NDP '08 NE Show 1



So last Saturday, i managed to catch the NDP parade, though not the actual one, live for the first time in my past 23 years.

2 things about the parade brought me a trip back to the memory lane: the formal guard of honour parade, and the black knights performance.

Needless to say, the parade reminds me about my commissioning parade back in Dec 2006. Recalling how excited we were on the parade day itself, how we finally gonna put on our infamous "one chocolate bar". So i was telling my gal, at least for my commissioning parade, the rehearsals and long period of standing was worth it, as compared to those in the marching contingents for NDP. For they are just serving NS and probably just a little of pride to have been in part of the NDP show.

Come to think about it, i'm fortunate and glad to be selected to undergo OCS, of course minus the fact that i have extra few more years of reservist to do as an officer?

The second thing was the spectacular performance by the Black Knights; the only aerobatics flying team in Singapore. As i'm explaining to my gal about how it seems so fun watching them doing all the dangerous stunts and maneuvers, the pilot in the cockpit has to fight G-force and keep a cool head. Of course, i'm just speaking as an amateur used-to-be pilot trainee with 10 flying hours.

Looking at how they display their skills in the few stunts, i can't help think what would it be if i have passed my airgrading back in my airforce days. So i guess the best thing for me now, is to just share some of the things i do know about being a fighter pilot.

Back in the days when i was at AirForce school waiting for my trip to Australia for Airgrading, we had lessons and sharing by seniors. One of the seniors actually got back from his advance flying course as a fighter plane trainee. He blacked out during one of his solo sortie (a training flight in flying terms), and almost crashed head on.

He managed to recover about seconds from crashing and pulled some 3-4G, and safety pulled the aircraft back up. I can't recall why he suffered blackout, probably due to skipping his breakfast just before that day's sortie or badly countering the G-Force, but just hearing how he relate his personal experience was freaky enough. Not just that, i think he was removed from fighter course and put into rotatory course; helicopter pilot, after that mistake he committed.

So a blackout can happen to a pilot when he's flying upwards or making a sharp turns, and what he experience is G-force, 1G is 1 times your body weight. So when your blood from your head gets push down, you blackout and lose consciousness. What the pilot has to do is to perform counter G-force maneuvers, some kind actions whereby you flex the body muscles, especially in the abdominal muscles, to prevent the blood from all rushing to the lower half of the body.

Another kind is Redout, usually when you nose dive at a high speed. Then in this case you will suffer red vision as all the blood is rush up to your head. Similarly it will cause you to lose consciousness, and probably causing damage to your brain.

Also the term spatial disorientation, whereby a pilot loses his orientation usually during night sortie when vision is low. I have heard stories about pilot thinking that his plane is on the right side up, and pull his plane up, only to find himself crashing into the land, for that he's actually inverted, facing the land.

And also, if you guys have watched Tom Cruise's Top Gun, a scene whereby he "busted" the airport tower by flying low and near it, and powering his afterburner, causing a cool thundering sound and some shakes, some pilots in Singapore actually do dangerous low flying of the aircraft too. Especially near Sentosa and those nearby small islands. Well, no prizes for being caught, as a matter of fact, AirForce pilots in Singapore can get de-winged for bad conduct and doing stupid things.

So much about my walk back to the memory lane, i think this year's NDP wasn't that bad. Probably the Black Knights performance interest me alot. Of course the accompany makes alot of difference too.

Alright, that's all i have to share. All personal, so if anything i mentioned is inaccurate or unjustified, please do not hestitate to close this window. Lastly, big thank you. for those who are still viewing my blog. Guess my blog has to live over his 5th year. Stay tune for more updates.

Till then.

After some time..

It's been 2 months since i last posted, and since i'm still brightly awake, i guess it's time to pen down some thoughts once again. I was blog-hopping a moment ago, and i was tempted to change to a new blogskin, but.. guess i'll do that some other time. For i usually have a hard time finding a theme which suits my blogging style, and part of my character.

Once again, many thoughts before start this post and i have no idea where i'll be heading after i start typing. So just bear with me, and if you can, try relating to some of the thoughts i wrote. My memory hasn't been that great lately, so i'll just post stuff that's more current and slowly go back in time.

Just last weekends, i did a 3-day stint part time job over at Suntec Convention. Working for Hasbro at the Toys & Comic Exhibition event. If you guys were there, the Star Wars booth was the one i'm in-charge, together with Derrick.

Here are the photos i took and i guess it's better to post some photos in a post, else it's going to be super boring, especially so for my blog.

Anyways, the pay wasn't that bad, minus the long hours i had to stand, and coping with empty stomach for most of the time. Saw a couple of familar faces during the 3 days, from my men, OCS coursemate, to my OCS instructor, poly and secondary friends. Managed to exchange some words while distributing the flyers to the booth, and somehow it brought me back memories about army, poly and secondary days.

