The thing about 31 Oct

One year ago, i signed on a doted line to be appointed.. i had many warnings, i had some well wishes, and there on, i accepted a job that was deemed difficult, i was determined to overcome the difficulties, to experience the problems and ride through the storm, i was also quietly confident that i could make some changes for the better, no matter how minor..

one year on, the flames of determination is sadly missing.. i have tried and i have conformed.. the passion is lower, the drive, lesser... i still speak the opposing voice once in a while, but the results have not been delivered..

speaking to one of my guys last week sort of gave an even broader perspective, perharps like him, i have under-performed, we could have done more, if not for the unhappiness at how things are. Instead of focusing on the sunshine and making hay, we choose to face up to darkness and try to bring light... end of the day, we have almost nothing to show, the darkness still creeps and there don't seem to be enough hay by our standards..

he will not have a chance to try again, but i have a job here, i can try again.. but once more, i question the point of trying, should i just make hay while the shadow engulfs the sunshine and threaten light? Or maybe i'm just thinking too much.. too pessimisstic, too negative

for the guy, colleague and friend, i wish him well, wish that this journey will form part of his memory and provide some insight into the way things can and should be done.. i would not discourage his passion for changing, change is good when it is necessary.. "you have done what you can, build on that, it is better than nothing at all, thank you for all your hard work, friendship and support, it has not gone to waste, and i wish you well for your future"

for myself, i sometimes wonder if i am changing myself to suit the place, or would there ever be a better place for me, i know my future lies elsewhere, but getting there would mean another 700-odd days in this place.. i hope i'll survive








One year and counting.. for what?

The thing about Hari Raya

I was going to name this post "The thing about Geylang". But after some thought, thats another post for another day..hehe

Ok, back to Hari Raya, actually, i don't have much to blog about. Despite having some muslim friends and squadmates(squadmates are closer [technically]), i have not received any invitation to do house visiting.. maybe the mood has changed, maybe i am just left out.. who knows?

Geyland Serai is always busting with activities just before the end of Ramadan. I had the opportunity to shop around the area twice this year. As always, there are plenty of stores flooding the area, everything, from plastic flowers to delicious biscuits(too expensive though) to fancy dresses and sarongs to mouthwatering food.. its all there

Introducing:
Dengdeng!
Damage: $3 per 100g
Dengdeng is basically the malay version of Bak Kua, it is extremely decilious, and actually, it is not BBQed to the extend of Bak Kua, instead, the beef remains tender and juicy.. yummy!


Ramly Burger
Damage: $2.50
Tasted a few ramly burgers, from pasar malams to geylang serai to Tioman Island, the best is still from Tioman(might have something to do with the source of meat..hmmm). Still, the one at Geylang serai was good.. what i normally look for is that they will slice open the meat patty(chicken/beef) and insert things like seasoning and curry powders.. these stores normally serves better Ramly Burgers.. an all time favourite

Fried Chicken Wings
Damage: 80cents each
My love affair with chickens wings from muslim stores started in secondary school, back then, chicken wings only cost about 60-7ocents.. now its usually 1 dollar, but this particular store at Geylang Serai, identifying themselves as "Bedok North Nasi Lemak", sold each wing at only 80cents! On top of the cheaper price, the wings were deep fried but not over-done, the end result: a hard and crispy exterior and soft and quite juicy interior.. must go and find out where the store is in Bedok North.. [anyone knows? bring me there and i'll buy you a Chicken wing.. make that 2 ok?]

Finally.. i wish all muslim friends out there

A Selamat Hari Raya*




*i know i'm like 3days late, but the house visiting continues right?






I'm getting fat, but loving it.... oh no

The thing about Selections

Ever won a battle you never feel like winning? Sometimes, procedures and lack of resources force people into situations that selfishness overrides the importance of the bigger pictures.. where resources become mismatch, and the team that requires a lesser strength holds on to more than requirments.. and as a whole.. the whole department suffers.. yes.. that is precisely what happended..

while ballots might be the fastest way to resolve and issue, the results, are less than satisfactory.. sure, we got a great deal, but what about the bigger picture? Sometimes, some people just don't seem to care

on another note, it is sad that we would even allocate such choices in the first place.. if all due respect to the individuals who have yet to prove themselves, i feel that the department deserves more.. is there a problem with allocation? or do people look less impressive now..





