Hmmm

I have a feeling that my platoon is stalking me on instagram and they found my blog...

Here's to my boys! They shall be whacked from Chopper to Usopp by ME!

2016

Thought this post would be a good start to the new year ahead. People always say a new year, a new beginning. You cleanse yourself of past mistakes, reflect on your shortcomings and better your strengths. Well, I personally do not really concur with the 'new year, new beginning' idea. A new year to me only means another year to prove yourself that you are better than the past you. And it's not really about the new year per say, but rather the passing of each brand new day. As long as the present you can look forward to the future you and say you are going to do better, while beaming to the past you and saying you did your best, I see pleasant days ahead.

Started the first day of 2016 with a great PT session because I was trying to expunge the toxins out from my systems (Thanks Jack and Gerald...). The thing about exercises is you never learn your limits; sometimes you may be breathless but your muscles can go further, sometimes your muscles burn out even though you feel great. It is merely a challenge of between the mind and body to see who breaks first. The best thing is whichever that breaks bounces back bigger better stronger than before. Such are the marvels of the human physique and mind. Reminds me of the time when I was super skinny and severely underweight. I wouldn't say I'm very strong now but at least I grew bigger, fitter and healthier. No more being dangerously skinny.

 EDIT: FOUND MY OLD SKINNY PICTURES!

My first week of having a platoon (?)

Hey hey, before I start, I must apologize for any incoherent sentences in my previous blog post. Wasn't in a really clear frame of mind when I was blogging. So anyway back to topic. The day has finally came for me to take charge of men. And by men, I meant men from all walks of life. To say I am taking a platoon would yet would not be apt for my platoon consists of 89 troopers, which by conventional standard, is a company plus size hence the question mark.

Being an officer isn't about the rank nor the greetings you get simply because troopers see you with the bar; it's about handling responsibility when it comes, balancing the fine line between discipline and safety, knowing when to push their limits so on and so forth. I must say I am both excited yet nervous for this course. Maybe I'm not ready, maybe I am but I know I will put in my best. Many excellent officers who commissioned way before me share a common advice - learning how to be an officer is On Job Training (OJT), meaning to say we will definitely make mistakes and it's ultimately how we overcome them that makes us true blue green officers. <--PUNNY THERE!

Having conducted quite a few sessions of PT, I am about to conduct a high key exercise in a few weeks' time. I may not be the most experienced, nor the most confident, but I am definitely the most prepared. May I achieve a good conduct~

P.S. if any of my troopers seriously stalked me and happened to read this, hmm hello?

Books

Reading has always been a favourite pastime for me, although I have not touched books for a long while after I entered OCS. Good news is I have started reading books again since a month ago, henceforth ending the 9 month's drought of knowledge.

The Enemy series by Charlie Higson, Ender's Game series by Orson Scott... so on (I'm still reading this month's Forbes Asia which is tediously long)

One thing I love about reading is that I can do it anytime anywhere even in the toilet. And the magical thing is I can unknowingly read for hours in a sitting, imagining as the characters come to life in front of my eyes.

Surreal - that's what I feel. Books can get you to places you can only dream of; in opening your eyes to the book, you are closing our eyes to the outside world. Every page you flip tenderly, every chapter you incessantly pursue, every book you devour... I simply enjoy it.

Perhaps you do not understand the joy of reading as I do; not anyone enjoys the same passion for books as I do. But I believe one day you would, either as you stand along the sidelines of the train carriage sticking your nose into a book or as you sit in a rocking chair with reading glasses reading a light novel. Then will you share the same joy as I do.

On a side note, I do have an ask.fm account now for you readers to ask away HERE!

Virgin marathon experience

Well hello there guys and gals! It's been quite a while since my previous post so oops, sorry there... Quite a long list of events lined up for me the following quarter so you can look forward to another post, just that it wouldn't be anytime soon.

I have always imagined myself doing a marathon, because for one, I like having bragging rights and two, I wanted to break my limits. The opportunity arose when I met my Sergeant Major and MSG Chan who were avid runners and they were sharing their running experiences. Intrigued, I joined in the conversation and somehow got persuaded to sign up for Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) 42.195km. THe first thought that got to me was "oh shit, how do I accomplish the feat?" But that thought soon got displaced by another matters at hand and time slowly went by with the marathon being the last of things on my mind.

