you're such a BOLONGY!

A Long Civilian Entry.

Monday, October 24, 2011

in retrospect, at 12:08 AM

Getting to spend time like a civilian really enriches the mind and soul. In the short time I've got for myself today, after meeting the VJ volleyball guys for lunch, I've settled quite a few things, down in my head. The past couple days' been quite good. Had a platoon cohesion of sorts at Sheen's place. The booze was good, and it was nice hanging out with the commanders as friends. We decided to head over to Zouk after that, since almost all of us were drunk enough with headaches, but it sucked. By the time I got out of the cab, I was more of less sober, just having a slight headache and laughing off at some of the rest making conversations with strangers. Phuture was its usual sausage party I guess, so none of us managed to get in. Even with Gavin's connections. But well, though Zouk sucked and wasted a couple hours of my sleep time, it was free at least.

And then I met up with the Hs at City Hall yesterday, had a good long chat and at around 11.30pm, we all parted and I decided to take bus 70M from Suntec back home. I remembered those bus-rides close to midnight after those awesome JC times at Suntec (which consists of whatever random gatherings you wanna include) and wanted that feeling back. But it turned out a bad decision cause it was firstly, a long walk from Esplanade to the bus-stop, and then the bus was pretty much full-up, so I was standing up half the journey. But it still helped. I got close to fifteen minutes of serenity on the bus-ride home. MRT rides are always too brightly lit, too open, too social for a good reflective me-time. And caught up with the team at City Hall (yet again) today - it was really long since I watched a movie in cinemas.

But anyway, since I was in town, I thought I might as well head over to Kinokuniya at Bugis, cause I had books I wanted to get. Plus both my cousin and Ivan messaged me previously about a big ass Fred Perry sale at Illuma. So, why not. It doesn't matter if I traveled solo. I'll talk about the sale first. It was disappointing. The entrance queue was long, but pretty quick. Which was perhaps one of the reasons why it was such a turn off. The other reasons would be how messy everything is, how all the good sizes are out, how all the nice colours are no longer available, and how cheapskate everyone else around you looks. I saw this guy wearing that same olive green FP polo t-shirt later at Orchard. Bet he bought it from the sale just like, one day ago. The only polo tee left on the sale, which had a size of XS, was that same olive green one he wore. You can probably guess why it was the only one(s) left on the rack. But anyway, I went to Kinokuniya with the intention of buying two books. The first, The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham, and the next, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

So, that day at Sheen's house, some of us stepped into his room for a look and they saw a copy of The Intelligent Investor on his table, then told me about how he's pretty much earning quite a lot through investments. Like the people in HC, RJ, so many of them my age are earning money already. I'm many steps behind. So yesterday night, while on the bus 70M, I decided to get home and research on good investment books to buy. Most sites recommended this, so I picked it. I mean, I didn't get the book because I saw Sheen with it. I didn't even get the book because I thought it is the best investment book ever. I didn't even ask Sheen about it. Nor did I bother to read up on its contents and why it's good and blah blah, which I would usually do for a new product I'm about to spend money on. But I thought like, it was a start. Regardless of a good or bad one, a start is a start. I've been too lazy previously, but now that I think about it - I'm going to start investing when I'm older anyway. How else do you make big bucks, you ask. So might as well start early. Get through all the technical shit early, when I'm older, the money shall start rollin' yo. Also, it's a good thing to stop reading fiction novels for a while anyway. But I think it's going to take a lot out of me to start on the book. And then about Hunger Games. It's a great book, no doubt. But I never buy novels (sans Harry Potter, Dan Brown), regardless of whether or not they are great. Okay, in all fairness, I've only started reading as a hobby less than a year ago. But Hunger Games was different. You should have seen how it inspired me during SCS. It was really uncanny, the way I was reading about how Katniss was hunting in the wild during the field camp and outfields in SCS, and then in Mockingjay, while the team was fighting against the Capitol and it's war-machines in the city, I was having Urban Operations training. The way Collins described survival, it wasn't just something a novelist could write. It was part of my initial motivation for the 2.4km run in SCS, the time I attained my Gold for IPPT with a timing of 9.31 for the run, the time I shed more than 40 seconds off my previous timing. It was a lot like fate, and it gave me a lot of motivation. I have to bring it to Brunei. It'll motivate me for JCC. I had to make an extra trip to Orchard because the Bugis outlet didn't have any more stock of The Intelligent Investor. Before that, I did an absolutely embarrassing thing. The lady at the information counter volunteered to check up the Orchard outlet for me, while I did my other shopping, before giving me a call to tell me if the Orchard outlet had stock. And this was while I was queuing up for the Fred Perry sale, to put things in chronological order for you. So yes, she called, I answered, I asked her to additionally check up on stock of Monocle "at the Wheelock outlet", I added. That drew in ten seconds of silence, then an awkward "uhm... we don't have any outlets at Wheelock". It hit me that it was Borders that was in my mind, a folded Borders store, to be exact. She was tactful with not mentioning Borders as well, anyway. But we laughed it off. So, phew. Oh, plus I forgot to mention. I borrowed my brother's Kinokuniya member card the previous night, since I was prepared to get the books, but I think it was really much more than just fate when I decided to get the books today, and then found out that today was the last day of a three-day 20% off all books for members promotion. Buddha bless. Hope I don't start to sound like those over-the-top-ly-devout religious friends you know. You know who I'm talking about. Those who say they deserve the bad things in life as punishment, then thank for every little good thing. No offense though, it's a good thing to believe. And in some ways, a good thing to have so much faith in something as well. But gawddammit, take some control over your own life, cause your God would want that.

