Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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Posted by dear benji at 8:03 PM
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
(got this from her blog- it is rather interesting so i decided to copy it over, i hope there isn't any copyright sue for this)Well, David_lau says i should air the greviances an army boy on this blog. The boy is unfortunately out of action, and wants to convey his message that "army is a boring waste of time, cannot tahan anymore". Specifically two years. And specifically if you're not an officer.
Hmm.. Can i humbly offer a lady's angle on this subject?
Covnventionally, there have always been two generalised ways to view The Army.
You can choose to take it as a slave driver camp, a spartan living hell where they lock up hormonal boys once they turn eighteen. Exploit them at 70 cents an hour. Brainwash them into "yes sir!" robots. Programme them to obey, automated for maximum productivity. Trade in two golden years of their Youthhood, to get "ordered around like dogs". Then, justify the above, with the constant threat of a war that seems dubiously unlikely, and very far away.
WHYY. BECAUSE gar-ment say must, or get charged. DEMMIT.
Or, you can exalt it as a military haven that instills Core Values. Discipline, pride, loyalty. The challenge it throws: Are you tough enough?
So Boys Become Man. They plough headlong through sweat and mud, testosterone charged with garang MCPness. They wear their badges with Pride and Prestige. Along the way, they drop redudant emotions that hamper their efficiency. Acquire an ego, a new tolerance level to dirt, some ruggedness. A vocabulary of abbreviations like CO, OC, some colourful hokkien vulgarities. And a band of brudders they would never have met, under different circumstances.
But it remains a an issue of perspective. Does it matter whether the glass to be half full, or half empty?
There IS the glass. The metaphysical place; either the army in all its negative/positive connotations for boys, and university for girls. And then, there is the water. The experience; be it cramming notes as a student, navigating the unknowns as a sisp_ec-er/ ocs-er, doing "saikang work" as a pen-pusher clerk.
All are challenging in their own ways, be it emotionaly, physically or spiritually. Its impossible to employ a standard yardstick of personal growth to measure against.
No matter which route of army is taken, it will create memories,won't it? A sweet remniscence of the Good Ol' Days, a bitter aftertaste, a restless yearning for something more, a glorified rush of pride to one's head... all these are manifestations of nostalgia. You can't exactly compare memories. To different individuals, they ARE significant. None more deserving of excessive sympathy, laudation, mollycoddling, excuses, whinings, or battlefield recognition.
And when it comes to pangs of loneliness and homesickness, we are all equally vulnerable. No one is exactly spared from them, regardless of what phase of life we are at.
Two years are two years, for everyone. At the end of the day, I guess we are all just trying to make the best, out of what we can exert a choice over.
And with the rest that is beyond our control, we just try our best to make do.
Disclaimer's note: This girl doesn't go through The Experience of a Lifetime, so she can't give more than her two-cent's worth.
Because i will never fully empathise with our men in green. Other than the patriotic appreciation that blubbers up once August 9 creeps by. I don't have the right to dispense sympathy. Or worse still, write it off with a pretentious, ewww you sissy army boy, stop being a wimp mentality.( Girls like that deserves to be spanked. and then put through 10 rounds of BMT.)
Perhaps, the most useful i can be, is to avail a listening ear to army grouses, every now and then. And try not to give the blank look when confronted with military jargon.
Haha, credit must be given to their brave Significant Other's! Its never easy being a weekend girlfriend. To stand by your man through his hairless days, outfield camps and Sunday nights tekong book-ins.
AND. That inevitable Army Talk which arises when you put any two boys together. Man, it sounds like a foreign language to me. ( Li_ru, Pat and Hui_yi do deserve an award.)
So.. kudos to the courageous ladies. And a big salute to the boys. And yayness to the rest! I shall name this a National Day Post. :) Can't find a more fitting title, heehee.
