Heal The World

I've decided to change my blogskin... like finally. i can't exactly remember when i last did it, but i think it was roughly 4 years ago. Meaning, i have been sticking to that old blogskin for 4 years! That's quite a record. Haha. It's not that im lazy to do it(okay.. partly i admit), but i really really liked the old one. But, like an old wise man says, you have to move on and change for the better. In this rapidly-changing world, you have to constantly keep up with the pace with the society you are living in. Get it? Haha you know what i mean. At least a simple thing like, a new look for my blog, shows that im learning to accept with the changes happening around me.

Talking about a rapidly-changing world, i was sad to hear about the several disasters that has been happening recently. Just take a look at the 7.6-magnitude earthquake. Only in West Sumatra itself, it is feared that more than 1,300 people is dead. And to think about what happened to the 400 people having a wedding celebration in Pulau Air, all gone sucked 30m into the earth from a landslide. What does this shows about the earth and nature? Scientifically speaking, the earth is getting old and this 'rapidly-changing world', not only refers to the modern technology and infrastructure, but also to the climate and the environment that we are living in. It is just embarass to say that, as Modern Man is going into a new era, the ageing chart of the earth also grows exponentially. A Modern Man supposed to know exactly how to improve one's life, but on the same time, be conscious about the environment and not be selfish about his own well-being. In a religious point of view, as a Muslim, i have to say that people have the tendency to pray and in search of His help only when they are in need. It is important for us to have faith in our respectives beliefs and continously pray for the best of health and life. Don't lose hope when you are down and thank Him for the blessings you cherish.



Personally, i feel really blessed living in Singapore. Even if its just a small hot country which people complaint about, I would gladly say it is the safest place for us to live in, and that's the best thing you could ever ask for especially at this depressing period. So let's support and contribute whatever we can for our fellow friends out there who are in need of help. Be it prayers or donations of money or clothes or volunteer work, let's do something good today. Your small little effort might just be significantly important to someone. Make this world a better place. Insyaallah.

20 years of life

It's been a hectic time for me for the past weeks; that explains why i took a little more time to post this. Continue from where i stopped in the previous entry, the H1N1 probation period was finally lifted earlier than expected and therefore the flurry of activties kicked in like nobody's business. camps after camps, courses after courses, expeditions after expeditions and the list goes on. And the end of all these, HQ NCC had to bid farewell to an another group of ORD personnels. Mr Herald, Khairul Anuar, Riduwan and Raziff to name a few. Those endless support, guidance and company that i would cherish for a long time.

Hari Raya preparation this year was a little special for me, because after 15 years living in the same room, i decide to do an, what u called it, 'extreme makeover'. Not that extreme.. but both bro and me did quite a plan on our drawing board and think through thoroughly with a long list of exquisite ideas of designs. I would say its not bad for a start. This was my first ambitious plan with all the effort, time and money spent. Nevertheless, im not going to stop here. I'm very sure there's plenty more of an overhaul to come! :)

It's only an hour away from my 20th year! Wow.. that's fast. Im no longer a teen anymore. Meaning.. there's some things which i can't do such as:

• Collecting green packets on Hari Raya
• Hoping for mom to give me pocket money
• Relying on dad to fetch me whenever im stuck somewhere outside
• Getting a hairdo from my sis
• Asking my bro for advice whenever im stuck on what to wear for the day
  

Which also means.. i should start doing this:

• Be financially independent(saves up money from this last 4 months of NS!)
• Stand up firmly and say "It's okay makcik, im working already part-time"(though next time if im still unemployed after NS)
• Getting a car licence! (i enrolled for BBDC since 2008's July and i've yet to start on my first practical)
• I think Awal Ashaari's hair is nice in Syurga Cinta. But i dont think i suits that. Need to get a new hairstyle soon!
• Start wearing my own clothes & accessories (if u see in an all-look-good attire, that's not mine)

Being in this 20th age zone meaning responsibilities have grown way up even before we realized it. I knew someday i had to sacrifice some things to help out with the family. My parents has been tirelessly doing all the work at the market and there were times when i can see they are just in need of that extra helping hand to push a little harder, especially during the Hari Raya season. Our parents are not getting any younger by the day and its time for us to step up and contribute what we are capable of. You need to be there even when they didn't need you. Your presence and effort will be appreciated, i can assure that. If you are being sincere, that is.