It wasn't till November that the sinking reality of my marathon struck me. Hence my training begins. On top of my weekly workouts, I run at least 5km per run, clocking up to 12km every week. As the weeks went past, I gradually increased the distance to get my legs acclimatized to the soreness of long-distance running. 5km became 12km, 12km became 22km, and the penultimate week I clocked 32km. Due credit has to be given to my close friend cum training partner, Qi Xun who also happens to live 2 storeys above me. He has been training with me almost every week and I'm really glad to have such motivation when running. On a side note, happy birthday once again bro! Stay strong and fit!

6 December dawned like literally at dawn. I started the marathon at 5.15am, somehow managing to spot Yue Min at the start line. Holy cow, such stroke of luck. The first 6km was hell for me, as I stupidly drank milk the night before and caused me to have bad diarrhoea. Every step I took was accompanied by periodic shivers and goosebumps, my butt clamped tight for fear of being accidentally disgracing myself shitting my pants :P Luckily, it slowly eased off as I continued running. At my 26km mark, it was when my muscles started twitching, a sign of cramps to come. I shook off the notion and continued running. 30km - I had my first muscle rub on my thighs which cramped up. Wow, the relief came almost instantly and I pushed myself to continue running, albeit slow but steadily putting one leg before the other. 35km onwards was hell all over, with me just repeating the same process... Cramp, muscle rub, walk, stretch, run. This carried on to 39km where the 5hours 30 mins pacers raced past me, cheering fellow runners on and shouting not to give up now. Spurred by these, I grit my teeth and pressed on. Passed by Esplanade, saw Henderson bridge, ran past Fullerton Hotel and finally the finishing mark was within sight. I sped up as the finishing mark gradually rushed towards me and YES! I'VE DONE IT! 42.195km!

Ta da~ xD

EDIT: I SOMEHOW GOT NIPPLE ABRASION!

Parallels

Recently there has been a series of terrorist attacks, the most deadly being the Paris attack which caused the lives of at least 128 people. While my sympathy and condolences go out to the victims, these terrorist attacks got me thinking.

Black and white. Yin and yang. Police and thieves. The world is made of harmonious balance between parallels; neither exists without the other. Think of it this way. How would you acknowledge the existence of light if there isn't a dark to compare it against? How would you identify a positive point if there isn't a negative point? To put a darker shade of comparison, imagine Joker and Batman. The Joker once said to Batman, "I don’t wanna kill you! What would I do without you? Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No, no, no. You… you complete me!” The fact that the Joker needs Batman, just like how evil depends on the good, is ironical. Now I give you an scenario. A world without criminals, no evil, no darkness. Whilst you may think of it as an ideal dream world, it may not be so. What defines ideal - the mere notion that there is peace and good in the world? Light? No, it is not that simple. Evil, by definition, is the quality of being morally wrong (to quote thefreedictionary.com) and if we were to bring it down to the simplest form, it would mean not being good. But the fact is there is no evil in the first place so how would we know something is good? The explanation then disappears for we do not know what is right, what is good and what is light; there is simply no comparison to prove the counterexistence of the other.

Pardon my English and my putting across of ideas, it's been years since I stopped writing and exercising my cognitive thinking. But you get the idea... Or not...

First week in new unit

Hellooooo, as you may have known, I am finally out of OCS :) still not used to being acknowledged as a commissioned officer, but getting there heh. #privileges Oh, and I'm not going to write as per how I used to write during my OCS journey so yep!!

First day of reporting to camp was hectic, mainly being my alarm failed to ring and I had 5mins to scramble my smart 4, brush my teeth and get ready to go to camp. So I was late haha SHIT what a way to start! Luckily it did not affect the running of the schedule so I was let off the hook phew~ Had CO's opening address, followed by many lessons and many other addresses by various people, including RSM (Regiment Sergeant Major), USO (Unit Safety Officer) et cetera... I must say I rather love the PT culture here; will really get to improve my already not bad physique xP

Finally coming to an end of this induction programme and oh wow, turnout! A series of mentally and physically draining exercises which coupled with the crazy amount of morning PT caused me to reach my limit. But of course, I had to push myself to complete it! Shag omg :X

I BOOKED OUT FINALLY YIPEE BUT WITH A SORE BUTT AND ACHING THIGHS!!

EDIT: Just celebrated Golden Jubilee 50!