Hahahhaha... super happy, elated, estatic, excited right now haha! It's past midnight already and yet I'm still here blogging with such a high mood... Haha a little tired maybe?
So I completed all my duties in camp this evening and after settling everything, I booked out and headed for Gedong Camp. Hahas, it was to be my bro, JL's, first bookout today and he has requested for me to "pick" him up from the camp haha. So cool!
So I was really rushing to book out and when I finally made my way out of camp, it started drizzling lol.. I had not taken 10 steps and the drizzle had evolved into a huge downpour. LOL!! I was totally drenched by the time I reached the traffic light outside of the camp lmao! Well, waiting in the rain for a taxi proved futile and as I got more drenched, I decided to take a bus to Clementi MRT to get a taxi from there instead. I was hoping for a better chance of getting a cab lol but the long queue at the taxi stand there caused that thought to evaporate from my mind. I thus made my way towards CCK MRT to try my luck again. Haha, to cut the long story short, I finally got there and saw that the queue for taxi was much shorter there and with a stroke of luck, a taxi driver was kind enough to send me all the way to Gedong Camp. Haha, once we entered Lim Chu Kang area, I finally experienced just how secluded and isolated that area was haha. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. In fact, I loved it the moment we were deep in among the trees and vegetation. Immersed in nature the way I like it, haha!
When I finally arrived at Gedong, it did not take me too long to locate JL amongst the mass of guys booking out. Thankfully, I was already a little drier by then. First time there, very excited. Mission success in picking JL up from his first book out!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Dance again:)
Heys, it's the end of yet another week! So I've met up with JL again yesterday and we went dancing once again.
However, we decided to have lunch first before heading to Laselle College of the Arts(COTA). After meeting at City Hall MRT, we then trained to Four Fingers at ION Orchard. JL was going to bring me to try something new, at least new to me. I was going to be trying out Four Fingers for the first time. There was already a long queue of people taking orders when we arrived. In fact, several long queues given that there were at least four counters open taking orders there. Haha! Evidence that good food will soon be rolling around in my tummy! What is Four Fingers all about? Well simply, chicken and fries!
After looking through the menu, I finally limited my options to between the Chicken Chop or Wings which JL highly recommended. I finally decided on getting the Chicken chop though as I wanted a bigger portion. Moreover, as JL was getting the wings, I could just try a bite from his order. Next up, we needed to decide on the sauce for our chicken. The options were Soy garlic, Hot and a mixture of both. I was quite surprised that JL highly recommended Soy garlic to me which I then selected. I guess I had thought that JL would have been turned off by the idea of garlic, but I guess this was just a case of a lack of a better option. Finally, we both chose seaweed fries over kimchi fries and Coke for our drinks.
As we made our way to our seat, the smell of the chicken and fries made me all the more hungry. I couldn't wait to try the chicken. Oh wait, did I mention that the food was served in mess tins, much like those used during field camps? Ya, that was something which was rather special. After we sat down, I saw JL tuck hungrily into the fries first. Well, that came as no surprise. I have already had a first hand observation of his love for fries the last few times we were at fast food outlets, especially when we were at EwF. I followed suit and tried the fries too. It wasn't too bad, not too dry. Next I tried both our chickens and both tasted quite the same. Of course, we both ordered the same sauce. However, I think mine might be slightly more unhealthy given that chicken chop has more fats.
After our hearty meal, we trained back to Bugis and made our way to Laselle COTA for our dance. I could see that my effort in practising the dance this past week has sure produced results. I was able to keep up with the tempo and could follow with most of the dance moves. However, there was still a lot more to learn and practise before I could dance like JL. Most importantly, I was still not getting the shuffling.
At aroud 1700, we stopped dancing as we were kind of tired and hungry already. We then looked around for a nearby Starbucks and found ourselves at Wilkie Edge Starbucks at around 1730. We then lepak there all the way until 2300 before heading back towards Bugis MRT station once again for home. I definitely need to practise what I have learnt over the coming week!
However, we decided to have lunch first before heading to Laselle College of the Arts(COTA). After meeting at City Hall MRT, we then trained to Four Fingers at ION Orchard. JL was going to bring me to try something new, at least new to me. I was going to be trying out Four Fingers for the first time. There was already a long queue of people taking orders when we arrived. In fact, several long queues given that there were at least four counters open taking orders there. Haha! Evidence that good food will soon be rolling around in my tummy! What is Four Fingers all about? Well simply, chicken and fries!
After looking through the menu, I finally limited my options to between the Chicken Chop or Wings which JL highly recommended. I finally decided on getting the Chicken chop though as I wanted a bigger portion. Moreover, as JL was getting the wings, I could just try a bite from his order. Next up, we needed to decide on the sauce for our chicken. The options were Soy garlic, Hot and a mixture of both. I was quite surprised that JL highly recommended Soy garlic to me which I then selected. I guess I had thought that JL would have been turned off by the idea of garlic, but I guess this was just a case of a lack of a better option. Finally, we both chose seaweed fries over kimchi fries and Coke for our drinks.
