).. its actually quite a tough position to shoot and never in my life (even when in BMT) did I manage to shoot ALL 4 targets (so actually my fall is worth it lah)! So back to the hurting part, I actually trip and fall and as a result, the handguard of my rifle actually came off (but manage to put back after some help from the armourer) and my fingers got hurt.. here is the gross part.. a small part of my flesh actually tore on my finger and its now recovering slowly.. i hope it heals faster man.. sorry for the detailed description.. anyway, whenever i bend my finger, it hurts a bit.. but still can play piano.. =)
(2) did a 4km route march (2km fast march - which is walking very fast with at least 5-6kg of load on our backs) with a artillary drill (where a war is similuated and some of my platoon mates are declared casualties and we are suppose to carry them back to camp.. and the worst thing is they purposely choose those 'big size' one which naturally can weigh like 80kg.. 4 persons (including me) actually carried a 80kg guy back to camp.. but of course, we cheat a bit lah.. by asking the casualty to walk a few distance b4 we carry on.. anyway, the officer or any sgt not there so we bluff bluff a bit.. now.. my arm muscle hurt becos of the tremendous and strainess weight tat I carried this morning.. I was almost half dead after the route march.. my goodness!!
The worst thing is we have to move fast during the artillary drill (of course with the casulties you are "rescuing") or else MORE ppl are declared as casulaties and you have to carry them.. so its really "xiong"!!
(iii) Was suppose to have the weekly affair - ie the turnout yesterday nite.. but then it rained!! so thank God for rain tat we can sleep peacefully!!
(iv) Am doing a section live firing on Mon (10/1).. this time more dangerous.. becos ppl are firing live bullets and this time you are moving.. so one small mistake like not putting the rifle to 'safe' mode or the safety specialist overlook their duties or the person accidentally put the finger on the trigger and not on "safe" mode and point to someone and he squeeze the trigger, tat's it!! tat person will die!!
Oh btw, section live firing involves 7 ppl shooting at the same time.. so ya.. it is not only scary but physically challenging as well.. becos we are suppose to run, take cover and aim and shoot within 4 seconds after your previous movement.. and we wld do this 6 times before another round of shouting and running etc.. so its really physically challenging..
On a different note altogether, in case you dun koe, a new station is up and running on Mediacorp Radio.. its at frequency 99.5fm.. this station plays jazz music (plays a wide variety of music - from indian-type of chill out music to bossa nova (which is brazil jazz - eg: samba) to real jazz to chill out music..).. real cool station.. you shld try to listen to it at times =)
k.. i think this is one of the longest blogpost after such a long time.. well.. muz be quite detail mah..
oh.. before I end, I wld like to share with you this paragraph.. this is frm one of my church adminstrator who put this in her email.. which i think its quite thought-provoking.. so juz treat this as a food for thought ya.. so here goes:
"I can give you life, but I cannot live it for you
I can teach you things but I cannot make you learn
I can give your directions but I cannot always be there to take the lead for you
I can teach you right from wrong but I cannot always decide for you
I can buy you beautiful clothes but I cannot make you beautiful inside
I can teach you to share but I cannot make you unselfish
I can teach you about kindness but I cannot force you to be gracious as I have been gracious to you."
well.. can't think of anything else.. so in the meantime, still keep me in ur prayers ya.. appreciate it!! =)
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
(1) Went for live range (ie, shooting with live bullets) for 2 consecutive days (waking up like 3-4am in the morning and never get to sleep until like 1-2am the next day..).. This is how "xiong" can range be!!
Sadly to say, I did not get marksmanship! But I dun really care, even though if i have the chance to get i, i dun mind.. but nevertheless, I'm not like super upset or wat..
Oh.. i actually hurt myself during the range shoot itself.. During the rundown of 100m to 50m to shoot 4 targets on a standing shoulder position (for those of you who dun koe wat is standind shoulder position, it is actually shooting the target standind up while the butt of the rifle is pressing against your shoulder).. its actually quite a tough position to shoot and never in my life (even when in BMT) did I manage to shoot ALL 4 targets (so actually my fall is worth it lah)! So back to the hurting part, I actually trip and fall and as a result, the handguard of my rifle actually came off (but manage to put back after some help from the armourer) and my fingers got hurt.. here is the gross part.. a small part of my flesh actually tore on my finger and its now recovering slowly.. i hope it heals faster man.. sorry for the detailed description.. anyway, whenever i bend my finger, it hurts a bit.. but still can play piano.. =)
(2) did a 4km route march (2km fast march - which is walking very fast with at least 5-6kg of load on our backs) with a artillary drill (where a war is similuated and some of my platoon mates are declared casualties and we are suppose to carry them back to camp.. and the worst thing is they purposely choose those 'big size' one which naturally can weigh like 80kg.. 4 persons (including me) actually carried a 80kg guy back to camp.. but of course, we cheat a bit lah.. by asking the casualty to walk a few distance b4 we carry on.. anyway, the officer or any sgt not there so we bluff bluff a bit.. now.. my arm muscle hurt becos of the tremendous and strainess weight tat I carried this morning.. I was almost half dead after the route march.. my goodness!!
The worst thing is we have to move fast during the artillary drill (of course with the casulties you are "rescuing") or else MORE ppl are declared as casulaties and you have to carry them.. so its really "xiong"!!
