S.H.E Appreciation Autograph Session!
09/01/2005, Sunday
woke up early in the morning and went to S.H.E autograph session at IMM. Reach there at 11am, luckily they haven't give out the queue numbers, because the autograph is only limited to 1000 persons. Saw a few poly friends and my 2 cousins queuing up also. I go there alone, so I have to ask the ever-adorable Zhao Chen to help me buy lunch.
At around 12.15pm, they gave the queue numbers, i got 0618! so happy! tot that i will not get it at 1st, now my effort is not wasted!
After getting the queue number, we can walk around, this is a much better system then HMV autograph sessions, where u need to queue until the artist come, and don't even can can see the performance. I walked around to find the best spot to take photos. I finally settled down at a place and stood motionlessly there for hours.
S.H.E came around 3.05pm (which is only 5 minutes late) and the crowd start to be chaos, and I have to change spots to take photos. After a short performance of 痛快 , the autograpgh session started. They only sign their Encore DVD or VCD, so I have to used up my money again to the DVD. After which, went to the back of the queue (only those with queue number) to wait for my turn to go on stage to get the autograph. They look so pretty even in close distance. I even got the chance to shake their hands! so happy! after that, I didn't stay for very long, then went home...
After dinner, I on my computer to watch the S.H.E DVD I just bought while waiting for their performance on Ren Ci Charity Show. The <<金钟罩铁布衫>> MTV is hiliarous. Talk about the Ren Ci show, it's really touching that everyone helped to do push ups at the end of the show. But 林明伦 and 陈之财 is too arrogant to say that they can do 2000 push ups themselves. After some surfing, went to sleep...
January 22, 2005
S.H.E 奇幻樂園演唱會 (Fantasy Land Tour Concert)!!!
08/01/2005, Saturday
The day I had been waiting for months, really look forward to the concert...
6am, back to flight after a duty. Wah lau! got 1/2 day off still need to do 2 duties, 6 hours straight from 9am to 3pm! that means can only sleep 3 hours... haiz...
during duty at echo 7, luckily we are given a break to go lunch, or else i will be bored to death... 2pm, mobilisation activated, those not in camp has to report back base in 2 hours. 3pm, duty ended, back to flight. but they say have to wait for the mobilisation to finish. Aiyo, still have to collect digi cam from my brother at City Hall, where got time? 4.30pm, turnout activated and we kanna knock it down. Because they ask for volunteers and nobody turn up, 4get it, dun wish to elaborate. Everything ended around 4.45pm and I finally book out...
Luckily, i bought civilian clothes, so intended to go there directly, but have to go City Hall 1st to collect digi cam. Reached City Hall around 6.15pm, changed clothes, met my brother at the Arts House (he's having a play there), then, took a bus to near National Statium... LG and HQ still haven come, so I intended to have dinner at Leisure Park Shopping Centre, but was shocked that there is empty!!! Food, food, I need FOOD! damm hungry and tired at that point of time, but still have to walk long distance to Indoor Stadium. Reached there around 7.15pm. Finally found some food by the river side. The bee hoon is ka na sai (but still have to eat), but drumstick taste good. But LG and HQ still haven come. It's about 7.45pm that they come...
the concert started at 8.30pm. My 1st concert! the atmosphere is great! The starting was great! The concert consists of an amazing 30 songs. It's really impressive that they can see 4 to 5 songs non-stop at 1 time, and yet quality don't drop. Some more they sang some with dance moves! They changed a few costumes during the concert, I like the European dress the best. In the middle of the concert, they showed video clips of their memorable moments, which really shows how much they have changed... But Ella is still ever so jovial. Hebe is ever so adorable and talkative. And Selina is ever so sweet... And they can even gossip among themselves, which i think no artist will do that, but that is their true self I think. And it's also very sweet of them to sing birthday song to a crew member. And their voice is so powerful that I can even hear them sing LIVE during the 4-times malfunction of sound system, they even repeated a song because of that! And although they sometimes will forget lyrics, but they insisted on singing LIVE, unlike the lips-synching 5566. But a great disadvantage is that the stage is 4-sided, which means sometimes we only see their back or side. Overall, the concert was great with their perfect 默契 (which show their friendship) and they interact with us a lot to bring a fun night to us. But Indoor Statium really have to retify the sound system, because I heard Jolin's concert also like that... The concert around 11.10pm after 2 encore songs. We caught the last train and went home...
p.s. really look forward to their next LIVE performance... and realise I got addicted to them!
08/01/2005, Saturday
The day I had been waiting for months, really look forward to the concert...
6am, back to flight after a duty. Wah lau! got 1/2 day off still need to do 2 duties, 6 hours straight from 9am to 3pm! that means can only sleep 3 hours... haiz...
during duty at echo 7, luckily we are given a break to go lunch, or else i will be bored to death... 2pm, mobilisation activated, those not in camp has to report back base in 2 hours. 3pm, duty ended, back to flight. but they say have to wait for the mobilisation to finish. Aiyo, still have to collect digi cam from my brother at City Hall, where got time? 4.30pm, turnout activated and we kanna knock it down. Because they ask for volunteers and nobody turn up, 4get it, dun wish to elaborate. Everything ended around 4.45pm and I finally book out...