After more than a month of inactivity in the gym, i finally started again this week. I've recently read about how Ryan Giggs kept his fitness up through pilates sessions and trained on his flexibility and core muscles, and with his current top form continues (he just assisted 2 goals against Stoke just now!), i just want to follow his footsteps! So.. from now onwards, you readers as my witness, to encourage me to sustain this gym regime and healthy fitness of mine. Thank you.

And with that, i want to end off with, Chelsea lost 3-1 to Wigan?!
Wait.. Manutd won 2-0 over Stoke both from Giggs's assists!
What do you know? They are the league leaders now!
That's a nice 20th birthday present.







Selamat Hari Raya to my dear readers! Maaf zahir dan batin.
May all of you have a blessing syawal for you and your family. :)

July Updates

i think i should start making every entry a monthly personal update, especially at this rate!

Hmm.. okay. Let me talk about the month of July. It was supposed to be one of the busiest period for any HQ NCC personnels, since school re-opens and normal NCC activities are resumed. However, it was declared that all HQ NCC activities are either postponed or cancelled till the end of August, thanks to the right timing of H1N1 outbreak. Therefore, it was a quite a good life during this few weeks. Been really working hard day in day out, everywhere but not in the office. What i meant was, there were more outdoor activities for the NSFs like kayaking & rock climbing 1 star course, Trainers' day(where we will just swing around, climbing here and there at the adventure stations), runs to train for the upcoming Army Half Marathon (AHM), and not forgetting, the rigorous weight trainings by the newly-posted bodybuilder ferdaus who makes me not even wish to move my joints after every session.


Trainers' Day.


Rock Climbing 1 star course at SAFRA Yishun.

SuperSunday with Team Orange was great. Great bcos im glad im performing well so far, at least from what i think! We had a couple of pre-season games to gear up our fitness and team strategy, but it was also sad to see Bryan to sit out for the upcoming EPL qualifying new season due to the nature of his injury. He had multiple bone fractures(sounds like road accident right?) when he landed awkwardly on his left ankle.
An excerpt from the team's website:

"Recalling the incident, Bryan could vividly remember himself jumping in the air as he tried to flick the ball with his right leg. The next moment, he lost his footing and his whole bodyweight came crushing down on his left ankle. Khairul, who was the nearest to Bryan could clearly hear a "crack" sound while a few lads simply "could not bear" to see the awfully awkward position of the ankle."

Yes, i was there to witness it. And it wasn't a nice scene.



July was also a good month for family gatherings! We had Princess M's birthday celebration/cuzzins' rendezvous at her 'palace', and also cuzzin's gathering @ Jurong Pt's Swensen. The games were fun, PS3, the forum perdana, the makeovers of our cute lil cousins and many more. Enjoyed it pretty much especially those i havent seen for ages!


fixing in nicely. ehh we won lah sey!


The cuzzins on my mom's side.


The cuzzins on my dad's side.

And lastly, I wish to dedicate this post to the these influential figures who had made a great impact in their respective arts of work.
May God rest their souls in peace.
Amin.


Sir Bobby Robson
18 February 1933 – 31 July 2009


Yasmin Ahmad
1st July 1958 - 25 July 2009


Michael Jackson
29 August 1958 – 25 June 2009

If I Die Tonight (Too Phat feat. Liyana)

I've been listening this song for some time and the lyrics is really meaningful, in my opinion at least. It gives me that extra motivation to put my best every single day.

Some of us take things easy and some wish the day will past quickly.
Others hope for the right opportunity to come before taking actions.
and only the minority will make full use of each day coming.

An excerpt from the song, "take every day like ur last day", really make me think twice, or maybe thrice, for what ive been doing all these while.
There are days when i just dread to go through, but let's just ask this to urself.

"what if u wont get to see the next day?"

Do you still want to dread and go through the motion of the day?
I dont think so.

Every day is a start of a NEW day. There will always be new opportunities, adventures and life lessons to cherish and it is important for us to THERE to take it, to learn from it and be a better person by each day.
Do not waste time pondering too much about the past, but instead, inculcate this habit of learning in the present, and be optimistic about the future.

