My money disappears faster than a plate of cookies surrounded by hungry kids... No really... Sometimes i hate myself... If i have to be completely fair to myself, i don't actually spend money that often. Afterall, being perpetually stuck in the most ulu location in Singapore kind of doesn't really allow me to spend money all that often. But when i do leave that hellhole into glorious freedom, that's where the problem starts...
With the measely allowance provided for my neverending slavery, it's inevitable that i routinely just wait eagerly for the 10th of every month. It's not like i don't save. I actually force myself to save, which is essentially what makes my money disappear all that quicker. But i am one ironic contradiction by myself. I will lament and complain about my money disappearing too quickly, but yet do nothing to compromise my spending pleasures.
Thank God i'm a pretty blessed child despite my terrible behaviour. Bestowed upon me are countless numbers of relatives and some of the close ones who will periodically decide to give me money. It's weird really, but that's how it is being the youngest in my generation. I guess being called 'ah boy' all your life does have its benefits. All my cousins are married, and every year, the happy event known as Lunar New Year illustrates the benefits of being in such a family all the more. This is the one event that makes me glad i'm a chinese... I sound like such a hypocrite.
Although it does make me feel a little guilty when i see my father's money disappearing while money keeps appearing for me. I have to comfort myself by convincing myself that at least my father doesn't have to spend money on rearing me despite how i struggle with the measely allowance SAF provides. While i'm unable to provide for the family at this point, at least i'm not draining money from it any longer.
Well, these sorts of situations like CNY, birthdays or random relatives striking the lottery are absolutely necessary for me to survive. I am totally grateful that despite how my money seem to keep disappearing, i'm still able to maintain it and even save for that matter.
On a seperate note, some of the older generation folks might watch me in disdain as i repeatedly complain about the measely amount provided by SAF. Yes i do agree that comparing to what they gave in the past, my generation is getting a hell lot more. But let's face it. Look at the current society and everybody's lifestyle, the increment is simply a match to the increment the society demands. The fact remains that SAF will always provide the bare minimum amount. It will increase definitely, but they'll maintain it to be at the lowest possible level within the society.
Upon reflecting what i've typed for this post, i realise some of it don't really make sense. I keep contradicting myself. I suppose herein shows the ironic relationship i have with money. Money is such a wonderously terrible thing...
On a side note, ooooh my second post... And it's on the very next day!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
A fresh start
Life sometimes is really amazing. I created this blog in 2005, made a single post and never touched it again. 2 years later in 2007, i made another post predicting that my next post will be once again 2 years in the future. HOLY SHIT! It's 2009! Well yeah, here's my third post. Except here comes the question... Where are my first two posts? DELETED.
Yep, i decided that if i ever do get into the habit of blogging like many people out there, i'm gonna start afresh. Hence, i deleted the old stuff and made this the first post. Well the reason as for why i decided to revive this thing and actually start this trend of having a blog can be attributed to the fact that i've finally decided i want a place where i can type in random stuff and rant about things no one cares about. After all, isn't that what blogs are made for? I have absolutely no idea why i never attempted to continue this, but i supposed laziness played a major factor.
In any case, i'm gonna try my very best and i repeat try to keep this blog alive and actually become one of those many blogs out there that people read around or something like that. Hopefully i'll be able to muster forth sufficient mood and muse to come back here regularly or irregularly to post about random stuff. I guess it'll make for interesting read a few years down the road when i read back on the stuff here.
Of course, here's to hoping that my next post will not be in 2011 or something.... Urgh...
In any case, here a few updates to my life. I am currently serving the nation as they call it, in an inevitable cycle of 2 years every poor Singaporean male soul has to traverse through. Well, i'm almost done with it, 120609 is the magical day. Well up till this point i'd say i haven't actually totally hated my NS experience. Sure there were shitty days and extremely shitty days, but there were also rewarding times and afterall, shitty days makes for the best memories. I've met some great people in my time, and met lots of people in fact.
Being an armour specialist who's had the misfortune to serve two different units, i keep having to make new friends and then moving on to meeting new people again. In fact, there were so many phases i had to go through. First came the three months of BMT, followed by another two months plus in BSLC, and then the five months in AISL and then my four months in 41 SAR and finally the rest of my time in 42 SAR. If i were to count the total number of people i've gotten acquainted to in this 1 year 7 months i'd say it might even exceed the total number of people i've gotten acquainted to in my entire life prior to enlistment. Well, i haven't actually counted but it seems likely.