As we made our way to our seat, the smell of the chicken and fries made me all the more hungry. I couldn't wait to try the chicken. Oh wait, did I mention that the food was served in mess tins, much like those used during field camps? Ya, that was something which was rather special. After we sat down, I saw JL tuck hungrily into the fries first. Well, that came as no surprise. I have already had a first hand observation of his love for fries the last few times we were at fast food outlets, especially when we were at EwF. I followed suit and tried the fries too. It wasn't too bad, not too dry. Next I tried both our chickens and both tasted quite the same. Of course, we both ordered the same sauce. However, I think mine might be slightly more unhealthy given that chicken chop has more fats.
After our hearty meal, we trained back to Bugis and made our way to Laselle COTA for our dance. I could see that my effort in practising the dance this past week has sure produced results. I was able to keep up with the tempo and could follow with most of the dance moves. However, there was still a lot more to learn and practise before I could dance like JL. Most importantly, I was still not getting the shuffling.
At aroud 1700, we stopped dancing as we were kind of tired and hungry already. We then looked around for a nearby Starbucks and found ourselves at Wilkie Edge Starbucks at around 1730. We then lepak there all the way until 2300 before heading back towards Bugis MRT station once again for home. I definitely need to practise what I have learnt over the coming week!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Awesome weekend Part 1 - POP lo!!!
It's Monday night right now. Hmm... and I had my most AWESOME weekend yet!
Haha... yup! This past weekend was JL's POP ceremony. And yup... he had managed to get me seats for his POP ceremony. So there I was!
The ceremony was early in the morning though. Thus, I had to get my ass out of bed really early in order to make it there on time. Well, it wasn't that the start of the ceremony was all that early, but the seats were first come first serve. So I wanted to be there as early as possible to get really good seats so I can witness my AWESOME bro POP. Well, the ceremony was scheduled to start at 0740 but I expected people to start arriving as early as half an hour before the start of the ceremony. So I planned to get to the Float@ Marina Bay by 0645.
Haha... I was to be meeting up with JL's family before the start of the ceremony so that I could gain access to the ceremony compound. We thus planned to meet at Starbuck's in Marina Square at 0630.
I was going to get to Marina Square by MRT so I woke up at 0515 and started to get ready. By 0545, I was showered, changed and out of the house. After a train ride, I arrived at Marina Square just slightly after 0630. I contacted JL's sister and we finally managed to meet up. I was then brought to the Float@Marina Bay, after meeting JL's parents just outside Marina Square.
Although there was already quite a crowd gathered at the Float@ Marina Bay, we still managed to find some pretty good seats. At least, as good a seat as we had hoped to get -- right in front of where JL will be standing for the ceremony. Then, we just had to wait.
As I sat there though, lots of emotions were erupting inside of me. I was thinking back to how far JL had come, how much hard work he had put in just to be here standing on this platform today, how much sweat he had shed and how much pain he had to endure. I was so very proud of my bro! I was also feeling really happy for him. All the torture and pain he has had to endure for the past four months would be coming to an end with the end of the ceremony.
Apart from all of that, I was also imagining seeing the newly trained PTEs marching out onto the platform. What a sight that would be! Then, I also felt a bit of envy and sadness as I know inside of me that I would never get the chance to be marching in such a huge group or have the chance to be involved in a POP ceremony. It just felt really awesome to me to be able to make the long 24- km march to this platform and then end off months of hard work with a grand ceremony like this.
Still, this was my bro's POP and I should be in a high and estatic mood. So I brushed all those sadness away. Anyways, wasn't I here already, involved in my first ever POP ceremony? Hahas, it is all thanks to my bro JL uhh?
When 0740 finally crawled by, the ceremony started with the booming voice of the commentator. Then, it was the moment I had been waiting for... to witness the PTEs marching out onto the platform! I had always wanted to witness such a huge and massive force marching past right in front of me. It was sure an impressive sight to behold! Haha... I sure wished I was part of those guys out there, marching on to the platform, knowing this is the end of their torturous ordeal for the past months. The newly trained PTEs marched out from both ends of the platform and formed up on the stage, filling up every single inch of the stage. You can imagine the numbers... that sight, was certainly one to behold!
As promised, I did try my best to look out for my bro, JL. However, as he had said, there were just too many of them, and they were so far out and so tiny, it was almost impossible to see him. Hahas, JL's parents were also searching for him too, but once again it was a futile attempt. Still, we had a rough idea where he could be and so we had to contend with that. Then, JL's Dad asked if I was envious, not being able to experience being out there on the platform. Lol, I sure was!