What i wanna say is..
You cant decide when your time is up in this reality world,
but you can decide how much you want in your life before it happens.

Viva La Man United!

Woohoo!
Manchester United is the champion of England... again, and for the 18th time!
and coming soon, Europe!
Wait a minute.. only a few months back they just won the World Club Championship.
That means..
They are the best club in the world too! :)
Hahaha.
Just another addition of trophy to the Hall of Fame and we gonna be the first club in history to win the unprecedented Quadruple.
Bring it on!

WOW i just realized i didnt reply to my fellow taggies for like almost.. 5 months!
The last one was dated back all the way t0 Dec 2008. haha

Anyway here's my replies to tags:
(haye) : Hey there passer-by! YES my hands were swollen back during JCC. It is really REALLY bad that my friends called me Doraemon.
(Syeera) : Im doing well thanks. hope u're doing well too. :)
(fazzy) : yeah i look at it already. boleh lah tahan comel...
(Ireadalot) : okayy.. i'll take note of that, thanks!
(ayshy) : terima kasih banyak2 kak aisha and cik piah's family! :))
(aisah & yraa) : okay fine both of u r linked!
(eva) : TRUE TRUE! hello. :)
(aisah) : woah woah.. kata-kata dari seorang adviser betul! IYE lah makcik saya akan terus bersemangat and berjuang demi keluarga, bangsa dan negara! haha
(thereader) : thanks.. this IS the new post. haha
(fiiez) : yeap.. see ya soon. :)
(MK) : alah.. same lah!

Presenting to you...

PFA Player of the Year!


Ryan Giggs!
I really don't think he deserves to be the PFA Player of the Year.
It should be PFA Player of the Decade instead!

But no matter what.. im proud of him man.
A dedicated loyal player to Manutd, no fancy stuffs and has always remain down-to-earth throughout his 22 years of footballing career.

My last wish from him,
to see his magical maut-punya dribble one last time before he retires..

Ungu - Cinta Dalam Hati

I kind of like this music video and the song itself. The guy inside kinda both kental tapi kesian jugak. haha

Mungkin ini memang jalan takdirku
Mengagumi tanpa dicintai
Tak mengapa bagiku asal kau pun bahagia
Dengan hidupmu, dalam hidupmu

Telah lama ku pendam perasaan itu
Menunggu hatimu menyambut diriku
Tak mengapa bagiku cintaimu pun adalah
Bahagia untukku, bahagia untukku

CHORUS
Ku ingin kau tahu diriku di sini menanti dirimu
Meski ku tunggu hingga hujung waktuku
Dan berharap rasa ini kan abadi untuk selamanya
Dan izinkan aku memeluk dirimu kali ini saja
Tuk ucapkan selamat tinggal untuk selamanya
Dan biarkan rasa ini bahagia untuk sekejap saja

Pictures & Life in NCC HQ

Pictures of the month depicting what i've done so far.

Commissioning Ball. I decide to bring my PJC classmate, Xin Yi. Thanks for coming! kind of last min bcos i ask her only like a week before the event. haha

During the Cadet Officer Course's parade. Reminds me of my commisioning parade but doesnt come close to it. hahaha here am i with the CLTs.

NUS's Qalbu show with the ex-PJCians. Dah mcm kakak-kakak dorang tu.. haha

Me and Dannylah, bed buddy Iktiar's gf. haha bukan calang-calang orang, producer for Qalbu seyy!

And finally, i signed a 'loan contract' with Team Orange for their EFL assessment league games. Giggsy-Cristiano-Theo to the rescue!

HQ NCC

Tomorrow will be officially be my 1 month stint here in HQ NCC.

Gladly to say, i have really settled in well. I've made a whole lot of new friends, taught the young NCC cadets and last but not least, learnt the traits of both as an officer and an adventure trainer (haha).

What i mean by adventure trainer is really what you think it is. Those of you who went for OBS or any adventure camps before, you will know by now what to expect during the course. Rappeling, Rock-climbing, Archery, Paintball, High & Low Elements, Flying Fox and MOC (Motivational Obstacle Course.. almost the same as SOC in army but way much simple), and my role is simply conduct these activities, either as conducting officer, safety, or a station instructor.

