you're such a BOLONGY!

What a Difference a Day Makes

Sunday, December 25, 2011

in retrospect, at 7:10 PM

I'm afraid I might be getting too comfortable with this whole RCP in camp thing. I actually feel pretty accomplished and happy today. So, I did quite a lot. I woke up to thunderstorms and a huge rain in the morning, so I didn't manage to do my morning jog thingum. But well, there's still not going to be anyone in camp tomorrow morning so I can do a round tomorrow, if it doesn't rain again.

But today Mooris bought in some turkey ham in celebration of Christmas, cause he unfortunately had to sign his extra duty for a Christmas day, so while I'm in my bunk, there's him and Edison downstairs in the duty room with me today. We're planning to have a Christmas feast tonight, with the other RCP dudes - maybe order in Sarpinos in addition to whatever of a dinner SFI (Singapore Food Industries) is going to give us.

Okay, I gotta report in close to ten minutes, so I'll get back to point. I've done quite a lot of meaningful things today. First, I sketched. I'll scan that in for you soon. In some sort of remembrance to the quail I killed in JCC, I sketched a same quail out. Yikes. And then I spent an hour reading up about Buddhism / Taoism, because yesterday when I was talking religion to Wayne at the rifle range, I realised that I hardly know much about Buddhism. So yeah, I read it, and I'm Buddhist - contrary to what my friends believes - yeah, Yuting / Jieting. The thing is, I thought for a while that Buddhism refers to the worship of purely one single Buddha. Turns out I'm extremely wrong, but the story's too long to explain. Yeah, my family still does a little bit of Taoist practices though, the part about incense and all that.

AND AND the greatest thing of all - I just came back from a run. Yes, if the weather forbids me to do my morning run at first light, I'll do it at last light. As usual, running at new places never fail to make me appreciate nature and feel happy. Running past the link bridge between SAFTI MI and SCS, running past the bridge which symbolizes "crossing over", from a specialist cadet to an officer cadet - my journey, it already felt extremely pleasant. With the strong wind blowing atop the suspension bridge over the Pan Island Expressway at 5PM, I ran into the quiet of the wilderness behind Pasir Laba Camp. I was about to run leftwards, towards the SOC ground of PLC when I saw a less explored route - the route we marched for BSLC's 32km graduation march, OCS's end-of-service-term 28km march, the scenic route which I recall eventually heads toward the west of Singapore, in sight of Second Link. It took me about ten minutes, running into the route to find out that there was a gate which barricades the route. Of course, the M203 and MATADOR live firing range. I took a U-turn, but then saw another route I've never seen. It was a pretty magical feeling when I ran past an opened gate and found myself behind NTU's WKW School of Communications. I could actually reach Kelly and Su's hall within half an hour from SAFTI. It's nice though, exploring the school. Though once I passed the gate, I immediately started to feel self-conscious. I felt naked in my OCS PT attire, with the shorter-than-FBT-curve-cuts PT shorts, feeling my thighs jiggling and jiggling, even though everyone around are all ah-tiongs [come on, who else, with a choice, would be in school on Christmas?]. Oh hey a pretty girl with long, straight hair tied up in a tight pony tail did run past me though. Hmm I wonder what she's doing in school... HAHAHA, I kid.

And the whole experience felt kinda symbolic, more significant than it's supposed to be. It was like me running away from the present, running into my past, exploring my future, not stopping till I'm tired and breathless. SCS, OCS and NTU - it's interesting how these five years of my life's going to be all around the west, and even more so - literally connected to each other. Next time when I'm in NTU, I swear I'll put on my OCS PT attire and run to OCS, SCS and all the naturous training areas behind PLC. It will be so reminiscent. I could already imagine how much I'll miss all these training times in OCS and all of my fellow mates living in the now-empty rooms around me. Hmm, this kinda puts a full-stop on the eternal stuggle of deciding between NTU or SMU Business huh. NTU IT SHALL BE. No, I'm kidding, but honestly, this puts at least five points down on NTU for the score tally between the two schools.

P.S. I know I've been blogging quite a lot. And you probably don't have the patience to read everything I've typed. But welluhm I'm stuck in camp and I'm bored so oh well.

[EDIT: 261211, 1107hours] To prevent it looking like I'm posting five times a day, I'll add on my post-Christmas adventures here. Today was good weather day. I went for a jog in the morning after I woke up, one round around NTU (surprisingly only took 25 minutes on a slow jog pace - it's not that big afterall) then back to the link bridge and down into PLC compounds. I ran past the 100m and 300m ranges behind SCS and after fifteen minutes found myself going towards the M203 / MATADOR range I was talking about yesterday. I guess I got the routes mixed up in my memory. Skirting along the PUB catchment area, the lack of civilisation, you're suddenly aware of the increase in wildlife - squirrels on trees and chirps of the variety of birds and insects. One of the top ten morning jogs I've had. After I reached the end of the route, also the barricaded area of the live firing range, I stopped, took off my in-ears and sat down looking at the vast body of water before me. Fifteen minutes like that, without any sounds of wheels on the road, churning of machinery in factories or other polluting noises. I nipped off a yellow simpur ayer flower [pictured below] and nibbled on it - one of the interesting things JCC taught me, the simpur ayer flower's one of the only few (common) edible plant food which can be eaten raw - while trying to count the different types of chirping / humming noises I can hear from the trees above me. Peaceful.

What a Difference a Day Makes

Sunday, December 25, 2011

in retrospect, at 7:10 PM

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?