Then, there were some speeches being read out by various people, congratulating the new PTEs of course and wishing them well from there on. After that, there was some prize presentation which was as always, the most boring and draggy part haha... unless someone you knew had won a prize of course. Then there was the applause, always loud at first but slowly as people grew bored, the applause dies down...
After all that, there was a break during which all the PTEs went back through where they had marched out from. That was to be the part one of the parade and there was going to be a second half after the break. So I guess the first half was meant to be the more formal part of the parade. Indeed, the PTEs returned after a short while marching quite differently. They looked quite cute actually, haha! The second half of the parade was much shorter and the parade was soon over. We then had to look for JL which was surprisingly not too difficult. After that, there was only one thing on everyone's mind. Home.
Later that night, I stayed over at JL's house, with his parents' consent of course. We then did some walking the next morning, which is part 2 of my awesome weekend. This past weekend was sure an experience that would be kept in my mind for a long time to come.
Haha... yup! This past weekend was JL's POP ceremony. And yup... he had managed to get me seats for his POP ceremony. So there I was!
The ceremony was early in the morning though. Thus, I had to get my ass out of bed really early in order to make it there on time. Well, it wasn't that the start of the ceremony was all that early, but the seats were first come first serve. So I wanted to be there as early as possible to get really good seats so I can witness my AWESOME bro POP. Well, the ceremony was scheduled to start at 0740 but I expected people to start arriving as early as half an hour before the start of the ceremony. So I planned to get to the Float@ Marina Bay by 0645.
Haha... I was to be meeting up with JL's family before the start of the ceremony so that I could gain access to the ceremony compound. We thus planned to meet at Starbuck's in Marina Square at 0630.
I was going to get to Marina Square by MRT so I woke up at 0515 and started to get ready. By 0545, I was showered, changed and out of the house. After a train ride, I arrived at Marina Square just slightly after 0630. I contacted JL's sister and we finally managed to meet up. I was then brought to the Float@Marina Bay, after meeting JL's parents just outside Marina Square.
Although there was already quite a crowd gathered at the Float@ Marina Bay, we still managed to find some pretty good seats. At least, as good a seat as we had hoped to get -- right in front of where JL will be standing for the ceremony. Then, we just had to wait.
As I sat there though, lots of emotions were erupting inside of me. I was thinking back to how far JL had come, how much hard work he had put in just to be here standing on this platform today, how much sweat he had shed and how much pain he had to endure. I was so very proud of my bro! I was also feeling really happy for him. All the torture and pain he has had to endure for the past four months would be coming to an end with the end of the ceremony.
Apart from all of that, I was also imagining seeing the newly trained PTEs marching out onto the platform. What a sight that would be! Then, I also felt a bit of envy and sadness as I know inside of me that I would never get the chance to be marching in such a huge group or have the chance to be involved in a POP ceremony. It just felt really awesome to me to be able to make the long 24- km march to this platform and then end off months of hard work with a grand ceremony like this.
Still, this was my bro's POP and I should be in a high and estatic mood. So I brushed all those sadness away. Anyways, wasn't I here already, involved in my first ever POP ceremony? Hahas, it is all thanks to my bro JL uhh?
When 0740 finally crawled by, the ceremony started with the booming voice of the commentator. Then, it was the moment I had been waiting for... to witness the PTEs marching out onto the platform! I had always wanted to witness such a huge and massive force marching past right in front of me. It was sure an impressive sight to behold! Haha... I sure wished I was part of those guys out there, marching on to the platform, knowing this is the end of their torturous ordeal for the past months. The newly trained PTEs marched out from both ends of the platform and formed up on the stage, filling up every single inch of the stage. You can imagine the numbers... that sight, was certainly one to behold!
As promised, I did try my best to look out for my bro, JL. However, as he had said, there were just too many of them, and they were so far out and so tiny, it was almost impossible to see him. Hahas, JL's parents were also searching for him too, but once again it was a futile attempt. Still, we had a rough idea where he could be and so we had to contend with that. Then, JL's Dad asked if I was envious, not being able to experience being out there on the platform. Lol, I sure was!
Then, there were some speeches being read out by various people, congratulating the new PTEs of course and wishing them well from there on. After that, there was some prize presentation which was as always, the most boring and draggy part haha... unless someone you knew had won a prize of course. Then there was the applause, always loud at first but slowly as people grew bored, the applause dies down...
After all that, there was a break during which all the PTEs went back through where they had marched out from. That was to be the part one of the parade and there was going to be a second half after the break. So I guess the first half was meant to be the more formal part of the parade. Indeed, the PTEs returned after a short while marching quite differently. They looked quite cute actually, haha! The second half of the parade was much shorter and the parade was soon over. We then had to look for JL which was surprisingly not too difficult. After that, there was only one thing on everyone's mind. Home.
Later that night, I stayed over at JL's house, with his parents' consent of course. We then did some walking the next morning, which is part 2 of my awesome weekend. This past weekend was sure an experience that would be kept in my mind for a long time to come.
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