Interestingly, i've never done all these before here in HQ NCC. I have not attend the BIC(Basic Instructor Course), which only be held in May, and yet, i was thrown into the deep sea in handling these activities, and surprisingly, well enough(i think) even without an upper study. Besides that, there will be frequent trainfires( as what we know in army, technical handling), IMTs(arcade shooting) and live ranges.

I would say im both fortunate and unfortunate to be here. Fortunate being its a 8 to 5 job, handling children instead of men, 2nd biggest rank here in HQ(the only above us is the NCC commandant) and way less stress compared to operationally-ready units.
Unfortunate being i didn't get to put what i've learnt to practical use for the past 12 months in army, no shiong missions in the jungle to cherish, cannot tekan NCC cadets (must treat them like my younger siblings, according to commandant), and to simply summarize everything,

I don't feel like a soldier anymore.

More like adventure trainer in OBS moulding the cadets into future leaders.

And im not that person.

Well, thankfully i have a fun bunch of friends here. They helped me alot to settle in and enjoy this place. Without them, i would dread to go work everyday. Just for ur info, i would say 80% of the sergeants here are all the malay mats who share the same passion as me, SOCCER! Some played for clubs before, and interestingly, one of them is a malaysian actor! Cool.. now i wont feel that awkward for being active in drama & sastera. haha

Nevertheless, i won't disagree with anyone who says being an officer here in HQ NCC is having a good life. It is too GOOD LIFE.
But so much of it can be bad.

The important thing is, i need to make full use of the free time for the next 10 months.

Alright, i'll stop here. Take care my fellow readers! :)

Commisioning Parade 72/08 (21st March 2009)

As I am writing this, im wondering whether i should be happy or otherwise. Its been 5 days since i was officially announced as the newly commisioned officer, but the feeling inside me still hanging for the past. It's strange when you know that THIS was the time you have ALWAYS been longing for, and NOW it is FINALLY here. One of the goals in life as i pesevered through nine gruelling months that was ultimately achieved.

I personally felt that was what OCS was all about. Other than equipping us with the necessary skills, instilling pride and responsibilties as an army officer, as we always pledged and obliged doing so, it actually boils down to how much you have bring back home and cherish from the experience. The strong friendship ties I've made, the environment I've gotten used to and the chiong activities I've enjoyed, are the ones which built my character, my personalities, values as I grow to the person I am today.

On a side note, its funny in a way. People always hope something to end soon, but when it finally done and over with, you start looking back and hope that the past will resurfaced. And to some extent, you WISH that you should have done better in some ways or another and MAYBE even regret for something.

But not for me in OCS.
I THINK i've made some impacts with the strengths i had. Well at least i hope so. Like how i was able to make my platoon to enjoy soccer and train them as a hobby, like how i've shown the 'if you believe in yourself, you can achieved anything' mentality in the PT excellence, like how i taught them the beauty of being able to play the acoustic guitar, and maybe a little more than that.

I personally believes that, as long you are able to make an impact in one's life for the better, your efforts are not wasted.

Alright, without any further delay, here are the pictures from the 72/08 Commissioning Parade!


My contingent six marching in as the first contingent to enter the parade square.


That's me in the DSLR Canon camera!


Start of the slow march.

Slow marching up the stairs. This was one of my favourites during the parade.


Arguably this is the proudest moment of my life. That's why smile tak maitain. haha


The Jasmani family with Kak Aisha and Cik Man.


My aunt who tirelessly took care of me when i was only a baby, when my mom was away for work.


The 3 musketeers as we were always called by the platoon.


The annoying, smelly, not-so-fair(not my choice of words, blame Ecknath) bed buddy, Ikti!

As my future slowly unfolds, I realize its time for me to move on and set my own paths. Being an officer is no easy task. The black bar on the shoulders represents the responsibilties i have to carry. As i always told myself, there's nothing in this world that is easy, its only how much effort you put in to you make it easier.

The posting that im currently serving is NCC HQ as the Training Co-ord Officer for the East District. I hope, as what i've learnt so much in the past 12 months in NS, i can put it into good use and give back to the society and in this case, the NCC cadets and cadet-lieutenants.