Luckily, i bought civilian clothes, so intended to go there directly, but have to go City Hall 1st to collect digi cam. Reached City Hall around 6.15pm, changed clothes, met my brother at the Arts House (he's having a play there), then, took a bus to near National Statium... LG and HQ still haven come, so I intended to have dinner at Leisure Park Shopping Centre, but was shocked that there is empty!!! Food, food, I need FOOD! damm hungry and tired at that point of time, but still have to walk long distance to Indoor Stadium. Reached there around 7.15pm. Finally found some food by the river side. The bee hoon is ka na sai (but still have to eat), but drumstick taste good. But LG and HQ still haven come. It's about 7.45pm that they come...
the concert started at 8.30pm. My 1st concert! the atmosphere is great! The starting was great! The concert consists of an amazing 30 songs. It's really impressive that they can see 4 to 5 songs non-stop at 1 time, and yet quality don't drop. Some more they sang some with dance moves! They changed a few costumes during the concert, I like the European dress the best. In the middle of the concert, they showed video clips of their memorable moments, which really shows how much they have changed... But Ella is still ever so jovial. Hebe is ever so adorable and talkative. And Selina is ever so sweet... And they can even gossip among themselves, which i think no artist will do that, but that is their true self I think. And it's also very sweet of them to sing birthday song to a crew member. And their voice is so powerful that I can even hear them sing LIVE during the 4-times malfunction of sound system, they even repeated a song because of that! And although they sometimes will forget lyrics, but they insisted on singing LIVE, unlike the lips-synching 5566. But a great disadvantage is that the stage is 4-sided, which means sometimes we only see their back or side. Overall, the concert was great with their perfect 默契 (which show their friendship) and they interact with us a lot to bring a fun night to us. But Indoor Statium really have to retify the sound system, because I heard Jolin's concert also like that... The concert around 11.10pm after 2 encore songs. We caught the last train and went home...
p.s. really look forward to their next LIVE performance... and realise I got addicted to them!
January 21, 2005
January 19, 2005
Liang's operation...
05/01/2005, Wednesday
Have to wake up early for another duty 6am to 9am. During this period, CAF (Chief of Air Force) came to take a flight to don't-know-where. Luckily he didn't bypass us.
Then. in the middle of duty, being called back to service my rifle. The armourer says my charging handle got problem, but it looks OK to me leh! After which, book out around 10am. Called liang about his operation, he said he's ok and discharging soon but he sounded weak.. maybe i should go visit him these few days...
After sleeping a while at home, paying bills and donation to tsuami victims using internet banking, I went to HMV again because I just got my ERS! hehe... After considering, I got myself a Sun Yan Zi 2004 Concert DVD and a S.H.E 2004 Concert DVD (to get a preview on what I will se this saturday), both at unbelievable price of $10.95. There's also a CLEAROUT sale there, VCDs selling from $4.95 and CDs from $0.95! But most of them not really worth buying...
went home around 9pm. watch TV, surf net, and watched S.H.E DVD. Very exciting performance. But the sound recording not so good. Slept at 2am...
Visiting Liang...
06/01/2005, Thursday
8am, back to base for standby. Done an Echo 2 duty from 12noon to 3pm (1st time doing this duty as this emplacement is usually closed). After duty, done some area cleaning and book out at 4pm plus...
Then, went liang's house with Noel. Liang was having a quite high fever, over 38 degree celsius. But his father is ther to take care of him... so we spent out time there until 8pm. Went to Holland V to buy some food. And then went home. On the computer, surf some net, and downloaded Lee Hom's newest album <<心中的日月>>. Intended to do some blogging, but fell asleep in the end...
Strange Duty...
07/01/2005, Friday
8am, back to base again. Supposingly going outpost, but being planned to stay in base because I'm taking 1/2 day off tomolo for S.H.E Concert! But heard that tomolo got mobilisation, hope it wont affect my concert...
1st duty of the day, Echo 6 from 9am to noon. Then, woke up at 4.45pm by a strange announcement, "5-9 duty personnels please draw items!". What the heck! have to takeover 1 hour earlier because the people doing duty is dismounting at 5pm. But seargeant let us be takeover at 8.30pm, so everyone only do half hour extra. Morning still got duty from 3am to 6am...
05/01/2005, Wednesday
Have to wake up early for another duty 6am to 9am. During this period, CAF (Chief of Air Force) came to take a flight to don't-know-where. Luckily he didn't bypass us.
Then. in the middle of duty, being called back to service my rifle. The armourer says my charging handle got problem, but it looks OK to me leh! After which, book out around 10am. Called liang about his operation, he said he's ok and discharging soon but he sounded weak.. maybe i should go visit him these few days...
After sleeping a while at home, paying bills and donation to tsuami victims using internet banking, I went to HMV again because I just got my ERS! hehe... After considering, I got myself a Sun Yan Zi 2004 Concert DVD and a S.H.E 2004 Concert DVD (to get a preview on what I will se this saturday), both at unbelievable price of $10.95. There's also a CLEAROUT sale there, VCDs selling from $4.95 and CDs from $0.95! But most of them not really worth buying...
went home around 9pm. watch TV, surf net, and watched S.H.E DVD. Very exciting performance. But the sound recording not so good. Slept at 2am...
Visiting Liang...
06/01/2005, Thursday
8am, back to base for standby. Done an Echo 2 duty from 12noon to 3pm (1st time doing this duty as this emplacement is usually closed). After duty, done some area cleaning and book out at 4pm plus...
Then, went liang's house with Noel. Liang was having a quite high fever, over 38 degree celsius. But his father is ther to take care of him... so we spent out time there until 8pm. Went to Holland V to buy some food. And then went home. On the computer, surf some net, and downloaded Lee Hom's newest album <<心中的日月>>. Intended to do some blogging, but fell asleep in the end...
Strange Duty...
07/01/2005, Friday
8am, back to base again. Supposingly going outpost, but being planned to stay in base because I'm taking 1/2 day off tomolo for S.H.E Concert! But heard that tomolo got mobilisation, hope it wont affect my concert...