Although i more or less consider myself a very unfortunate NSF, having been working all the time with no hint of any LULL period as the myths have promised for 2nd year soldiers, i suppose all these contributes to making me a more resilent and tougher individual. As an NSF who went through the most active part of a battallion only to be thrown into another battallion just rising to be active again, i've never really had the chance to rest much. Up till this point, as i complete my final phase of my NS life in 42 SAR, i'd say i've really gotten tired of things.
Really, i've never considered myself to be tired of NS prior to this point. Even when i was in 41, fighting ATEC (the final exam of an active battallion) i was able to enjoy even the tiring days. But my current life right now is just tedious and neverending. I get worked like a dog although actually if you wanna be literal about it, a dog has a better life than i do. There is hardly any appreciation or respite for my efforts. If anything, i still get aimed like crazy, arrows piercing through my heart...... And then there're just people i wish i could remove from my life as soon as possible.
It gets really tiring. I don't really know how to further elaborate about these things, but essentially, i really can't to ORD now. When i look back on my NS life, i'm sure i wouldn't really regret it or anything drastic like that. It was an interesting enough experience. Now i just have to endure the rest of the journey to a point where i can start looking back.... Ooooooh i can't wait...
Yep, i decided that if i ever do get into the habit of blogging like many people out there, i'm gonna start afresh. Hence, i deleted the old stuff and made this the first post. Well the reason as for why i decided to revive this thing and actually start this trend of having a blog can be attributed to the fact that i've finally decided i want a place where i can type in random stuff and rant about things no one cares about. After all, isn't that what blogs are made for? I have absolutely no idea why i never attempted to continue this, but i supposed laziness played a major factor.
In any case, i'm gonna try my very best and i repeat try to keep this blog alive and actually become one of those many blogs out there that people read around or something like that. Hopefully i'll be able to muster forth sufficient mood and muse to come back here regularly or irregularly to post about random stuff. I guess it'll make for interesting read a few years down the road when i read back on the stuff here.
Of course, here's to hoping that my next post will not be in 2011 or something.... Urgh...
In any case, here a few updates to my life. I am currently serving the nation as they call it, in an inevitable cycle of 2 years every poor Singaporean male soul has to traverse through. Well, i'm almost done with it, 120609 is the magical day. Well up till this point i'd say i haven't actually totally hated my NS experience. Sure there were shitty days and extremely shitty days, but there were also rewarding times and afterall, shitty days makes for the best memories. I've met some great people in my time, and met lots of people in fact.
Being an armour specialist who's had the misfortune to serve two different units, i keep having to make new friends and then moving on to meeting new people again. In fact, there were so many phases i had to go through. First came the three months of BMT, followed by another two months plus in BSLC, and then the five months in AISL and then my four months in 41 SAR and finally the rest of my time in 42 SAR. If i were to count the total number of people i've gotten acquainted to in this 1 year 7 months i'd say it might even exceed the total number of people i've gotten acquainted to in my entire life prior to enlistment. Well, i haven't actually counted but it seems likely.
Although i more or less consider myself a very unfortunate NSF, having been working all the time with no hint of any LULL period as the myths have promised for 2nd year soldiers, i suppose all these contributes to making me a more resilent and tougher individual. As an NSF who went through the most active part of a battallion only to be thrown into another battallion just rising to be active again, i've never really had the chance to rest much. Up till this point, as i complete my final phase of my NS life in 42 SAR, i'd say i've really gotten tired of things.
Really, i've never considered myself to be tired of NS prior to this point. Even when i was in 41, fighting ATEC (the final exam of an active battallion) i was able to enjoy even the tiring days. But my current life right now is just tedious and neverending. I get worked like a dog although actually if you wanna be literal about it, a dog has a better life than i do. There is hardly any appreciation or respite for my efforts. If anything, i still get aimed like crazy, arrows piercing through my heart...... And then there're just people i wish i could remove from my life as soon as possible.
It gets really tiring. I don't really know how to further elaborate about these things, but essentially, i really can't to ORD now. When i look back on my NS life, i'm sure i wouldn't really regret it or anything drastic like that. It was an interesting enough experience. Now i just have to endure the rest of the journey to a point where i can start looking back.... Ooooooh i can't wait...
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