My Ah Gong and his 'grandson'

I have never had an ah gong in my life, or at least seen any by the time I was born (as alike one of my friends), not until I got myself a part time job at KTPH. He is not an ordinary old man you observe on the streets (otherwise I would not have written this post) but rather someone whose inner and outer facet is filled with substance - something which even ah gong himself also claimed to have it in him. Now what would Ah Gong have possibly done to make him deserve the above description?

I won't dare say he's a man of few words as you might so perceive from one glance, but instead if you know him well, he is someone who knows how to give the gift of silence as and when necessary and talk when it comes to the right moments. Yes, you may find him irritating at times from all the stories that ah gong tell but there will be someone out there eager to listen to his comments and his take on certain stuffs - his 'grandson'

Ah gong may be seen as a sceptic in many things- He does not see things in the way ordinary people do, or rather see life in a way usual folks may view it to be like. What's with fast food, sugary stuffs, and even the management in the office. He simply dismisses the functionality of the office, the unnecessary rules and regulations and the false integrity of the people there which his 'grandson' will have to agree too. He even brought up the issue of the world ending soon given the rising sea levels from the melting of the polar caps. What is admirable is however much skeptical he is about life, he will try to put on his best performance, and of course a smile in whatever he does at all fronts and not raise tension unnecessarily.

Ah gong is someone with the tenacity, patience and brains to do big things, though it may be hard to see that in a place like the office. He is always constantly devising smart strategies to tackle problems and what his 'grandson' learnt from him is not only to do things fast, but slow too, slow enough to handle situations smoothly and steadily, something his 'grandson' will have to really pay hard attention to lest any misfortune may befall upon him. Ah gong was a medical student, at least he nearly graduated as a traditional chinese medicine practictioner but gave up all due to his passion for something else - carpentry. He has devoted nearly 30 years to overseeing operations that have got to do with carving out good quality wood pieces for the furniture industry and even though he may fail ultimately (due to heightened environmental concerns), he never regrets it as it is lessons learnt in life - you can do whatever you want in life and failures and successes of all sorts are bound to stand in the way. He is a determined man.

Ah gong does not garner his knowledge through the papers or books like the laymen do. Neither does he rely much on electronic gadgets like the television in his free time to obtain the daily digests or so. How then does his baffled 'grandson' listens on and on to what-may-seem-like ramblings of him fervently? T his is when Ah Gong depends on his true substance, something gathered throughout the passing of time when he embarks on his life journeys away from Singapore to other parts of the world - yes ah Gong travels regularly as and when duty calls - and as he practices his carpentry out there, the lessons he gleans and the stories he encounters, are far too bountiful to be recited in a day. Ah gong sure does not rely on media to obtain his information, but through the conversations he makes with his contacts, the gentle scan of the headlines along news stands and of course, during his mere relaxation moments at work on his old, outdated desktop computer with his faint knowledge of the internet.

Ah gong may think he is laughable at times when he tries his best to crack a joke on the spot, however oblivious to the fact that but the real comical him can't be seen by Ah gong himself, not least by his childish 'grandson' who grins, smirks followed by chortles for a short while before things resume to normal; and that is the time when his wrinkles contort, eyes agape and tone serious - when Ah Gong gets into his firm and unknowingly amusing stance which only to be teased at by his childish 'grandson' who may or may not seem to understand those real marks engraved on his face deeply enough.

Ah gong, I will miss you. Thanks for all your time, effort in teaching your 'grandson', and your biscuits too....