Damn systems

The thing about Graduations

Having attended my first University-level graduation ceremony, it was an enriching experience.. the joy and excitement was definitely there, but at the beginning, there was doubts as to whether i would make it into the hall..

the situation: this university has somehow decided that their overseas candidates are okay with having only TWO guest for the graduation ceremony, after 2-3 years of hardwork and about $20-30k of school tuition fees and lecture payments... a grand ceremony, yet only 2 guest...

on average, a singapore who completes his or her Bachelor degree should involve their parents in the ceremony, how about siblings? how about spouse? are we so alone in singapore?

and so.. i stepped through the dark side to enter the ballroom.. (reminds me of this)
i did what i had to, i slipped through the system.. because i really wanted to be there, to witness the moment of her graduation, to look at her smile, to take her pictures, to take pictures with her

its not that bad after all.. i thoroughly enjoyed the day, though after-ceremony obligations meant that we couldn't move around the sights to take more wonderful pictures of her in that gown and mortar-board

This is going to be a long post..

To quote a certain professor and his speech.. (not exactly quote, summarise actually)

The limited resource that we have is life, to be exact, it is time.. what we do with our time is a trade off, to choose to sleep, to choose to eat, to choose to idle, all is a trade of time(blogging too..hmm) what we can and should, is to make the best use of time to enrich ourselves for the good of society and personal development..

what he said made sense and he had my fullest attention for his entire speech.. maybe its the way angmohs carry themselves and that slang in the tongue that makes them so pleasing to the ear, i was spellbounded, he made me felt like a graduate(still long long way to go)

to end of his speech, he quoted:

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

How true.. so what can i do?

The thing about Source Code

Heard of source code and not sure what it is? Have some rough idea but not certain if you are right? Today, we explore Source Code

Source code is any series of statements written in some human-readable computer programming language. A computer's source code is the collection of files that can be converted from a human-readable file to a computer executable form..




I hate softwares

The thing about 6 Oct

Hey, its 6th Oct. 2 years ago, i was Private Ho, entering into life at Police Academy into Officer Cadet Ho..

Flashback:

Phone rings, Private Ho picks up phone

Pte Ho: Hello
U Coy Sgt: Rec Ho ***-****?
Pte Ho: Yes Sgt
Sgt : Oei, you posted to Police liao, pack your ali baba bag and return everything army give you understand?
Pte Ho: Uh Sgt? Posted to Police? Can i know as what uh? Sgt or Officer course?
Sgt: F*uk u understand, how the f*uk i know? Ch**bye, just pack and return your stuff
Pte Ho: You mean everything that was issued on the first day?
Sgt :Yah lar

And so, a path less taken by many many privates, i'm embarking on a journey to Police life.. so many questions, no answers at all.. it did not dwell on me that i would on the route to Officer Cadet life in the Police for the rest of my NS liabilitiy, but deep down, i recall that no army private gets sent to police for Sergeant..


Flashback at the Jetty:

Some Inspector : You are the selected priviledged few to for the Police Officer Course, you will undergo 9 months of training to become Inspectors... blah blah blah..

Flashback at the Police Academy Gym:

Insp Dom: Number eight.. Ho ***-****
Me : Yes Sir!




6 Oct 2004.. The start of OCT Life in Police Academy

The thing about Me

It's been a awhile since i'hv blogged. Its funny how i can visit my own blog and see if there are any updates. While majority will be looking at the posting area when they visit my blog, i tend to look at the right, rightly so, as i am after all the blog owner.

The tagboard lets me know that people are reading my blog, it keeps me connected. While i never did start this blog to attract readers(read and guess why and how i started this blog here) it is perharps and internal wish to have people reading and knowing my thoughts, my musings, my abuses..

I find that i can be sometimes unhappy about a lot of things, yet i am happy. For i know that i'm lucky and contented, but i just like to complain about things.

Prices of bus fares are up once again, for a company that virtually monopolise the "Public" bus industries and MAKING millions in profit yearly. The reason for price increase? Increase in fuel price and falling profits. Mind you, this company is making profits! but because the numbers are too little to the big bosses who are already earning 5-figure income(at least) monthly, the price of bus fares has to go up again.. talk about the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, this bus fare increase can be a classical example of the above

If.. only if..

If i have a say, if i have the power, i shall make the Public Bus Service public once more. The main consumers of the this "service"(their service sucks anyways) is mainly the middle to low income groups. The public bus service shall balance their books and not aim for a profit. Any surplus for this FY should be held in reserve to offset any fuel increase in the next FY and so forth. In return, for the first time in Singapore Public Bus Service History, there shall be a DECREASE in price

What great dreams and ideals i can have, what little power and influence i can muster to change things, this is the helplessness i feel and perharps, the source of my random unhappiness..


But still, this post is about Me. I am afterall happy. For i have a had a average, but good life, i already have the person i love and i promise to hold her for life.




I am Happy afterall..hee..