Posted by dear benji at 11:36 PM
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Posted by dear benji at 10:54 PM
Just some pictures that was taken over the weekends =)
Posted by dear benji at 10:44 PM
Thursday, July 19, 2007
I was almost caught by the rain today. Praise the lord, the rain came after i boarded the bus. It's a fantastic sight to see morning rain, it brings back old memories when i was younger. Those hamster days. Haha.i'll be having my retest today. I injured my left shoulder while playing yesterday, ugh. Probably can't shoot long hours this sat and sunday.
Posted by dear benji at 12:29 PM
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Ugh, looks like shit always happens. Anyway, i haven't been feeling too well recently. I think i need to see audrey soon. The seniors in archery are like stubborn bulls in a plough field. It's always to hard to get them to do something without going through an arguement. I don't understand what's so difficult about jogging a small round about the field.Within minutes, everyone was called. How interesting can that be? Their resistance to run. They don't mind doing hundreds of jumping jacks but no running. Simply amazing.
Anyway, i'll just take it like a smoothie for now.
Posted by dear benji at 10:25 AM
Friday, July 13, 2007
Got this from stacy's blog...LEFT OR RIGHT?
First, identify yourself as right or left brain person:
1. Hold your hands together, as if you were praying. Look at your hands. If you see
Left thumb is below the right thumb ---> left brain
Right thumb is below the left thumb ---> right brain
2. Fold your arms in front of you (as if you are angry)
Right arm above left arm ---> left brain
Left arm above right arm ---> right brain
Based on 1+2 (order important), below is the interpretation of your personality:
Right-Left
Considerate, traditional, indirect type
can instinctly read other's emotion, and respond friendly by natures.
Although not very into taking intiatives in moving forward, but this
person will always take a step back in supporting others. Stable
personality and considerate, give others a being protected feeling.
But the weakness is they cannot say no; regardless how unwilling they
are, they will take care of others.
Right-Right
Loves challenges type
Straightfoward. Once they decided on one thing, will take action right
away. Very curious, and love challenges. Dare to face dangers without
thinking through (sometimes foolishly). Their weakness is they dont
listen to others, will filter in only what whey want to hear in a
conversation, and very subjective. However, because of their
straightforward attitude, they tend to be fairly popular.
Left-Left
Dedicated, cold, perfectionist
Very logical in all aspects. The only way to defeat (or win over) him/her is through reasons. Has a lot of prides, and feeling strongly about doing the right thing. If they are your friends, they are very trustworthy. However, if they are your opponents, they will be very tough to deal with. Because they can be very "anal" as a perfectionist, they usually leave a bad impression of being hard to deal with when first met.
Left-Right
Likes to take care of others, leader type
Has a cool and keen observation ability to see through situations, yet
still can be considerate in others needs. Because of their cool and
calm nature, and strong sense of responsibility, they tend to become
head of a group. Popular among people. However, they may not be able
to help themselves in meddling because they want to take care of
others too much. Very concerned about how others view them, and always
on alert.
I am left right....
Posted by dear benji at 10:43 PM
I am starting to miss the old times again. How can someone be so cold and just leave a person's life. UGH, i just can't imagine it, you dun even offer to give time for that person to apologizes. SJ.I have been feeling rather down recently, i dunno what's happening to me. Frankly speaking, i would like to have a class outing for sec sch but it seems to me that alot of people can't make it on certain times and it is so damn fucking hard to get ppl's commitment on this. Well, Zuo rong decided on just a small group. That'll be just her group, PY, Jon and me. It's been confirmed that we'll be going to Sentosa that day, i'll join them after my Church. SJ
Archery has been the best thing that happen to me. I am enjoying the sport so so much. I broke my 30m 80cm record- 331; also my 50m 80cm of 287. My next goal will be my 70m. I changed to using Cartel Triple 700. It is a little more expensive than my usually arrows but anyway, it is the best i can afford too. SJ
Audrey has been so busy, too busy to be aware of what's happening . SJ
OK, i would like to end it off with this phrase- "Save the cheerleader; save the world!" i heard this from this great fantastic show called "Heros". REally nice! Season 2 is coming out soon, i can't wait to Download it. heh.. SJ