(iii) Was suppose to have the weekly affair - ie the turnout yesterday nite.. but then it rained!! so thank God for rain tat we can sleep peacefully!!
(iv) Am doing a section live firing on Mon (10/1).. this time more dangerous.. becos ppl are firing live bullets and this time you are moving.. so one small mistake like not putting the rifle to 'safe' mode or the safety specialist overlook their duties or the person accidentally put the finger on the trigger and not on "safe" mode and point to someone and he squeeze the trigger, tat's it!! tat person will die!!
Oh btw, section live firing involves 7 ppl shooting at the same time.. so ya.. it is not only scary but physically challenging as well.. becos we are suppose to run, take cover and aim and shoot within 4 seconds after your previous movement.. and we wld do this 6 times before another round of shouting and running etc.. so its really physically challenging..
On a different note altogether, in case you dun koe, a new station is up and running on Mediacorp Radio.. its at frequency 99.5fm.. this station plays jazz music (plays a wide variety of music - from indian-type of chill out music to bossa nova (which is brazil jazz - eg: samba) to real jazz to chill out music..).. real cool station.. you shld try to listen to it at times =)
k.. i think this is one of the longest blogpost after such a long time.. well.. muz be quite detail mah..
oh.. before I end, I wld like to share with you this paragraph.. this is frm one of my church adminstrator who put this in her email.. which i think its quite thought-provoking.. so juz treat this as a food for thought ya.. so here goes:
"I can give you life, but I cannot live it for you
I can teach you things but I cannot make you learn
I can give your directions but I cannot always be there to take the lead for you
I can teach you right from wrong but I cannot always decide for you
I can buy you beautiful clothes but I cannot make you beautiful inside
I can teach you to share but I cannot make you unselfish
I can teach you about kindness but I cannot force you to be gracious as I have been gracious to you."
well.. can't think of anything else.. so in the meantime, still keep me in ur prayers ya.. appreciate it!! =)
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
Saturday, January 01, 2005
What a way to start the year!
Its a rainy and cold year to start the new year.. here am i typing this blog post while its raining outside andmy parents decide not to go out to do some family day.. haiz.. totally disappointed.. I only get to bk out once a wk n now becos' of the rain, the plan of going out is called off.. haiz.. dun talk abt. it..
lets talk more abt wat happen this wk in camp.. well.. as usual, our weekly affair is our turnout sessions.. well.. this wk, the turnout started at 1am and ended only at 3am.. not forgetting that i get up at 5.30am for brushing teeth and pack my bag for yesterday's bk out and all that stuff.. so ya.. extremely tired..
other than the turnout sessions, the usual stuff still applies.. exercises (push ups and push ups) and stuff.. except that its quite slack..
nxt wk, I'm doing my live range (ie, shooting again).. so ya.. i'm fine with it but it cld be boring at times.. but no choice.. have to do it.. haiz..
some of you may have know tat I was caught sleeping in a lecture and I got a chance of being confined during a wkend.. but so far, they have not said anything like tat.. so pls, pray that NO punishments wld be given and it will remain in tat way and NO one wld talk abt. it (ie, in other words, they juz close 1 eye which means they let me go..).. Pls. pray hor!! Dun want to miss my wkends becos' its the only time tat i spend with my family and get to go out and also get to go to church.. Thanx!!
You all koe sumthing?? I always wonder y do ppl make new year resolutions but yet, only a minority actually fulfilled their resolutions.. if you dun koe wat I'm driving at or y the sudden thought or juz simply find me weird to sudden add this paragraph, you are probably rite in guessing i'm nuts, becos' i myself dun understand y this is so.. hmm.. nvm.. juz ignore this if you dun understand!
i'm juz so bored at home!! someone save me!! ahhhh..
dun koe wat else to type liaoz..
juz keep me in ur prayers ya.. appreciate it lots!!
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
lets talk more abt wat happen this wk in camp.. well.. as usual, our weekly affair is our turnout sessions.. well.. this wk, the turnout started at 1am and ended only at 3am.. not forgetting that i get up at 5.30am for brushing teeth and pack my bag for yesterday's bk out and all that stuff.. so ya.. extremely tired..
other than the turnout sessions, the usual stuff still applies.. exercises (push ups and push ups) and stuff.. except that its quite slack..
nxt wk, I'm doing my live range (ie, shooting again).. so ya.. i'm fine with it but it cld be boring at times.. but no choice.. have to do it.. haiz..
some of you may have know tat I was caught sleeping in a lecture and I got a chance of being confined during a wkend.. but so far, they have not said anything like tat.. so pls, pray that NO punishments wld be given and it will remain in tat way and NO one wld talk abt. it (ie, in other words, they juz close 1 eye which means they let me go..).. Pls. pray hor!! Dun want to miss my wkends becos' its the only time tat i spend with my family and get to go out and also get to go to church.. Thanx!!
You all koe sumthing?? I always wonder y do ppl make new year resolutions but yet, only a minority actually fulfilled their resolutions.. if you dun koe wat I'm driving at or y the sudden thought or juz simply find me weird to sudden add this paragraph, you are probably rite in guessing i'm nuts, becos' i myself dun understand y this is so.. hmm.. nvm.. juz ignore this if you dun understand!
i'm juz so bored at home!! someone save me!! ahhhh..
dun koe wat else to type liaoz..
juz keep me in ur prayers ya.. appreciate it lots!!
Ciaoz n have a GREAT week ahead,
<<< abriel >>>
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