It's important for me to thank all the people who has made my OCS journey an invaluable one. The officer instructors, especially CPT Clarence whom tirelessly push me for the best and LTA Shew who believes in my capabilities. Oh let me tell you, because of him, I tried up till the 6th time for the PT Excellence Shuttle Run when i finally broke the OCS record with a timing of 8.44s, which was previously 8.5s. And i got a special plaque for that. hehe.
And not to forget, my platoon two mates! and the Melayu Mats of Echo Wing! Thanks for the great memories. :)


And.. after all these while, having a childhood dream in 2nd Lieutenant Adnan bin Saidi, i can finally be called as 2nd Lieutenant Khairul Ruzaini bin Jasmani.

Same Aspiration. Different Legacy.

Last Stretch

CSB tomorrow.
PAC next week.
Joint Term next 2 weeks.
Commisioning Parade in 5 weeks time. :)

I can finally see the light at the end the tunnel.

THAILAND - Kanchanaburi

Hey guys im back!

Well, im glad that this whole Ex. Crescendo Thailand is over! :))

Its more of a relieve i would say. Whatever it is, I believe everyone had a great and memorable time in Thailand.

The bunk. It reminds me of the thai ghost movie, The Dorm. haha.

Firstly, the infantry trainings there were much more fun and less tiring compared to the jungle survival trainings in Brunei. We used the TES set ( for ur info, its a laser device attached to ur body and rifle to determine whether u're alive or dead in a battle, cool huh?) during the missions we had. It was a 10 day back-to-back missions in which we do an attack at dawn and defence at dusk and vice versa. It was a inter-platoon war and its up to us to come up with the tactics and strategies to conquer each other. NICE.

Random Pics with Liu Bo, the China man & Ecknaath the Indian-Aussie boy.

There was one time when i was the GPMG Commander and just seconds the battle broke out, 2 of my MG men 'died' and i had to chiong and carry both the ammo box and the heavy machine gun and start doing my firefighting, leap and bound. haha. I was literally dragging myself with the MG on one hand and the rounds on the other and around my neck. Fuhh.. at a glance, people may thought Rambo on the loose. haha. I think my officer took my photos doing that so let's hope i get that soon. haha.

See those hills & mountains in the background? That's where we fought day and night. haha.

And i was chosen as the platoon commander for ASO -POI (Area Security Operations - Protection of Key Installations), which is basically planning and come up with a masterplan to protect the ammunition cache from any potential terrorists threats. I was asssessed though and personally, i think i did decently well but nothing spectacular. My platoonmates acted out as the terrorists and they give me one hell of a problem to deal with. Bombs, hostages, shootings ANYTHING you can think of. haha.

I've made a couple of good friends, both fellow men and animals. First was the Thai army liasion, TONG, who guide as through the navigation phase and keeping us at bay with the thousands of wild dogs there, AND also this white dog which became my team's recee force, tirelessly tailing us and recee for any hidden routes in the vegetations. haha thanks for the hospitality given. :) AND not to forget the persistent Thai villagers who kept selling us illegal redbulls, cokes, ice-creams, Pat Thai (fried rice i mean) and other stuffs. We were not supposed to bring any cash for trainings but some of us did and bought these food and drinks from them which encourage them to come even more! haha.

My last photoshot on the bus before we finally leave Sai Yok Camp. This is the view outside our dorm.

The town of Kanchanaburi where once Japanese ruled to transport goods & ammunitions and the POWs were held to built the Death Railway.

OKOK lets move on to the R&R there. I would say it is fun and cheaper compared to Brunei coz that's when it really unleashes my shopping frenzies. haha which is good ONCE in a while. =P I bought a several T-shirts, jeans, belts, bags and shoes. haha and not to forget some souvenirs for my family. Too bad just when i realize i wanted to buy some things for my friends but i had soo many things to carry home and decide not to. haha

The River Kwai Bridge in Kanchanaburi.

This is the cafe that sells the infamous freaking loong bread name of 'BREAD RUBS THE BUTTER ADDS THE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK'. That explains everything. Its hilarious when we kept ordering that particular menu. haha.

The floating market. Surprisingly i didn't buy much here coz the prices are all jacked up! mentang-mentang lah aku tourist. haha I tried to bargain though but erm.. not really good at that.