1st duty of the day, Echo 6 from 9am to noon. Then, woke up at 4.45pm by a strange announcement, "5-9 duty personnels please draw items!". What the heck! have to takeover 1 hour earlier because the people doing duty is dismounting at 5pm. But seargeant let us be takeover at 8.30pm, so everyone only do half hour extra. Morning still got duty from 3am to 6am...
January 18, 2005
A New Beginning...
01/01/2005, Saturday, New Year's Day
Today is a new year, a new beginning. But come to think of it, it's just another day, 1 day nearer to ORD. However, I am glad that I am given this day to live on, while my uncle can't even...
The takeover came late at 11am plus because ICT Driver 出 stunt again (i.e. Missing in Action). After send arms etc. we book out near to noon.
Reach home around 2pm. Slept for a while. Then went out in the evening. Went to Orcahrd to photostat my acceptance letter (to NTU), then to HMV to checkout new CDs. Had dinner at KFC, and went home. Done some blogging until 2am and slept...
Boring day...
02/01/2005, Sunday
Basically spent the whole day at the computer. And watch a TV show, 卫斯里之蓝血人. And slept at 2am plus...
Crazy guy at 欢乐颠峰...
03/01/2005, Monday
Back to base after 2 days of zhou boing... Today doing duty at base, duties kept changing and changing because tomolo's VVIP's Flight. And finally hand in my application for disruption from NS (in order to go NTU earlier). Also saw a crazy guy performing on 欢乐颠峰...
PM's Flight...
04/01/2005, Tuesday
Early in morning have to wake up at 4.45am. Because Prime Minister is coming to take a flight, and all the defence minister and chiefs are coming. So our 100% check hours are extended from 0530 to 0815. The Defence MInister is escorted by a car of police officers while the Prime Minister have 4 cars and a traffic police with him! Before the flight, there is even EOD (Explosive Ordances Department) personnels to check the planes for bombs. Then, in the afternoon, do 3pm to 7pm Golf duty.
Duty change again, we have to do 9pm to midnight emplacement duty. During this time, we saw the PM coming back from Indonesia (Tsunami Area). The flight reached around 11.15pm, but they talked until midnight when the PM left...
01/01/2005, Saturday, New Year's Day
Today is a new year, a new beginning. But come to think of it, it's just another day, 1 day nearer to ORD. However, I am glad that I am given this day to live on, while my uncle can't even...
The takeover came late at 11am plus because ICT Driver 出 stunt again (i.e. Missing in Action). After send arms etc. we book out near to noon.
Reach home around 2pm. Slept for a while. Then went out in the evening. Went to Orcahrd to photostat my acceptance letter (to NTU), then to HMV to checkout new CDs. Had dinner at KFC, and went home. Done some blogging until 2am and slept...
Boring day...
02/01/2005, Sunday
Basically spent the whole day at the computer. And watch a TV show, 卫斯里之蓝血人. And slept at 2am plus...
Crazy guy at 欢乐颠峰...
03/01/2005, Monday
Back to base after 2 days of zhou boing... Today doing duty at base, duties kept changing and changing because tomolo's VVIP's Flight. And finally hand in my application for disruption from NS (in order to go NTU earlier). Also saw a crazy guy performing on 欢乐颠峰...
PM's Flight...
04/01/2005, Tuesday
Early in morning have to wake up at 4.45am. Because Prime Minister is coming to take a flight, and all the defence minister and chiefs are coming. So our 100% check hours are extended from 0530 to 0815. The Defence MInister is escorted by a car of police officers while the Prime Minister have 4 cars and a traffic police with him! Before the flight, there is even EOD (Explosive Ordances Department) personnels to check the planes for bombs. Then, in the afternoon, do 3pm to 7pm Golf duty.
Duty change again, we have to do 9pm to midnight emplacement duty. During this time, we saw the PM coming back from Indonesia (Tsunami Area). The flight reached around 11.15pm, but they talked until midnight when the PM left...
Fish & Co.!!! my favourite restaurant...
29/12/2004, Wednesday
back to base for standby after a long break (or should i say 5 tiring days). At times, I will still recall night when my uncle passed away, i will be a bit depress. My mother rule for me. That is I'm not allowed to watch movie during "三七" (21 days after he passed away). It's a custom she sayby right we can't even have any form of entertainment. But i bet no other relatives comply with this...
Base duties are as per normal. Done 1 duty and book out at 5pm. then went Fish & Co. with my camp mates... People present are KT, LG, ZW, YK and me... I had an Fish & Chips as I am running out of cash. (Where's my ERS???). Reach home quite late that night, about 8pm, I think... Catch up with some blogging and slept...
Why I do extra duty again?
30/12/2004, Thursday
Today is my uncle's "头七", but I try not to think about it... Dispute come again when comes to who go Merah. Someone actually change duties behind someone's back. And it's own shift people! This place (FDS) had been filled with selfishness and hypocrites I think (I'm not saying I'm not 1 of them, but at least do things in a sensible way mah...). Nevermind, drop the topic, hope i can leave this shit place soon...
Anyway, I went Merah for duty again. Only 5 people, so someone have to do extra duty again, that's me... Basically do duty from 10am to 6pm. Then have to get up next morning for duty...
Last day of the year, ending of misery???
31/12/2004, Friday, New Year's Eve
What a day, this is my 1st time staying in camp on New Year's Eve. Done duty from 7am to 6pm. But waiting for my order from Changi V(Village) to come. I ordered 鸡扒面 (Cutlet Noodle) with extra 炸云吞 (Fried Wan Ton), but it turn out to be 鸡扒面 plus 云吞面 due to some cock up in the order. Nobody wanted the 云吞面, so I had both the 鸡扒面 and 云吞面. My buddy got the same thing... After which, waited for the countdown. During this time, we had a good talk with the driver there. He's a guy who just married at the age of 22, and he's filty rich, but not arrogant about it...