waffle making on good friday

after postponing for many months, I finally settled down with a waffle iron at home though I know how ridiculous it may seem to invest in something you can easily obtain elsewhere in a hassle-free and cheaper way. But wait, the terms 'hassle-free' and 'cheaper' may only apply in the short term: yes buying 100+ waffles at any outside confectionery is sure way cheaper than buying all the equipment and ingredients, not to mention the time, electricity and water consumed in making a handful of waffles; plus it is definitely convenient to just order a waffle with your favourite flavour and getting it in a jiffy, all you need is just 5minutes and a few coins. However, the reason why I bought a waffle maker, having to undergo the trouble of lugging that cumbersome item from chinatown back home, forking out a sheer $256 on something that isn't a common kitchen appliance is that the whole thing makes sense after all, in the long term. In the long term, I have the freedom to make whatever number of waffles I can at one go, I am able to choose whichever ingredients and toppings to go with the waffle depending on the occasion, and of course I would have no reason to claim that there is nothing delectable in the house to bite on during odd hours. This all goes to the passion of kitchenry, cooking, or food in general. Sometimes, relying on external outlets or establishments may seem the quickest way to quench your hunger or thirst, but it is the commitment to making good food in the 4 corners of your kitchen that spells it all out - you have the equipment and amenities, there is no excuse for you not to make the full use of it. After all, our homes are places of paradise and retreat, hence it is logical that we make full use of it; whatever we do at home, it is for the long term cost benefit and satisfaction. It is from this that we are able to appreciate our homes better, be self-sufficient and less reliant and ultimately, gain the freedom that we want even at home!!

yuan xiao jie

Today is tang yuan day, no no I mean yuan xiao jie, the final day of chinese new year and I had to say dinner was great! Thanks mum&dad for taking leave and preparing a wonderful meal composed of lo hei, pig's trotters, fried meat balls, broccoli and bird eggs with tang yuan and black jelly as desserts. Though today may just seem to be a typical Thursday, but one thing is for sure, that the weekend is looming close enough such that there's no need thinking much about tomorrow's work except that I have tuition for the upcoming days. Currently with 4 tuition groups, each of which is 2hrs a week, I still feel that there is space for personal activities as it is all about time management, hence I would not dare say that they are taking a toll on my body especially considering how much the poor tutees have to fork out each time i step into their arena, but oh well this is the reality of private tuition, something I myself would not really stand for, not when I am the tutee. Life in KTPH seems to have settled down, after having understood the tricks of the trade in and out of the office; but it just feels like I am going to leave that place soon, in a month's times I would suppose? It all will have to depend, depend on what's forthcoming.... Having finished splinter cell 4:double agent, there is this sense of accomplishment albeit taking many hours to complete certain missions and referring to the walkthroughs of some missions over the laptop. Hopefully, splinter cell: conviction will be coming out on PS3 and I hope to be able to derive as much interest as have derived from the previous installment! My favourite mission from double agent will have to be 'shanghai' kudos to the opportunity to control the chopper, rappelling on walls, availability of fireworks, use of the laser recorder, wall mines and the interesting ending followed by 'sea of okthosk' due to the nice icy cold environment with mist that functions as a double-edged sword, as well as the length of the mission and the logical progression of it. It had been a great journey and hope to get more PS3 games any time from now, and of course find a solution to my unused PSP!!! Happy cny everybody for the final time this yr!!

cny is approaching!

oh my gosh chinese new year is around the corner, and this means a shorter working week next week! I just can't wait to take a breather from this job of mine at KTPH. Not that it is boring or unchallenging, but rather the feeling of spending 8-5 at home or hanging out instead of the usual humdrum state of life does provide a timely twist to life. I guess life should have some changes here and then but a little would do and a little is enough to revitalize one's soul and mind before adjourning to the second phase of one's work. I guess I haven't stuck to my promise about blogging about current affairs or about food but now I shall hope to cling on to this promise of mine. Now I shall mention about this news:

'Patients come first at Singapore's new medical school'

some quotes:

• Making sure the patient comes first will be top priority at Singapore's new medical school, and technology will be one way of enhancing comfort and convenience for patients.
• 'Patient care will not just be lip service. It's the doctor's job to think about the whole totality of care, not just give out prescriptions.'

• 'And as part of the course, undergraduates could be asked to follow individual patients over several years - say an old person with a chronic illness, or a newborn baby as it grows, to give them a better understanding of the patient as a person.'

  
  

  Having read the article, I was affirmed with the belief that as doctors, being able to communicate with the patient even after the patient is discharged, some of whom returning for follow-ups, is important as commitment is the key to seeing a patient through his or her hard times in life. It is all about providing the additional emotional factor to patients who will need it for fast recovery and trust in doctors. Doctors exist because of patients and hence as an emerging university with such a patient-centric approach, I guess this couldn't get any better?