OK that's basically about it. 8 weeks to go! :)

Sawadeekhrap Singapore, Sawadeekhrap Thailand

Well.. im off for Thailand tomorrow.
It is going to be an another 3 weeks stint of trainings and mission exercises.
What should i expect:

• Ex. Red Beret (3D2N Navigation exercise)
• Ex. Homerun (3D2N Inter-Wing Defence & Attack exercise)
• Ex. Nomalcy (ASO - Area Security Operation)
  Ex. Finale (Hmm.. not so sure about this. Sounds scary though)
  

I got 4 days off-in-liew since Wed and it has been a catchin'-up session for me with my fellow JC and Sec sch friends. Like the reunion dinner with the PJC MCS members..

At Al-Azhar.


Bowling session with the PJCians.


Peeping mats crashing to someone's wedding reception in Sentosa. Haha.

And talking to Segaff's gf behind his back. hahaha! Ehh this look scandalous sey pahadal padahal.

There's plenty and MORE pics to come.. but too bad. i didn't have it with me now. Today had a mini picnic/beach/kite-running session with the CCKsians at ECP and it was nice man to see them after soo long. And also with my fellow 4/9 classmates yesterday when we had a BBQ outing at West Coast Park organized by our Class Monitor.. Harris Lim. haha. And oh yeah.. not to forget, the jamming session with the PJ Mats right after that at Chinese Garden.

Anyway, i lost my HP just now. hurhur. i placed it inside my pocket.. as usual.. and as soon as i realized it, there's a hole in my pocket! and it must have dropped it somewhere. Worse still, i knew the bat was low and i can't get it through. All the contact lists which i've collated for the past 6 years since i first use a handphone, ALL GONE. hai.. just the right time to lose it.

NVM. i'll try to get a new phone 2mr morning if possible. Budget pon budget lahh..

Oh YA, did i mentioned anything about a new guitar which i've just bought? OK not yet. well its worth freakin' $250 at Swee Lee in Bras Basah. Blue Fender acoustic guitar. well its quite costly for me.. especially when my initial budget was <$100! Well, like what amy said, its a "LONG-TERM investment". haha yelahh thanks eh..

Alright im off now, will be back again on 24th Jan. Till then, take care fellow readers. :)

Shaggedelic!

Hey.. I'm BACK again! Sorry i know its been some time i went missing, but i can assure you.. i have PLENTY of good news and memories to share! I'll try to squeeze in whatever i can say here, but SURELY.. this entry can't summed up what i've went through so far.

Brunei overseas training.

Although it has been more than 2 weeks ago since i came back from Brunei, the memories were still fresh in my mind. The endurance, the anxiety and the fear; there were times when these feelings were too immensed to handle; causing some of us to break down.

Sitting there quietly.
Just waiting for a miracle to happen.
Clueless of WHERE we were
and hoping.. just HOPING..
for someone to make that decision.
and carry on.

The 9 days i went through was the LONGEST 9 days i ever had.
With the limited supply of food (we were given only 48hrs of food ration), i had to resort, worse to worse, to eat a biscuit per meal everyday.

Some of the highlights i'll never forget:

• Ride on the Super Puma heli during mission.
• Resort to do the most gay-est hug at night just to keep each other warm.
• Killing a quail with my bare hands!
• A teammate of mine just broke down and cried when we got lost and in badly racing against time. (it caught me by suprise!)
• Another two of my teammates were stung by hornets.
• Combat swimming across Sungei Batu Apoi ( along with our field pack and rifle seyy)
• Getting leeches bites, sandflies, mosquitoes and bloodsuckers making my both hands swollen like Doraemon.
• Reaching the summit of Mount. Tegulong and Mount. Biang.
• Receieved a telegram from my family on the 8th day in the middle of the night and in the middle of the jungle sent by our instructor. ( many emo-ed that particular night by the fireplace)
• That FIRST step into our base camp at the end of the 9 days.
  

The experience i've gained throughout the JCC(Jungle Confidence Course) made me really REALLY treasure every single priviledges i have here in Singapore.