The clock strike 12 midnight. It's a New Year! We pressed the turnout bell to celebrate (only today we are allow to press for fun). Then, waited for my second order of ice kacang to come. Slept at 2am.
29/12/2004, Wednesday
back to base for standby after a long break (or should i say 5 tiring days). At times, I will still recall night when my uncle passed away, i will be a bit depress. My mother rule for me. That is I'm not allowed to watch movie during "三七" (21 days after he passed away). It's a custom she sayby right we can't even have any form of entertainment. But i bet no other relatives comply with this...
Base duties are as per normal. Done 1 duty and book out at 5pm. then went Fish & Co. with my camp mates... People present are KT, LG, ZW, YK and me... I had an Fish & Chips as I am running out of cash. (Where's my ERS???). Reach home quite late that night, about 8pm, I think... Catch up with some blogging and slept...
Why I do extra duty again?
30/12/2004, Thursday
Today is my uncle's "头七", but I try not to think about it... Dispute come again when comes to who go Merah. Someone actually change duties behind someone's back. And it's own shift people! This place (FDS) had been filled with selfishness and hypocrites I think (I'm not saying I'm not 1 of them, but at least do things in a sensible way mah...). Nevermind, drop the topic, hope i can leave this shit place soon...
Anyway, I went Merah for duty again. Only 5 people, so someone have to do extra duty again, that's me... Basically do duty from 10am to 6pm. Then have to get up next morning for duty...
Last day of the year, ending of misery???
31/12/2004, Friday, New Year's Eve
What a day, this is my 1st time staying in camp on New Year's Eve. Done duty from 7am to 6pm. But waiting for my order from Changi V(Village) to come. I ordered 鸡扒面 (Cutlet Noodle) with extra 炸云吞 (Fried Wan Ton), but it turn out to be 鸡扒面 plus 云吞面 due to some cock up in the order. Nobody wanted the 云吞面, so I had both the 鸡扒面 and 云吞面. My buddy got the same thing... After which, waited for the countdown. During this time, we had a good talk with the driver there. He's a guy who just married at the age of 22, and he's filty rich, but not arrogant about it...
The clock strike 12 midnight. It's a New Year! We pressed the turnout bell to celebrate (only today we are allow to press for fun). Then, waited for my second order of ice kacang to come. Slept at 2am.
January 14, 2005
January 13, 2005
26/12/2004, Sunday, Boxing Day, 3rd day of Funeral
Got an off today, no need book in... Reached Punggol around 3pm, continued to fold incense per. It's like never ending... 6pm, we had some dinner there together (cook at the funeral by some caterers), the dishes are good... we left in my father's friend pick up at around 10pm plus...
27/12/2004, Monday, 4th day of Funeral
reach punggol around 11am. today, there will be 2 ceremony (打斋) at 4pm and 7pm. After lunch (frfied kway teow). we started to fold some towels, it's good that there isn't much... the towels are gifts to the friends and relatives tomolo (it's part of the custom), A ceremony started around 4pm, but that only involve my uncle's children and daughter-in-law... Then around 5pm , the paper-made 3-storey bungalow, car, mini-hifi, TV and karaoke set came. And my father they all started to jot down the 4D numbers. The ceremony ended around 6pm. Then, we had dinner there (cooked by the caterers also), and waited for another ceremony to start. While waiting, 2 of my cousins and me went to refill the kerosene lamp at the main road. I almost forgot how to operate the lamp!
After much waiting, the ceremony started around 8pm. The whole family (except 3 members) are in white T-shirts, with head dress and belts in 4 different colours, matt, black, cream and blue. Matt dress are for immediate family members (i.e. his children and daughter-in-law). Black colour are for siblings and siblings' spouse (i.e. my father, mother, uncles and aunties). cream colour are for nephews and nieces on the on the father side, blue are for the mother side. I wear the cream colur.
The ceremony involve a lot of chanting, walking around a lot of times, and crossing a metal bridge. It ended past 11am, with a 15 minutes break in the middle. And there's even police who came to give us warning. After the ceremony, we brought all the "house", "car", "hi-fi", "chest", bags of incense paper to the carpark to burn (wonder if police will summon us or not?) Then we form a circle and kneel down and start hitting the ground with bamboo sticks until the whole burning finish. It's very late when everything ended, so most of us stay over that night...
The Crementation
28/12/2004, Tuesday, 5th day of Funeral
woke up around 8am. Had some breakfast. Then put on the same costume as yesterday. 11am, a band arrived with lots of gongs (20 over) and drums. They started to play for some time, then the relatives and friends pay respect, and loaded the coffin to the car. We started to walk the "last journey" with him. The route is from the funeral venue to the main road, about 150 metres (we walk with socks on only). After which, we boarded a bus to send us to the crementorium.
We reach the Mandai Crementorium and Columborium in no time. It's a new crementation facility, everything is new. He's crementated at 12.45pm, everyone cried. After which, we wear back our shoes and board the bus and head towards another columborium at sengkang where his ashes will be placed. After paying respect, the funeral organiser helped us remove the 孝
After that, we change back to our original clothes and boarded the bus back to the funeral. We had our lunch there and left around 3pm...
Got an off today, no need book in... Reached Punggol around 3pm, continued to fold incense per. It's like never ending... 6pm, we had some dinner there together (cook at the funeral by some caterers), the dishes are good... we left in my father's friend pick up at around 10pm plus...