Carefree, less stress and probably more healthy physically and mentally.

With a blink of an eye, i'm left with one month more to another brand new academic year. Seriously i think studying is no longer my cup of tea yet i can't imagine myself diving into the working society with my current status. I have to question myself what do i wish to be working as and whether i can face the reality of not getting paid close to what's ideal for me.

Going on to my entertainment during the holidays, they were Mahjong, prawning, texas poker, Dota, Prison break, Discovery, and psp sessions. Quoting a tagline from 'Mythbusters' telecasting over Discovery channel, i just wanna say "I reject reality and substitute my own." to all the uncertainties for what's to come in the near future. Maybe there will be a glorified pathway for me, so let's just keep the fingers crossed.

Suddenly mind blank yet again, guess it's time to wrap up again. Before i do so, just like to post 2 questions for you guys reading this:

1. Am i constantly giving this impression that what i think or do is always right? For example the way i put across my thoughts forever seem to be overwhelming and strong, to the extend that i refuse to accept a wiser and clearer opinions from the rest or individual?

2. Who are still reading my blog? Leave your name if you wish do, cause i'm thinking of packing up my blog once again. By the way, this is post #299 for my blog which will be celebrating its 5th year birthday next month.

That's all folks. New MV for my blog. No smart guess, but you probably know what i chose to put up that song. Meaningful that is.

Till then.

Mood: Unexpected and happy

And so i got a gift to strike off my second item in my wishlist. It's from someone very unexpected, my sister. Honestly speaking when i posted the wishlist and i linked the item to the official site, i didn't even realised there's a product item id at the bottom of the image. I was wondering how come my sister managed to know which one i like. So i went to check my link and back to the official site and of cause the price tag also shocked me. A hefty $202/-!

I wanted to post up more items in my wishlist, but i guess not for now. The latest 2 addition items to my personal material collection are already good enough i guess. Hope the next one will be good CAP score for my current semester.

Thanks sis. Really appreciate it.

Start of Hell

Today marks the start of examinations for me. I'll be having 2 papers later and here i am blogging away. Somehow i just don't feel like studying anymore, not cause i've already studied alot anyway. I learnt about something once again. And.. My predictions are still on track. It's just so stupid.

Sometimes..

Sometimes when you have too many odds against you, too many things not in your favour, too many cursed spells hanging around you, too many happiness bothering you, what will you do?

Headaches

It doesn't mean anything as long as it appears to be what it wasn't supposed to be. Believe it or not.

Predictions: Confirmed

Ignorance isn't always a bliss. Anyway, it seems that i have alot of unhappiness to convey from time to time ain't it? I think i know now..

Prediction

Date: 24th April 2008
Time: 03:21am
Activity: Prediction made
Date of actual event(s): To be revealed

I used to be able to get fairly accurate about things i predicted. What a person is doing, wearing, thinking, or what is to come in the near future. 70% of my guesses were rather spot on. Maybe i do cheat a little to get my prediction as accurate as possible, but i'm pretty surprised myself that i get them right at times. So i've made a few predictions, and they are about to happen some time in the near future.

The reason why i decided to make this post is to minimally convince and prove to myself that what i'm predicting may just be true once again. Of course i'm not going to state all my predictions here clearly and concisely, for you reading this, would probably try to make it not happen. Maybe just to prove i'm wrong.

Nevertheless, i'm pretty looking forward to whether my predictions do actually come true. I would seriously hope not though; this should give some hints about the "optimistical" predictions i have. What lies ahead? Watch the space after this line.







It's been quite some time since i made some rational posts in my blog. Most of the recent posts are rather full of emotions, full of angst and full of hatred. Not to say that everything's over, but i seems to be convinced myself quite a few times lately, that i have to start looking at a half-filled glass. Though it might be once again self-denial, but i guess at the end of the day, everyone gets a better living environment, with 1 less skeptical guy lurking around.

The latest thought i have in mind lately is the issue about rewards for good achievements, may it be studies, sports, arts, effort or what-so-ever.

First and foremost, i don't belong to the group who will get monetary rewards, gifts or presents in any sort of form, for any form of achievements. Therefore when i look at those who have, simply full of envy. Worse, i don't reward myself for my efforts, neither through retail therapy nor getting myself something i wanted. Instead, i try as much as i can to fulfil the wishes of others, of course at the expense of my own. My latest phone is probably one of the better things i have for myself after my DS, which is almost an year ago.

So you lucky gals out there, who always get alot of attention or presents from your admirers, count your lucky stars.