Imagine.. every single day you have to worry about the 3 basic things that a Man need to survive in the jungle; SHELTER, FOOD and FIRE. If it rains and your shelter is not up yet, you can just sleep in the rain for the next 12 hrs for the next daylight to come. Bcos of that.. u're cold and it need of warmth. But the ground is yet and the firewoods around u are wet too and so.. fire cannot be start. Considering food is limited, you have to think of ways to ration your food very wisely. And throughout the night, you have to start thinking about how to navigate to ur nxt checkpoint. In the midst of that, u're feeling very uncomfortable with the endless insects bites and the soaked uniform and socks inside your boots. And being alone, in the darkest region of the Brunei jungle doesn't help either.

Well, that's the WORSE CASE SENARIO i can think of, but thankfully, my situation was slightly better that that.

The experience was enough to make me lose 3kg. Others were better losing up to 12kg. But too bad i gained 5kg after feasting on the buffets during R&R. haha.

In the skytrain, just before i flew off for Brunei.

A week after we came back from Brunei, we had our Marksmanship Badge Test. I was optimistic but i knew this test is never been easy. But the thought of having the Marksmanship Badge on the no.1 spurred me on. With the additional $200 bonus, its worth every effort to hit the target.


AND alhamdullilah.. i achieved that. though i didn't get the $200 that i want. Bcos i achieved it on the 2nd try. only on the 1st try we can get the badge +$200. and come to think of it.. i missed by 1 shot during the first try! I can't believe that 1 shot worth $200 has just gone down the drain. just like that. on the LAST SHOT SOMEMORE. haha.

Last Saturday was the 71/08 Commisioning Parade and i was tasked to do ushering and crowd-control at the grandstand. And that's when the first time i donned on the no.1. The parade was something very special to the graduates who had spent a solid 9 months to eventually become a 2LT, 2nd Lieutenant. That moment of relief and joy, when they threw the peak caps high into the sky, gives me motivation to press on. Just 3 more months to go, and i will eventually be there too, standing in the middle of the parade square doing that same accomplished things, knowing i've done my parents proud. That's what i want. And that moment will stay inside my mind to motivate me.


Elroy and me preparing before the parade.

I'm currently on leave for this whole week, clearing my leave that is. Well i decided to spend the time with my family and we had our holiday overseas trip to KL and Genting. I've yet to receive the photos from my sis.. so i guess i'll talk about that the next time. What i can say is.. Genting was happening man! As what i've told some of you, the festive season mood, decorations and the cold 14degrees celcius temp. just make me feel as if im in Europe seyy. haha

K.. i'll stop here. Hopefully i can get some of the Brunei pics to be uploaded here. Other than that, see you guys soon! :)

Brunei

Well, this is going to be my last weekend before im going for Brunei for the next few weeks till 3rd Dec.

I know its going to be tough..

It is never easy to navigate through.
I need that mental toughness with me very soon.
and the strength from Him.
I need that little push of motivation for me to pull through.
For that nine days of survival.
I need to overcome the hunger and pain.
The isolation and the rain.

I want to make my parents proud.

Having that badge across my chest.

One is already down from the 13 Melayu-s Band of Brothers in Echo Wing. I hope there's no more.

Updates

Wow.. that's a month since i last post an entry.

Something which have been VERY long due is, Hari Raya!

Its was very demoralising with the fact that i need to book-in that first day itself by 2200hrs.

I insisted on my family to continue jalan raya while i go home myself but they decide to go home early anyway, and i guess we went to only two house-visitings.

Well, the baju kurung was bought by my mom. She bought it herself coz i didnt have time to buy for myself in the first place. Its NICE.. but its abit kuch kuch hota hey though.

I did manage to squeeze my 3rd weekend to go out with my fellow CCKsian and PJCian peeps. In both occasions, its either i came freakin' late (7pm i mean. haha) due to my late bookout, OR leave early due to my early book-in timing. Its really frustrating but of coz.. its all about SACRIFICES.

Im trying to think of what else to write other than ARMY life, but i can't man. That's the only thing that has been revolving my life now.

WELL, 4 weeks done in Pro Term now and i will be going to Brunei very soon on 13th Nov. That will be about 2-3 weeks time? Yeah.. and ohh Thailand too in January. That will be a total of two months stint overseas trainings.

I have always been feeling strong, excited and raring to go for the challenges ahead but also, deep inside, homesickness tend to settle in me too. I remember exactly how low i felt during the first two week in Pulau Tekong and also the first few days in OCS. The morale was so low to the extent that i had high fever( if im not wrong 39.8C) and i had to be given IV drip for few days.

