Monday, September 30, 2013
Some days, you just want to take a pomelo sac and squeeze it at someone.
Other days, you just feel like sucking on an ice cube.
Sometimes, you just want to lie in bed and read Reader's Digest.
Other times, a simple "Good Morning" from someone just brightens your day.
It's the simple things in life that we forget, things that give life meaning. Surprisingly ordinary yet humbly extraordinary.
Such are life's simple joys.
Call Of The Wild at 7:51 PM
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Hey there future me!
How's life in camp so far? This week, I've been doing plenty of physical training and store work. I'm so tired I've slept half of today's afternoon away!
My friend was right, this is probably the fittest I'll get in my life. I predict myself reading tomes all day sitting at a desk when I go uni. Make sure you sweat plenty doing workouts in future! Maintain that fitness...
Hey future me, guess what? I'm getting pretty used to driving a car. Learning to shift gears can be a hassle, so remember to keep your cool and never use your left feet to press the brake pedal! Never!
When starting from rest, always shift to 1st gear and compress the clutch pedal to half clutch, then gently compress the accelerator pedal. Never let go of the clutch unless 2nd gear and above, or else the engine will stall! The last instructor was annoyed by this so remember. Driving is often about signalling so use those directional lights often. Also, gently brake to a stop, never jam that pedal! Hope you enjoy a great time on the road and get that license soon.
Playing online games might be fun, but don't get over-engrossed into them. Future me, remember to value your family and friends more than online games because they are what you live for. One word; Priority! Don't let your online games become priority. Remember when you were in JC and this happened? You had the worst grades in your life and you received nothing but disappointment. Luckily, you had supportive friends and family to guide you to salvation and with lots of hardwork and determination,you emerged through your 1st year unscathed. Don't be too emotional when playing online games, they are for leisure after all. You may feel like cursing and swearing and its normal to feel this way when you lose, but then again, losing is not the end. You win in these games plenty of times too so losing is fair enough. Also, friendships should never be strained because of these online games. You may play badly sometimes but treat those times as a laugh!
Last of all, keep that positive attitude of yours going. You have a joyous working attitude that many admire and because of that, many people have been motivated to achieve their goals, like passing IPPT and aiming for silver, or simply not staying in bunk to waste your time sleeping the day away. I know plenty of active people in my camp who simply have stagnated because of the pace of life there so YOU KEEP GOING TIGER! Don't you ever slack and make it your routine to sleep early so that you can begin the day feeling fresh and brand new. Also, don't stay in bunk for too long. That stale, stuffy bunk air is an anesthetic, it makes you sleepy and lethargic.
I can never decide what you'll become. Maybe 5 to 10 years down the road, you'll become a different person from what I envision today. This is merely advice from the past, for the future, looking towards a future life while living the present life. Keep going and make good progress!
signing off
YA (140913)
Call Of The Wild at 7:56 PM
Monday, September 02, 2013
I took part in this year's annual Army Half Marathon and I must say that it was a unique experience!
It was my first ever 21km run, accompanied by my friends and platoon mates (okay, mostly near the start point, I sped away after that), other army units, friends from other units, people from another generation, old people, tall people, clowns, spandex-wearing sex appeal oozing people and spandex-wearing fat oozing people.
It was crowded and I felt really amazed being a part of this event. The experience for me was mixed, there were periods of frustration, tiredness and joy.
The Esplanade bridge was packed with people when the race was flagged off so i started from the back of the pack, around the last quarter of the running contingent. It took approximately 10mins to reach the start point, whereby reaching it, people start to jog! It was painfully slow progress for people who truly want to run as there were so much obstructions. I had to keep signalling and weaving between people.
You might say that I might as well start in front if i wanted to run. I had a friend who did that, he arrived at the start point 30mins before the flag off time of 5.15am. He said it was less congested, but I arrived at Esplanade bridge at 5.16am, so arriving there 30mins early is a no go.
Considering that there were so many people, organisers should have flagged off runners in waves to reduce congestions.
Speaking of congestions, there were plenty of them in this race, particularly the one at the end of Gardens By The Bay East leading to a narrow park connector. A 6 men wide lane lead to a 2 men wide path. No surprise that a choke point would occur. When I reached that point just after a water station, I was forced to a grinding halt. Stopping my running momentum like that really peeves me off. It took a good 10 mins to go through that point which felt as if I were queueing up at a gift redemption counter at the Singapore IT Fair on a weekend.
Everyone was running on a 2 men wide path after that, so I had to run on grass and pebbles to get ahead.
The running path should never be this narrow.
My encounter with some Ironman cosplayers did cheer me up a bit as I ran on. The misting station, performances by drummers, cheerleaders and fire jugglers did lift my spirits (was a bit disappointed that there was only 1 misting station). The run was on a quicker pace after the route in the park.
As I ran along the route back into the city, I felt as if I were a gazelle in a herd of other fellow runner gazelles, running down an endless stretch of road. I've never felt this sort of serenity in a long time. As the morning sun rose, the city skyline glistened and its skyscrapers mirrored fiery orange light around.
The water stations were adequately placed. I only took 3 cups for the whole race. Most of the stations offered water though I would have preferred them to offer 100plus instead. Only a few stations offered 100plus to replenish our body salts.
When I finished the run, I was given a finisher tee, a medal and a can of 100plus (yay).
I voraciously gulped the drink and felt really hungry afterwards.
Me and Pc Weng Hong went to check out the booths later and got a SalonPas plaster each and several vouchers. Regret not checking out the yoghurt ice cream booth :C
My friends and I later went to Macs for breakfast. Still feeling hungry, some of us later went to Meidi-Ya to buy some energy drinks and went to Tanpopo for some delicious fried pork cutlets.
signing off.
Call Of The Wild at 1:20 PM