27/12/2004, Monday, 4th day of Funeral
reach punggol around 11am. today, there will be 2 ceremony (打斋) at 4pm and 7pm. After lunch (frfied kway teow). we started to fold some towels, it's good that there isn't much... the towels are gifts to the friends and relatives tomolo (it's part of the custom), A ceremony started around 4pm, but that only involve my uncle's children and daughter-in-law... Then around 5pm , the paper-made 3-storey bungalow, car, mini-hifi, TV and karaoke set came. And my father they all started to jot down the 4D numbers. The ceremony ended around 6pm. Then, we had dinner there (cooked by the caterers also), and waited for another ceremony to start. While waiting, 2 of my cousins and me went to refill the kerosene lamp at the main road. I almost forgot how to operate the lamp!
After much waiting, the ceremony started around 8pm. The whole family (except 3 members) are in white T-shirts, with head dress and belts in 4 different colours, matt, black, cream and blue. Matt dress are for immediate family members (i.e. his children and daughter-in-law). Black colour are for siblings and siblings' spouse (i.e. my father, mother, uncles and aunties). cream colour are for nephews and nieces on the on the father side, blue are for the mother side. I wear the cream colur.
The ceremony involve a lot of chanting, walking around a lot of times, and crossing a metal bridge. It ended past 11am, with a 15 minutes break in the middle. And there's even police who came to give us warning. After the ceremony, we brought all the "house", "car", "hi-fi", "chest", bags of incense paper to the carpark to burn (wonder if police will summon us or not?) Then we form a circle and kneel down and start hitting the ground with bamboo sticks until the whole burning finish. It's very late when everything ended, so most of us stay over that night...
The Crementation
28/12/2004, Tuesday, 5th day of Funeral
woke up around 8am. Had some breakfast. Then put on the same costume as yesterday. 11am, a band arrived with lots of gongs (20 over) and drums. They started to play for some time, then the relatives and friends pay respect, and loaded the coffin to the car. We started to walk the "last journey" with him. The route is from the funeral venue to the main road, about 150 metres (we walk with socks on only). After which, we boarded a bus to send us to the crementorium.
We reach the Mandai Crementorium and Columborium in no time. It's a new crementation facility, everything is new. He's crementated at 12.45pm, everyone cried. After which, we wear back our shoes and board the bus and head towards another columborium at sengkang where his ashes will be placed. After paying respect, the funeral organiser helped us remove the 孝
After that, we change back to our original clothes and boarded the bus back to the funeral. We had our lunch there and left around 3pm...
January 10, 2005
a different Christmas...
25/12/2004, Saturday, Christmas' Day, 2nd day of Funeral
Today is christmas' day but nobody is in mood to celebrate. (but actually I don't celebrate because I'm not a christian). This is the 2nd day of funeral (yesterday is considered 1 day), according to customs, funerals are held for 5 days, which is until tuesday.
woke up early at 5am plus, we have to reach by 8am plus. When we reach there, the body is still not inside the coffin and the whole place is not completely set up... my mother told me that I have take leave for monday and tuesday. Since it's this case, I might as well tale leave for sunday and monday as tuesday is my dismount day. so I applied off from PC for the next 2 days.
At around 10am, the funeral organizers came to setup the place and held the ceremony to place the body in the coffin. We are not allowed to see the ceremony as the funeral organizer says, only his children and daughter-in-law are involved. Then we put on the "孝" (the piece of cloth on the left arm to indicate a relative's death). As the "inside" or father-side nephew, I got the cream colour. My father, mother, uncles and aunties got black colour, my other side cousins(grandmother's daughter's children) got blue colour. And obviously his sons, daughters and daughter-in-law wears matt cloth. I can't remember the last time I wear this because the last time is when my "Ah Gong" (grandfather) died 20 years ago, when i am 1 year and 1 months old. Me and my brother went home around noon since there is nothing much to do...
Afternoon, reach home around 2pm. Surf a little, sms christmas wishes and watch <<白變金鋼>> on TV. Don't even have time to sleep, 5.30pm have to go back to the funeral.
6pm, reach Clementi with my brother to fetch his girlfriend. Then 3 of us headed back to the funeral at Punggol. On the way, my brother lend me a business book to read, named "The 45 Second Presentation That Will Change Your Life", quite interesting book...
Reached the funeral around 8pm. saw a lot of visitors. It's then i realise funeral is actually as easy as it seems, there's a lot of things to be done. set up tables, serve visitors, emoty rubbish and the main thing is there's mountains of incense paper to fold. We left around 11pm in my father's friend van...
25/12/2004, Saturday, Christmas' Day, 2nd day of Funeral
Today is christmas' day but nobody is in mood to celebrate. (but actually I don't celebrate because I'm not a christian). This is the 2nd day of funeral (yesterday is considered 1 day), according to customs, funerals are held for 5 days, which is until tuesday.
woke up early at 5am plus, we have to reach by 8am plus. When we reach there, the body is still not inside the coffin and the whole place is not completely set up... my mother told me that I have take leave for monday and tuesday. Since it's this case, I might as well tale leave for sunday and monday as tuesday is my dismount day. so I applied off from PC for the next 2 days.
At around 10am, the funeral organizers came to setup the place and held the ceremony to place the body in the coffin. We are not allowed to see the ceremony as the funeral organizer says, only his children and daughter-in-law are involved. Then we put on the "孝" (the piece of cloth on the left arm to indicate a relative's death). As the "inside" or father-side nephew, I got the cream colour. My father, mother, uncles and aunties got black colour, my other side cousins(grandmother's daughter's children) got blue colour. And obviously his sons, daughters and daughter-in-law wears matt cloth. I can't remember the last time I wear this because the last time is when my "Ah Gong" (grandfather) died 20 years ago, when i am 1 year and 1 months old. Me and my brother went home around noon since there is nothing much to do...
Afternoon, reach home around 2pm. Surf a little, sms christmas wishes and watch <<白變金鋼>> on TV. Don't even have time to sleep, 5.30pm have to go back to the funeral.