  
  

  ....Hmmm saw Rick at the MRT station while on my way to work. It has really been quite some time since I last ORD-died, though it was rather recent only. I would say that productivity, ever since I attain my civilian life, had been average so far. I am still trying to find time for my guitar and also reading up on biology which I haven't done so for weeks. I guess that with 8-5, work just gets into way of so many things that I could possibly do. But it's all for an ultimate purpose, something which I hope would prevail. Saw Guan Guan at Bishan popular too and man was it weird that I travel from bishan to Yishun to work and he did the opposite. I guess the issue of spending on transport is rather pertinent especially when I have completed A levels, hence my hope for the university term to begin when I CAN FINALLY APPLY FOR THE TRAIN CONCESSION PASS! Yeah and of course I hope that the circle line would be up and ready by september!!

  
  

  Yay man this saturday evening would be a fine one, chilling out with 5 of my army friends at Fiesta Brasilia, a bazillian buffet restaurant. It has been quite long since I last ate a brazilian style buffet at Carnivore. Well I guess I don't mind going for another shot! With regard to gymming, hopefully I could obtain the GNC pro performance 2200 lbs gold by end this week/month and start training hopefully by March when my 8-5 is gone!!!!

  
  

  As for my psp and itouch jailbreak, I am still trying to think of a solution to go about doing it. It just gets frustrating at times. PS3 wise, I guess I should stop bothering to register for that product of mine as it is futile. I should be getting more games come mid-to-end February when life is better. Tuition has already started for me and currently I have 3 groups and I would say the pace is good! I am hoping for better results from my tutees man especially when I am giving my best and trying to improve even further! Oh well....

  
  

  
  

happy new year

ok it has been nearly 4 months since i last blogged, which means that i have failed in my vow to blog every month.! But oh well this feeling comes and goes i guess. The highlights for the months I had gone missing as a blogger were basically the kyushu trip that I went to not too long ago and man it was rather long I felt albeit it being quite enjoyable at times. Well, as usual, it was one of the family-planned trips which needed no tour guide accruing to several reasons:

1) we can choose specifically where we want to go in a certain order and not get led along by the tour guide not knowing where we are going

2) with some research before the trip does indeed make one know clearly where one will be going and hence will be able to maximize one's time, effort and money.

3) having to go on a guided tour also means giving tips to tour guides and leaders, not to mention the profit that has gone into the pockets of the organisations, local and foreign given the number of places actually gone to

4) the mode of transport one can take is the tour bus which limits one as to the types of transport available in the country, which in the case for Kyushu-japan is the JR, shinkansein, bus, street car/tram, cable car, taxi, ferry, subway, etc as well as it being one of the least efficient mode of transport especially when going from the northern to the southern side of the island

5) free and easy! There is no need to cater to the favour/dislikes/problems of other tourists!

but this will be the first time that i fork out my own share of the vacation cost =( Oh well, this year heralds a sense of initiative, self-sufficiency and really puts life to the test. Yay and I have just completed star craft II wings of liberty's campaign modes today and finished watching cycle 6-15 of america's next top model woosh! Now I would be looking forward to bringing my itouch back to life, downloading/watching more movies online and of course continue gaming and learning Jap. Hopefully, I would also create bonding with the piano which I have not played for 2 yrs and my guitar now sitting in my room, and of course not forgetting my preparation for my bioengineering course next year (reading up bio now keke). When it comes to ekking out my own living, what is more to think of than conducting private tuitions and the boring 8-5? Last but not least, to do a mini personal make over both inside and outside!

cheers to a new year!

R.I.P

You have watched us grown up over the years and must have enjoyed every bit of it, though your feelings are unshowing.

You have sacrificed your own time and effort years ago to ensure that reunions and gatherings go smoothly with the flow, yet not bearing a grudge.

You have been feeling sick and probably sorrowful for the past 4 years and do not want us to be affected, we can understand

You have been keeping your emotions to yourself and not display a sign of vulnerability nor weakness in face of adversities, albeit letting it go during your final minutes.

You have done a great deal of things for us, guided us in times of need and we appreciate it! Happy Teacher's Day!

WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THE RAIN!

whew one day off today, and to think that I have been telling myself to blog for the past few weeks. Well, ord can't get anymore closer, though i would seriously start counting down once YOG is over. Yes I know that day is reaching, but not when the thought that there are still 3-4 ops yet to complete and several competitions to partake in, all of which will see their end in children's day.

