Don't Forget The Lyrics Quiz

Quite excited to know that my Don't Forget The Lyrics quiz on Facebook has attracted more than 9,000 persons to take since I first created it 15 days ago.

Click here to play!

Windows Vista Basic

Windows Vista Basic is so bad that simply playing Restaurant City on Facebook and listening to music on my iTunes at the same time hangs my computer.

Back to NDP

The day before, I was no longer involved in NDP'09.

Today, because two of my platoon mates decided that the rest of us should be involved in NDP'09 and decided that we should take over their role initially assigned to them, I am now back in NDP'09.

Because of that, I will lose $110 per week until National Day.

Because they are being selfish and irresponsible. Because they think it is only fair for them to push their responsibilities to others.

Anonymity

You know how frustrating it can be to see unidentified persons leaving messages on your tagboard, and you have no way to to find out who they are or to track their whereabouts.

All you can do is to put a gypsy curse on them. Like Drag Me To Hell.

Foreword to Combined Rehearsal 1 @ Floating Platform

I was > < this close to losing this incredible job of getting away from the squadron.

Because I didn't have a proper pass to enter the premises.

So, I approached Captain C for help since he's the one in charge of making and issuing passes for all helpers in NDP'09.

"Tomorrow morning come and find me. Bring along a passport-sized photo. Oh by the way, I have a meeting at 9am., so come earlier than that," replied Captain C. I agreed, albeit unwillingly as the folowing day was my off-day. But nevertheless, I agreed, knowing that if I don't, these big-shots will create more trouble for me.

So when I reached squadron the next day with my passport-sized photo at 8am sharp, captain C was nowhere to be found. So I waited, and waited and waited. His allocated parking lot was still empty. "I thought he got NDP today?" 3SG Lek replied when I enquired about Captain C's whereabouts.

"But he told he has a meeting today at 9.." I recalled.

In the end, I left after fruitlessly waiting like a fool for one hour.

That's how officers treat their men.

Combined Rehearsal 1 @ Floating Platform

I dreaded my involvement in NDP'09 initially. Then, it was all about burning your precious weekends on military-related activity. I could have given tuition, I could have went out on a movie date, I could have went to sing K with my friends.

Now, it seems that my role in NDP'09 is probably the best job ever. No physical labour involved (Okay, perhaps a little, considering the fact that I had to run up and down the steps on the grandstand to record the rehearsal using two different video-cams set up at two different locations. ), no need to endure sarcastic comments from a sergeant major, nothing that involves much planning and coordination (though sometimes I have to take note of the timings for several concurrent events), no higher-ranking personnel beside me to nag/supervise/keep an eye on me. Plus, I get an exclusive sneak preview of the show.

And this role provides me a temporary getaway from the strained platoon and a much-welcomed relief from the unwelcomed platoon commander and his antics.

I am loving it.

Chemistry Test

I actually derived some sort of pleasure from setting questions for a Chemistry test.

So much in researching on the topics. So much effort in ensuring that there is no grammatical errors. So much effort in ensuring that the answers to the questions are chemically correct. So much effort in making sure that the questions are not ambiguous. So much effort in ensuring that the pages are not crumpled. So much effort in aligning the questions neatly and ensuring that the relevant parts and printed on the same page.

白事

那晚肚子饿，出门买宵夜，经过了一场在组屋楼下举行的一场丧事。

这场丧事是为谁而办，我就不晓得了。只知道丧事办得热热闹闹的，很多人出席。亲朋戚友，围着的木制圆桌，坐在红色的塑胶椅子上（桌椅都是跟租借公司弄来的），啃着花生瓜子，谈天说地闲聊八卦是非，一片其乐融融的景象。

儿童的活动花样就多些。互相赛跑、捉迷藏、躲避球，勾起了不少我童年时的回忆。

孩童的世界和成人的世界在这场丧事非常相似，都是愉悦的，有说有笑，颠覆了印象中的典型丧事，应该有的哀伤忧愁和痛哭流涕在这场丧事中完全不存在。

话又说回来，在我见过的丧事中，有不少的气氛宛如喜事一样。

曾经听过一位长者这么说过：“一家人只有在红事白事时，才会真正地团圆。”

很讽刺，但也一针见血地道出了现代家庭的可悲心态 -- 一种事不关己，高高挂起的冷漠心态。

表亲若没有必要，大家通常是不会主动和彼此约会见面。一年当中大概只有大年初一、 初二才会碰面，送送桔子，派派红包。再者，就是当有人要结婚，摆桌请客时，大家才会出现。

要不然，就像我眼前的这一幕一样，当长辈与世长辞时，亲戚才会聚在一块，送长辈走完最后的一程。

躺在棺材里的那一位若见了这一幕，不晓得会为这场完美的团圆而感到欣慰感动，或是会为他们团圆的时机而感到心寒失望。

亲情和私心仿佛分别成了家庭版的钟无艳和夏宁春，像话吗？

出殡后，死掉的走黄泉路，活着的也又各走各的。司空见惯了。

要见面？等过年吧。或者等谁出嫁娶妻，等谁双眼紧闭双腿伸直。