6pm, reach Clementi with my brother to fetch his girlfriend. Then 3 of us headed back to the funeral at Punggol. On the way, my brother lend me a business book to read, named "The 45 Second Presentation That Will Change Your Life", quite interesting book...
Reached the funeral around 8pm. saw a lot of visitors. It's then i realise funeral is actually as easy as it seems, there's a lot of things to be done. set up tables, serve visitors, emoty rubbish and the main thing is there's mountains of incense paper to fold. We left around 11pm in my father's friend van...
a very sad day for the family...
24/12/2004, Friday, Christmas' Eve
today had been a very sad day for my family, please read to the end of the blog...
today is our standby day, we suppose to book out at 5pm, but base comd (commander) gave half day off, so we book out at noon...
back at home in the afternoon, intending to watch "Kungfu Hustle" with my poly pals in the evening. My mother had been telling me to visit my uncle in hospital, but being rebeliious (and some-sort unfillial) son, I decided to leave it to tomolo morning. spent the whole after watching Yanzi's DVD and surfing when we receive a call that my uncle has changed to another bed (that means condition worsened)... it's 4pm at that time... my father rush to hospital immediately. thinking that it's not so serious, my mother took her own sweet time to prepare to go out. Then, we leave home about 6pm and reached NUH with my brother at 6.15pm...
the condition is not as good as we expected, my uncle (father's elder brother) was breathing vigously with lots of equipment beside him. The doctor says his whole artery is blocked and it's beyond cure. We could only wait for "his time to come". Almost my whole family come to visit him including my grandmother. We can only watch and hope that his condition will be better and he will wake up... I have to cancel my appointment with my poly friends... from time to time, my cousins (my uncle's children), his wife and my grandmother (and my brother) will say "Wake up, wake up!" in teochew...
at 8pm plus, he breath more smoothly, and we started going down for dinner in batches. We were eating half-way when I received a call from my father saying that my uncle stopped breathing! We immediately rushed back to the ward. The doctor is still not there. Everyone start crying and shouting, even myself. The inprofessional doctor only came half hour later... He was declared dead in front of me... Tears started to fall. My cousin nearly fainted. I will never forget this scence. It's so shocking that a person talking actively just 2 weeks ago, was now lying dead in front me... But there are things still need to be done. Documents to file, washing up and dressing up him, and arrangements for the funeral. We left around 10pm...
my uncle was a very active person. Travels a lot and gets involved in union's activities. And also very positive thinking. Also sings karaoke frequently. Nobody expected he to pass away so early and so sudden. The good thing is he didn't leave much regrets, all his children are degree holders and her eldest daughter even hold a Master, he just granted his wish of going back to Teochew (China) and his son just got married. What more can a man wish for?
p.s. thanks A LOT to all who have to send in the condolences and concern. Really thanks a lot...
24/12/2004, Friday, Christmas' Eve
today had been a very sad day for my family, please read to the end of the blog...
today is our standby day, we suppose to book out at 5pm, but base comd (commander) gave half day off, so we book out at noon...
back at home in the afternoon, intending to watch "Kungfu Hustle" with my poly pals in the evening. My mother had been telling me to visit my uncle in hospital, but being rebeliious (and some-sort unfillial) son, I decided to leave it to tomolo morning. spent the whole after watching Yanzi's DVD and surfing when we receive a call that my uncle has changed to another bed (that means condition worsened)... it's 4pm at that time... my father rush to hospital immediately. thinking that it's not so serious, my mother took her own sweet time to prepare to go out. Then, we leave home about 6pm and reached NUH with my brother at 6.15pm...
the condition is not as good as we expected, my uncle (father's elder brother) was breathing vigously with lots of equipment beside him. The doctor says his whole artery is blocked and it's beyond cure. We could only wait for "his time to come". Almost my whole family come to visit him including my grandmother. We can only watch and hope that his condition will be better and he will wake up... I have to cancel my appointment with my poly friends... from time to time, my cousins (my uncle's children), his wife and my grandmother (and my brother) will say "Wake up, wake up!" in teochew...
at 8pm plus, he breath more smoothly, and we started going down for dinner in batches. We were eating half-way when I received a call from my father saying that my uncle stopped breathing! We immediately rushed back to the ward. The doctor is still not there. Everyone start crying and shouting, even myself. The inprofessional doctor only came half hour later... He was declared dead in front of me... Tears started to fall. My cousin nearly fainted. I will never forget this scence. It's so shocking that a person talking actively just 2 weeks ago, was now lying dead in front me... But there are things still need to be done. Documents to file, washing up and dressing up him, and arrangements for the funeral. We left around 10pm...
my uncle was a very active person. Travels a lot and gets involved in union's activities. And also very positive thinking. Also sings karaoke frequently. Nobody expected he to pass away so early and so sudden. The good thing is he didn't leave much regrets, all his children are degree holders and her eldest daughter even hold a Master, he just granted his wish of going back to Teochew (China) and his son just got married. What more can a man wish for?
p.s. thanks A LOT to all who have to send in the condolences and concern. Really thanks a lot...
January 03, 2005
shopping with my mother...
21/12/2004, Tuesday, "Dong Zhi"
back in at 8am. Today have to standby, which means come back 8 to 5 only. The initial plan (planned by S3) is to have trianing on standby days... but how to have training when there's a serious manpower shortage? so in the end, we have to help the mounting shift do 1 duty, mine is from 12noon to 3pm...
Let me share with you a very special and meaningful article I saw in Digital Life (The Straits Times). There's a woman named Grace Chow who had a brain tumour and kept a blog in the last 11 days of her life (http://www.dyingis.blogspot.com). it's so amazing that a person who don't have energy on half of her body has to the ability to type a blog, even when she's dying. It's so admirable and inspiring that she look at life in a positive way even when she's dying...