Several highlights for last week:

Timor Barat run: This run saw me running 16km for the first time and I felt a rather moderate sense of accomplishment only though half-guessing that I would make it into the AHM team for Signals formation, which some do not pin their hopes on for the actual competition. It was a bit stunning to hear that I made it behind LTA Jason by only a minute and that he was the first signaller representative to reach the finishing line. I actually thought that I was somewhere in the middle or something but reckon that I was totally oblivious of my own pace. I realise that running, or most actions for that matter, has got to do with relativity. One does not feel that one is fast per se but can only mention that the rest are slower. Well, just to continue about the TB run, it took place rather early, early enough for most of the participants to finish their run before the sky caved in and droplets start to pelt on irked participants. Though sensing a bit of improvement, I realised the importance of not over-exerting at any point of time, hence leaving myself dubious as to how exactly I should exert during any point of the run. Questions kept pounding in my head: Should I overtake the person who's just overtaken me? Should I maintain my pace? How often should I stop to get a drink? Should I just wear contacts all the way? Many things are getting in my way during the run, not the obstacles like the sand, planks, bridge, uneven ground, roads, grass patches, concrete but the profuse sweating, the unnecessary mental stress which I thought could aid in removing boredom during runs. I guess boredom in running doesn't exist and shouldn't exist. To feel bored means to having nothing to focus on while doing something. Is running such a brainless chore? Some people proclaim that running is such a mindless occupation as one does nothing but double quick time. I would beg to differ. It entails being aware of the surroundings, admiring the scenery (strictly for the case of this run), pacing oneself and keeping one at rhythm and stability of all sorts. Fatigue during the run is inevitable but not when one has more or less acquired the consistency from the very start of the race. Endurance run is all about getting your body used to the stress and power needed to finish the race in a satisfactory timing. After all, this race, lying in precedence to AHM, is a healthy lifestyle run and it means taking it seriously, especially for competitors. I have accumulated 2 most crucial tips at the end of the day, that is making rest stops (very short ones though) about every 7km (for my case) and proper pacing from the start till the end. As usual, near the end point, there was the sprinting component between me and a guy from engineers which saw us giving our last outbursts of adrenaline power as though all hell had broken lose. After the run, there was the rejuvenation part, both in the sense that one can finally rest after the hard work put into and of course, the cold inviting winds to blow off incessant heat from one's body. Met some old friends from BMT, secondary school etc too. We chatted, drank ice milo, red bull and hundred plus which was definitely inviting and rested for some time before we left Seletar camp. It was definitely a run most worth running for as one got to experience different terrain, hence infusing practicality.

Commanders recce (immediately after the run) and ndp preview:

Well, these events happened back to back. After the TB run MS and I wanted to take a cab to our individual locations but could only alight after the Expressway. It was goddam crazy as we were wearing our PT attire and the wind was strong as alike the rain. Booking a cab proved futile and we were sort of stranded at a bus stop for some time before we actually took a bus down some stops where civilisation proved more conspicuous. It was only after 50 min when we could finally booked a cab (we couldn't flagged one down) and get to our places. Had lunch with the commanders at KK hospital before making our way to different cam sites, all sited across different places near or at NUS. This was in light of the ND rally taking place days after the actual parade. Fortunately to my glee, our cam site was rather peaceful, easy to locate and convenient. Nights out ensued after the recce was over. As for ndp preview, there was a slew of problems for our camsite: managerial and logistics errors, all of which I shall not discuss due to confidentiality. Hopefully for subsequent deployments, such mistakes would be staved off.


Weekends + off:

Well it was not much, went out with secondary school buddies to AMK hub NYNY for dinner before catching the movie 'Aftershock' that depicted the hardship and ordeal undertaken during the 1970s-1990s period by Tangshan earthquake casualties through the perspective of a family severely affected by it. The film proved emotionally heart-felt that left a few in tears and the rest pondering over whether such an incident did really claim about a quarter of a million lives back then. I felt that this movie., compared to those being screened in cinemas currently, was rather thought-invoking though it may be simple to understand. Not saying that other movies were not that good, but this movie was based from a real life story and it being one of china's most successful blockbuster film, really goes out to many people in the world, thus allowing us to compare our better off lives to those under-privileged in China. I would give this movie a 4 stars on the whole. Ha thank god Edmund insisted on not watching 'the sorcerer's apprentice' but this movie instead!! Haiz book in later. The busy weeks are soon to come!! 2 more months! By the way I have changed the blog song to this song, sung by someone whom I have idolised and will continue to idolise. It is so inspirational as well as stunning in terms of vocal quality and control. Enjoy!

weekly reflections (first time doing this on the comp)

This week marks the end of the SAF day parade rehearsals with the parade itself culminating on the 1st July. I shall focus on the overall basis of the parade.