This week is going to drain my pockets, I swear. I re-installed the "Spend" app on Friday after Zouk, and timely, after that all the money started rollin' away. Good expenditure though. In the past two days, I've managed to spend a wholesome $221.30. Plus I gotta buy a pair of black leather shoes, cause my brother wants his one back. I've been previously wearing his for all the book-in / book-outs. And then I've only two pairs of dailies contact lenses left, so I'll have to spend another hundred on a pair of boxes. I remember what Tzuhsiang said that day though, about not complaining that you're poor cause it only makes you feel poorer. Plus it's always happy-go-lucky isn't it? And I recall telling myself to stop complaining so much cause it never fails to make the people around you sad / annoyed / angsty / depressed. I've learnt that from hearing my NS mates complain. How did all my friends stand me in the past six years? I don't really know.

Also, I just started reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest which I borrowed from the library. After I'm done with it, I'll watch the film. But right now, I'm still stuck midway in the Introduction. But it is enough to interest me. Reminds me of all the mental exploration I wanted to do when I volunteered at SAMH before enlistment. Many thought-provoking quotes littered all around as well. I'll tell you more when I get around to reading it. Also, when I get the time, I'm going to change this blog's layout, make some more edits here and there. I think I'm going to be blogging for long... so yeah.

A Long Civilian Entry.

Monday, October 24, 2011

in retrospect, at 12:08 AM

More About Me

Chew Bolong, Singaporean. Would have to emphasize on that point at times cause you're not exactly the first one thinking that my name's PRC. Oh, yes, my name's a Mandarin translation. Get on with life already. I graduated from Dunman High School, then Victoria Junior College and I'm currently spending the next year and a half of my life (brainless), in National Service. I have interests in designing and art [note: interest doesn't mean ability], (indie rock / folk) music, nature, long walks at night and making friends - sounds like a weird combination to say but those are things I associate myself to. I'm an ENTP but at times an introvert. I love deep conversations with people. I'm always in a dilemma deciding whether or not to change this description about myself, so I've decided that additional details shall be listed under.