"The enthusiam to believe that I will get better is based on the reluctance to think about the concept of death.
You do not comfort me with your assurance that I won't die, because escaping death is not what I'm longing for. What I'm longing for is for you to understand what death is. Look it in the eye and see it for what it is. And then you'll see that undestanding death is the only one and true liberation." - Grace Chow
After the duties, we did area cleaning. And then PC Ho announce the new system that we have to report to 1 sergeant for anything, and go by the chain of command, something like the infantry style. And he also say that shift 4 will be permanent (I'm originally from shift 2), which I don't want it to happen. I had enough of shift 4, there's people hating each other, eating (push responsibility) each other, and there's zero co-operation and teamwork. A bit sad upon hearing this news, but have to accept the fact...
Later in the evening, met up with my mother at 8pm at Bukit Merah Central. She want me to bring her to see doctor for her "rotten" leg (some skin problem). The clinic is quite ulu ulu, and we are their today's 1st customer! But nevermind, it's free anyway, because it's part of my father's company medical welfare. After which, accompany my mother to shop around that area. Anyway, hasn't been to there for over 1 year! There's a special stage set-up for senior citizens to sing KTV, quite interesting... And got a sale of 2nd hand books outside NTUC Fairprice. And by the way, today is "Dong Zhi" (translation: end of winter), the festival to eat rice ball (Tan Yuan). So my mother bought some Tan Yuan "for the Gods". went home around 10pm, when my mother finally stopped shopping (because the shops are closed)... Pray to "Da Bo Gong", wat GuessX3, done some blogging and then slept at 3am... yawn...
21/12/2004, Tuesday, "Dong Zhi"
back in at 8am. Today have to standby, which means come back 8 to 5 only. The initial plan (planned by S3) is to have trianing on standby days... but how to have training when there's a serious manpower shortage? so in the end, we have to help the mounting shift do 1 duty, mine is from 12noon to 3pm...
Let me share with you a very special and meaningful article I saw in Digital Life (The Straits Times). There's a woman named Grace Chow who had a brain tumour and kept a blog in the last 11 days of her life (http://www.dyingis.blogspot.com). it's so amazing that a person who don't have energy on half of her body has to the ability to type a blog, even when she's dying. It's so admirable and inspiring that she look at life in a positive way even when she's dying...
"The enthusiam to believe that I will get better is based on the reluctance to think about the concept of death.
You do not comfort me with your assurance that I won't die, because escaping death is not what I'm longing for. What I'm longing for is for you to understand what death is. Look it in the eye and see it for what it is. And then you'll see that undestanding death is the only one and true liberation." - Grace Chow
After the duties, we did area cleaning. And then PC Ho announce the new system that we have to report to 1 sergeant for anything, and go by the chain of command, something like the infantry style. And he also say that shift 4 will be permanent (I'm originally from shift 2), which I don't want it to happen. I had enough of shift 4, there's people hating each other, eating (push responsibility) each other, and there's zero co-operation and teamwork. A bit sad upon hearing this news, but have to accept the fact...
Later in the evening, met up with my mother at 8pm at Bukit Merah Central. She want me to bring her to see doctor for her "rotten" leg (some skin problem). The clinic is quite ulu ulu, and we are their today's 1st customer! But nevermind, it's free anyway, because it's part of my father's company medical welfare. After which, accompany my mother to shop around that area. Anyway, hasn't been to there for over 1 year! There's a special stage set-up for senior citizens to sing KTV, quite interesting... And got a sale of 2nd hand books outside NTUC Fairprice. And by the way, today is "Dong Zhi" (translation: end of winter), the festival to eat rice ball (Tan Yuan). So my mother bought some Tan Yuan "for the Gods". went home around 10pm, when my mother finally stopped shopping (because the shops are closed)... Pray to "Da Bo Gong", wat GuessX3, done some blogging and then slept at 3am... yawn...
January 02, 2005
out of tune KTV...
20/12/2004, Monday
10am, book out... but tomolo have to come back to standby, that's the sian part... went tampines for breakfast at Mcdonald's with shift mates... this time I got wat I ordered!!! Hotcakes with sausage, my favourite breakfast. Yah, also finally signed up for Mcdonald's Rewards member. Got 500 points for that(500 points = $5.00 value). That's stored in your ez-link card. This membership is ideal for a person who eats Mcdonald's frequently, like me... Seems like the Ez-link card industry is hot and expanding recently. An industry worth exploring, maybe I should start a business in that!
Afternoon, reached home, waiting for Noel's call to confirm wat time meeting later... but he only confirmed when I called him again... Anyway, I don't have much things to do (except sleeping, I haven't been sleeping since 3am!). Haven't been to Great World City, so alighted at the wrong bus stop, and walked for about 20 minutes to there... Finally, met Noel and liang at around 4pm (half hour after our meeting time). this is the time we go out together. Liang is noel's secondary school class mate, and also my poly class mate. and noel is my camp mate... So it's like a triangular (3rd party) relationship... They are intending to buy christmas gifts for their friends. so we loitter around aimlessly. then had some food at Yoshinoya (I've been cheated money for a small bowl of Ki-age Don). And finally decided to buy some Perlin's Silver jewellery for them, just nice that there's a outlet there... so they bought 3 necklaces... then, accompany them to a cafe nearby where 1 of their friends work, quite nice-looking girl... 8) ... program for the night, KTV...