For administrative matters, I feel that when it came to reporting for attendance, many a time it was too early and as a result deprived us of some necessary sleep. This matter was accentuated by the fact that the whole training programme was planned in a spread-out manner such as to cater to the adaptability and learning capability of every single person who made up the contingent, and thereby every contingent that makes up the parade which stirred impatience in some. However, I actually learned that it was rather hard for the overall organisation to suit the needs of everybody so what was required from us was much cooperation and understanding. Aside from these points, it was rather okay on the whole.

Logistics wise, it did not fare any better either. Though the meals provided were sufficient, rather tasty and came in timely, it was the transport side that proved a downside to this matter. The idea was that the formation whose camp was the closest to SAFTI got to leave the last and this would actually translate to longer waiting times at the end of the day when all one wanted to was to have a good bath and rest for the night. We were provided with a water bottle each from the start which could actually fit into the ILBV magazine pouches nicely and hence it was not so cumbersome having to find drinking water. This was on top of the fact that there were water points accessible at several places such that heat exhaustion was not a qualm. After all, personal responsibility was crucial under such an unpredictable weather.


Training wise, I found that other than having too much practice, it was nonetheless not too over-exerting as breaks were given now and then though it would mean walking quite a great distance from the parade exit point back to the main resting point. The structure of the training programme was quite orderly and in a way such that we picked up the rhythm of the overall parade procedures fast. I quite liked the fact that the parade ICs put in their utmost effort to ensure a full-fledged parade that would not entertain any drop-outs and also an improved version compared to the previous year in terms of coordination, planning, and ability to rectify the mistakes in light of the CDF vetting.

On the whole, it was ultimately one's presence during such a prestigious parade that was all the more alluring to the participant. Only through hard work put in days to weeks before the parade that one was able to relish from one's effort ultimately at the end. It was quite a fine experience having to partake in the parade not by watching it or taking part in the in-camp parades but by being part of the actual big parade itself.

hiatus

From now on, i shall try to discuss about whichever interesting article, spanning from medical issues (mainly) to issues like science and technology, from local aricles (mainly) to a bit of foreign issues that i were to chance upon in magazines or newspapers, or perhaps at least mention the existence of such a news.

Just read about an article revolving about a woman who underwent the first abdominal trachelectomy (a surgery removing the cervix via the abdomen without having to remove the uterus) which spelled out potential health risks. This calls for some celebration as it implies that women stricken with such a disease, though not very prevalent but still quite lethal, could have a choice in bearing children, at least via IMF.

okay by the way this is the second day out of my 7-day (actually 6 day) off-cum-leave-cum-holiday in lieu-cum weekend hiatus, hence I must maximize time well!!!!!

guarduty

this week was a week of regimental duties. Finished serving 2/3 of my extras, i.e. 2 this week and honestly i felt quite a sense of accomplishment judging by the fact that this was the first time doing guard duty. Being a guard commander was quite taxing on the whole, having to manage the guards and answer to one's superiors if anything cocks up, be it accountability of items or breaching of security by external elements. Got to work with my junior specs who were guard 2IC's so at least there were people i knew though this does not hinder the fact that i got to mingle with the guards from other units to kill time. Getting to exercise leadership and commanding skills wasn't too bad a thing either, if not for one's 3SGT rank especially when there is not really an equally great opportunity to do so in battalion line. Thus, it was quite an enriching experience being a guard commander and doing guard duty isn't that bad as i thought. After all, not needing to do physical training the next day and guard rest are testament to it. today was my first day giving proper tuition to a secondary 4 boy and felt rather satisfied with the environment provided and the pay attached to my service. Hopefully this job could go on for quite some time. Lastly, i cannot find my campass!!!