27 Random Facts you HAVE to know about me

1. I used to suffer from insomnia cause annoying tunes would be stuck in my head or I tend to think through every event that's happened in the day, so I wouldn't be able to fall asleep. But in NS that doesn't apply anymore, cause I'm always tired. Don't think that's a good thing.
2. I like long walks alone at night, because it gives me a good opportunity to reflect, let my mind wander into deep stuff and just immerse in nature and the surroundings. That's provided the place I'm at is quiet and green. Yeah that's parks, garden, and most of Serangoon. Unfortunately, since NS, my mind's been pretty empty most of the time.
3. I told myself that by 37 years old I must have a (big) house complete with a billard table, a home-theatre system, a cosy round table and 4 armchairs in a corner of my (huge) living room, a secret hideout with natural lighting to chill and read books, a tiny bartender corner, a walk-in wardrobe and a useable kitchen amongst all other things. But my definition of future success only encompasses one thing - happiness. Yeah, it's a cliche but there must be a reason why it's a cliche right?
4. I enjoy people-watching. Behavioral science. You can actually tell a lot from that.
5. A part of my body I hate the most? My calves for sure. If you're a consistent reader of my blog I'm sure you would have heard of it already. But yeah, I'm standing at merely 165+ but I'd rather have thinner calves than be taller.
6. I (secretly) detest the Secondary 1, 2 me cause I was way too childish and immature. Not that secretive anymore, but I could have better spent that 2 years doing something else rather than doing lame things and attracting attention. I don't exactly like to mention this cause it's unglamorous, so lucky you.
7. I'm extremely afraid of cats. Like as if you don't know that already.
8. I can't take plain white bread. Nor powder formulated (warm) milk. They really make me wanna puke, cause they've that gooey feeling and they get stuck between or under your teeth. Which is disgusting. That's probably one of the reasons why I'm so short. I didn't know fresh milk existed when I was young, so I didn't drink milk for around a decade.
9. I find people who have good fashion sense and natural leadership emanating from them incredibly sexy.
10. I like girls with slightly reddish long hair and colourful sun dresses.
11. I have an inevitably heavy breathing, and it always gets worse when I start to notice it. Instead, I just reminded myself of it and am having a hard time trying to regulate my breathing right now. Plus I only breathe through my mouth. Although I've a big nose, my nostrils are probably small cause I have a blocked nose 24/7. BUT somehow when I fall asleep my body will force myself to breathe through my nose. Which is the reason why I snore in lectures. It's not even a snore actually - just heavy breathing sounds. I know I sound defensive right now. But no. True story.
12. I think the first gush of air from the air-conditioning system of a car is extremely addictive and pleasant. I'm pretty surprised some of my friends thought so too.
13. Crocs look ugly, but they smell really awesome to me. That fresh smell of sweet rubber. Everytime I walk past a Crocs outlet my heart melts a bit. No one seems to agree with me on this though.
14. The standard pen I use is a Pilot G2 0.5 ballpoint, and I write with such force on paper that Mr Ken Leong once commented on my essay: "braille?". The problem's so severe I need to use a cardboard piece (or a stack of paper of at least 5 pieces) as padding whenever I'm writing on paper. I switched to Uniball 0.38s in JC2. I am now using the Uniball to sketch as well.
15. I'm fully equipped in the skills of martial arts: junior black belt in Taekwondo as well as 6 years of Wushu. But I haven't even so much as laid a punch or slap on anyone. Okay I think I've slapped my brother a couple of times but that doesn't count cause I don't use my full force on him. One day I'd really like to try and punch someone. See if he even feel it hurts.
16. I'm guilty of judging people by a first impression (or just a quick scan). Don't everyone do?
17. Though I do say that, I find that my first 'evaluation' of someone is always pretty accurate. If I don't like someone, after time others will find it the same too.
18. I really like to whine and complain. I've been trying to tone it down recently because I realised that I feel better after I let it all out, but yet it only spreads the gloominess to my friends. I'd hate it if my friends were always whiney too, so I'll tone it down. I'll try.
19. I don't know why but I'm much more expressive online. I spill out secrets more often. I blog about things I don't even tell my close friends. So yeah, do read more when you still have the chance to. :D I suppose I'll stop blogging once I'm off the "student" label. Once I enter the workforce, when things are really so much more political and shit.
20. I've a weird habit of munching off the circumference of my burgers before I savour the centre of it. Don't laugh.
21. I have slight lisps. I wouldn't exactly call it that really, cause I refuse to admit it as a flaw, but pronouncing things with "esses" usually results in my tongue sticking out between my teeth and what comes out really sounds more like a "th". Yes, you can mock me about it for all your eternity of a boring, insipid life because I've came to terms with it. Booyah.
22. I believe that if someone isn't vain, he/she probably doesn't look good either. So yeah, come join me in being vain.
23. I'm quite a perfectionist about my companion, love and relationships, so I don't date easily.
24. I'm a huge nature lover. I want to walk Singapore's city at night with my friends. I want to camp under the stars with my friends. I want to live in the mountains without civilization. With a close friend or alone. My future half would probably have to love nature as well. Not like hiking-nature or climbing-nature, but really just the nature all around you. Even in the city.
25. My friend once said that I like to "fix broken dolls" as a boyfriend. In some ways it sounds apt, cause I think that girls with... a bit of emotional damage are deep and... more exciting to be with. I sound like I've dated before, but no, I've always been single. Evergreen, if you play that 'traffic light' game in University. Don't be weirded-out by me please.
25(ii). So yeah, if you're someone (or you know someone) who likes nature, likes long walks at night, likes folk / indie music, slightly emo / reflective at times but friendly otherwise, call me.
26. I listen to folk, alternative rock and indie music. I hate it when the artists I like gets famous and extremely mainstream. And that's not just a childish thought. It's because I think there's this special bond shared between you and the artist (and his / her music), and when it gets mainstream, the bond you had gets shared with all the other millions of people in the world, and it's no longer special. Kinda like what you'd say with relationships.
27. Finally, I fancy a good laugh everyday. My friends have given me that, and that's why I love them so much.

Not your usual Bucket-list

Yes, in order of 'want'.
1. 1 month backpacking trip to Europe / cold climate areas with a close pal (or two). The less civilization the better.
2. Is wanting something illegal illegal in itself? Yes, drugs - at least once. LSD, to be exact.
3. Making (good) friends with someone insane. I mean, mental. But I don't want to make it sound derogatory. There's something strikingly beautiful about insanity, like experiencing another dimension of some sorts.
4. The Killers' concert.
5. A folk / acoustic concert - say Iron & Wine, Bombay Bicycle Club, Inch Chua or Zee Avi.
6. Camping under the stars in the city (Padang?) and listening to acoustic sounds.
7. Experience the Glastonbury / Lollapalooza / Woodstock / Coachella festivals.
8. Bungee-jumping.
9. Scuba-diving.
10. Going for a real Broadway production.

I know - I'm weird, right?