Great World City is really not so accessible (that's why i seldoms come here), so we took a cab to Clementi. it's when we reach there, that we know the pricing had changed, mondays are no longer member's nite. Now the pricing is $14 plus per person! (Partyworld is still better). But we went in in the end, because of unexplanable reasons. We dedicate songs in turns, so it's fair to everyone. We sang the usual popular songs by Jay Chou, Wang Lee Hom, Andy Lau and Beyond. but almost every song i sang is out of tune or pitch, i wasn't "on form"... also got a chance to sing PART of the songs, "In The End" (by Linkin Park) and "Where is the Love" (by Black Eyed Peas). we left around 11.30pm. They went to have supper, but i choosed to go home... I'm just too tired, and don't want to waste money on cab fees again (some more after midnight), any way tomolo still have to book in...
20/12/2004, Monday
10am, book out... but tomolo have to come back to standby, that's the sian part... went tampines for breakfast at Mcdonald's with shift mates... this time I got wat I ordered!!! Hotcakes with sausage, my favourite breakfast. Yah, also finally signed up for Mcdonald's Rewards member. Got 500 points for that(500 points = $5.00 value). That's stored in your ez-link card. This membership is ideal for a person who eats Mcdonald's frequently, like me... Seems like the Ez-link card industry is hot and expanding recently. An industry worth exploring, maybe I should start a business in that!
Afternoon, reached home, waiting for Noel's call to confirm wat time meeting later... but he only confirmed when I called him again... Anyway, I don't have much things to do (except sleeping, I haven't been sleeping since 3am!). Haven't been to Great World City, so alighted at the wrong bus stop, and walked for about 20 minutes to there... Finally, met Noel and liang at around 4pm (half hour after our meeting time). this is the time we go out together. Liang is noel's secondary school class mate, and also my poly class mate. and noel is my camp mate... So it's like a triangular (3rd party) relationship... They are intending to buy christmas gifts for their friends. so we loitter around aimlessly. then had some food at Yoshinoya (I've been cheated money for a small bowl of Ki-age Don). And finally decided to buy some Perlin's Silver jewellery for them, just nice that there's a outlet there... so they bought 3 necklaces... then, accompany them to a cafe nearby where 1 of their friends work, quite nice-looking girl... 8) ... program for the night, KTV...
Great World City is really not so accessible (that's why i seldoms come here), so we took a cab to Clementi. it's when we reach there, that we know the pricing had changed, mondays are no longer member's nite. Now the pricing is $14 plus per person! (Partyworld is still better). But we went in in the end, because of unexplanable reasons. We dedicate songs in turns, so it's fair to everyone. We sang the usual popular songs by Jay Chou, Wang Lee Hom, Andy Lau and Beyond. but almost every song i sang is out of tune or pitch, i wasn't "on form"... also got a chance to sing PART of the songs, "In The End" (by Linkin Park) and "Where is the Love" (by Black Eyed Peas). we left around 11.30pm. They went to have supper, but i choosed to go home... I'm just too tired, and don't want to waste money on cab fees again (some more after midnight), any way tomolo still have to book in...
back to base???
19/12/2004, Sunday
9.30am, woke up... thought that we will stay at Merah at first... but dun noe why tell us to go back base for duties... suck thumbs, have to go back... Duties kept changing and changing back at base, initially got 2.5 duties, then 3.5 duties. luckily some kind soul (yan kit), help me to do 0.5 duty, so got 3 in the end... but duties are after 9pm. that means i can rest now to 9pm, but after 9pm no time to rest liao... should i blame it on lack of manpower, or blame on others who took lots of leave and time-offs... sometimes, i think, ultimately, it's our own pple that bring us to this hetic duties... or is it I think too much??? Heaven Knows!!!
19/12/2004, Sunday
9.30am, woke up... thought that we will stay at Merah at first... but dun noe why tell us to go back base for duties... suck thumbs, have to go back... Duties kept changing and changing back at base, initially got 2.5 duties, then 3.5 duties. luckily some kind soul (yan kit), help me to do 0.5 duty, so got 3 in the end... but duties are after 9pm. that means i can rest now to 9pm, but after 9pm no time to rest liao... should i blame it on lack of manpower, or blame on others who took lots of leave and time-offs... sometimes, i think, ultimately, it's our own pple that bring us to this hetic duties... or is it I think too much??? Heaven Knows!!!
change in monthly schedule again...
18/12/2004, Saturday
8am, back at camp, monthly duty schedule is finally finalised (for the time being lah...). For this mount, we will have dismount followed by standby (8 to 5). Then, next mount will standby followed by dismount. This will happen for alterante mounts. Don't understand? never mind lah... to sum it up, this schedule leads to increase in transportation fees, wastage of bookout time and more duties per person... haiz... who tell us to fail the security audit?
9.30am, reach merah for duties. weekends no so much visitors and contractors, so quite relax... sitting in the control room, trying hard to fight the Zzzzz monster (trying sleep lah...) during duty that's because i only slept 2 hours plus yesterday. duty finishes at 6pm. after watching some VCDs i had seen countless times (steph chow movies, bo bian, sergeant had been watching whole day, i cant even watch my own VCDs!!!). went straight to bed after that...
18/12/2004, Saturday
8am, back at camp, monthly duty schedule is finally finalised (for the time being lah...). For this mount, we will have dismount followed by standby (8 to 5). Then, next mount will standby followed by dismount. This will happen for alterante mounts. Don't understand? never mind lah... to sum it up, this schedule leads to increase in transportation fees, wastage of bookout time and more duties per person... haiz... who tell us to fail the security audit?
9.30am, reach merah for duties. weekends no so much visitors and contractors, so quite relax... sitting in the control room, trying hard to fight the Zzzzz monster (trying sleep lah...) during duty that's because i only slept 2 hours plus yesterday. duty finishes at 6pm. after watching some VCDs i had seen countless times (steph chow movies, bo bian, sergeant had been watching whole day, i cant even watch my own VCDs!!!). went straight to bed after that...
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