Back to the subject, i do in fact yearn for some form of monetary rewards or presents for my achievements time to time. Or at least get a pat for my efforts. I wouldn't dare to say i have achieve alot of spectacular stuff, but i do feel that at least i have put in quite alot of effort in many ways. I guess this desire in me probably push me to do alot more for others. Especially my close one. Some of you guys probably heard me saying this time to time, given $100 on hand, i probably spent $80 on others. My wardrobe is starting to shrink in size and my shoes and slippers are giving way. Good or bad, you just have to look at which perspective of things you're more interested in. My perspective or the "others" side.

Frankly speaking, how many of you do get monetary rewards or any form of rewards, for the number of As/Distinctions you get either during "O"s, "A"s, poly and university or during any phrase of your education lifespan? I believe the ratio should be around 1:1. How about getting a personal car after you got your license? I believe every 2-3 kid out of 10?

I'm not really driving at wealthiness with this thought of mine, for it's not just a matter of where and to which family you're a son/daughter. You don't have to be rich to get rewards. How about an extra big yummy roasted duck drumstick to go along your dinner, for the below average GDP families? This is reward too.

Of course, of course, one shouldn't be too devoted in seeking for rewards or benefits in life for everything that we do. It's the learning process, it's the enjoyment we get that matters the most ain't it? If results aren't important, then why do we get graded for education, and why do sports keep scores, why is CEO highest paid and why do jobs listed set education criteria instead of moral attributes such as integrity? You probably gonna argue that moral attributes can't be judge or graded. Eat me, but i'm just gonna say, once you're breathing in this sphere of earthlings, you have to outlast simply by outshining the rest.

Last thought of the day, if things you get are what you always expected, and you don't ever put in much effort, or even try to understand how come you get them, you will never be able to treat the rest, the same way you're being treated. You may be enjoying life, but with your surrounding ones suffering in silence. Things don't come free, they come at the expense of another. You just need to be more sensitive to these.

Till then.

Sony Ericsson w960i

Finally changed a new phone after living with my crappy motorola v3i which makes me send so many redundant sms due to the 'special' function of auto-sending sms when i'm in the midst of typing it. Part of the reason why i always exceed my 500 free sms.

And so i got myself a new phone and a new contract. By the way, Starhub is offering 2000 free sms and 200 free outgoing minutes for new lines under PowerValue 100 Student plan. Personally i think it's a good deal, despite many complaints about poor and bad reception of Starhub lines. Well, if you will to look at a more economical point of view, Starhub's student plan is better in value and in case you guys are not aware, Singtel tends to overcharge your bills.

Just personal thoughts and view, so don't quote me or sue for my words. Anyway, Singtel's student plan offers you 1000 sms, but the 2nd 500 is only for Singtel to Singtel numbers. I just wonder how they actually do the count, for that my friends are having issues that they don't get the 2nd 500 free smses. Of cause, the call time is charged by per minute. On the contrary, Starhub gives 2000 sms and you don't have to worry if it's limited to Starhub-Starhub only. It's free for all. And it's per second billing. Given that the 2 student plans are the same price, you be your own judge which is more value for money. Of cause if you're very conscious about the reception, Singtel is your choice then.

Move on to my new phone, Sony Ericsson w960i. I've got a review here. After getting it for days, i think i'm pretty much used to the phone now. The touch screen isn't really that great if you have big fingers and thumb, but along the way, you will learn the proper technique to handle it. Guess the best part for me is the 8GB built-in memory and the WiFi function.

Camera wasn't that bad, but the crap part about Sony Ericsson phone is that despite it's a 3G phone that allows video calls, you can't use the front camera to take photos. Battery life isn't that great either. Probably need to do a recharge every 2 days if you are normal user with calls, sms and some usage of the functions.

Overall, i think it's 8/10. Decided to do this short review for that it's something i can strike off my wishlist! Thanks! Dedicated to you.

Till then.

Untitled 2

Surprisingly, my second post in such a short time frame. Probably just a short post, for my headache is killing me. Think i've got a tumor or something stuck up there. But the contradicting fact is that, mine's a empty vessel, so i guess it's just probably too much air trapped inside.

Anyway, the reason why i'm back to blogging this post is possibly i hope someone out there can hear my heart screaming out loud. I have so much to say, so much to grumble and so much to whine. 'Here i go, scream my lungs out, trying to get to you..'

Probably too much to say and too difficult to convey my thoughts out here. I know things aren't getting better lately, and i know i should be looking myself real hard for being the source of problems and headaches. If you're reading this, i hope you will ask me more, instead of just listening.

Before i end off, i just want to point about about the fact that lately i've been stumbling upon weird students in NUS. Either faggots or negative EQ students. Most importantly, incidents like these do make me want to detach myself as a NUS student. Maybe i'm one too.

Till then.