"Soldiers are meant to be fit, but what makes the difference from the others is their MENTAL STRENGTH."

That was what my dad always remind me whenever i felt low in camp, and his words have motivate me all these while.

OK.. Maybe i should share some glimpse of my 4 weeks here so far in Pro Term.

The first would be.. i was chosen for Cadet Platoon Commander(CPC) on the first day on Pro Term and not only that, i had to carry out that responsibilities for 4 weeks! overtime sey.. coz it was suppose to be 3 weeks max. darah up man.. haha. but it was a good lesson for me coz it made me ON ALERT anywhere, anytime.

The other would be during Urban Operation exercise whereby we need to do a swift attacks to buildings. I was called a hero (haha!) by my officers coz of some reason or another. Its difficult to explain it here but basically, i did some things which should not be done due to the risk but i did the right thing. aisey man! haha.

Ohh ya, the other day(2 weeks ago if im nt wrong) i went to play a field soccer match for Hafiz's team, my close friend from cckss. I remember coming late(bgn lmbt sey.. due to late book-out the previous nite), and the team i was supposed to play for was 2 goals down. and what do you know?! Khairul Ruzaini came to the rescue! haha. and match ended 6-3 with me scoring 4 goals. hahaha.

OK.. I have to go now. 2200hrs is the book-in timing and i need to prepare the same ol' stuffs again and i'll be back by next monday.

Take care my fellow readers. :)

End of Service Term + Block Leave!

Its been more than a month the last time i've blogged!

To start with, i've just completed my Service Term in OCS. And on wednesday we just had our 24 +6km route march and we've gotten our SENIOR BAR! With that, im now having my block leave till monday morning and there, starts the Professional Term for the next 5 months. What surprised me was how much i have persevered throughout this holy month of fasting. Although there were 6D5N field camp, with the inconsistent weather between scorching hot and freakingly cold, and the endless digging of shellscrap and fire trenches, im still fasting without any premature breaking of fast so far. Alhamdullilah. :)

ANYWAY, we had Social Nite' as part of the event at the end of our service term. I would say it was OK. The performances were good and the food were nice, but i was hoping the games would be more exciting though. Whatever it is, that night was supposed to be for us to become a GENTLEMEN lah katekan, and it was compulsory for us to bring along a date. And soo.. as spoiler as i have always been, i decide to bring along my sister!

Yi Long, me and the China man Liu Bo.

Ikhtiar, who almost wear the same outfit as me except the white belt.

The chocolate fondue was nice..

And yesterday was my first time playing at Kallang The Cage for a soccer kick-around with my platoon mates. It was full of fun, even our CPT Clarence joined in even though his wife is heavily pregnant back home! i wonder if i would to that too next time. haha.

NEXT TEAM!

After that i met up with my fellow sec sch mates who wanted to break fast together, and we had it in BAGUS in IMM. haha quite pathetic considering we can go to some better places to eat. haha but NEVER MIND.

It was great to meet them again to catch-up with one another and with the fact that i was the only one serving NS now, i feel abit older sey.. haha. feeling keabang-keabangan katekan.

AND TODAY, i just came back with my family from ANGSANA in JB to do some last min shopping for Hari Raya. I didn't really buy for myself, since i've already bought my Baju Kurung from Geylang last week, and so i decide to buy some pirated PS2 games instead! hahaha its been awhile i did that. Only my mom and sis were very active in shopping and i can't do much but to relaks one corner...

Its been awhile since i last make those random expressions. haha.

Preparation for Hari Raya is been good so far. My parents decide to renovate some things in the house like the lightings and the toilets. And me and my bro helping out with the painting of house. I realized that EVERY YEAR without fail my family has always been changing the colours of the walls! SEMANGAT Hari Raya beb...

Sadly, i won't have much time to go out with my family and friends for Hari Raya gatherings, because i will only be available on the first day of Hari Raya and the consecutive Saturdays. So.. my friends out there, KIRIM SALAM jelah dari saya!

Just in case if i didn't get the chance to say this..

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my fellow readers..

SELAMAT HARI RAYA.

MAAF ZAHIR DAN BATIN. :)

take care.