Well, check out these exciting photos!

I was just watching "Slumdog Millionaire" in my room on a very lazy Thursday afternoon, and just when Jamal was telling the police officer about how he couldn't find Latika and thats why he got onto the show, I smelled smoke in my room.

First thought "Crap, did my tv or dvd player or computer just short circuited itelf?!?!" I did a check and that was not true.

It must be from the outside. So I opened the window (I was having my air conditioner on) and true enough, it was smooooooooooooooky. Someone was having a little too much cigarettes to puff on. Kidding.

So I was thinking "Ah, those joss sticks and incense paper burners!" Then I thought "Wait, is it even hungry ghost festival yet?"

On a closer look, the smoke was actually pouring out of a flat. And there was quite a crowd gathering downstairs. "Crap" was the first word in my head. I opened my room door and alas, the living room was all smoke. So I went out of my house, snapped a few pictures, breathed in the excitement (and smoke), went downstairs and watched the heroes of our civil defence do their thing.

This is probably one of the most exciting things that had ever happened to my sleepy little town of Yew Tee since the opening of the shopping mall, Yew Tee Point.

Oh yes, this is the 2nd time I have witnessed a fire while slacking in my own room. The last one was... in 2006. Before I was enlisted in the army. That was a big bad fire. Lets take a look at some of the pics and I shall end.

And, yo. I am back. Yes, from Sibu Island. I can still feel the bobbing up and down of the boat while I am here sitting in my room typing into this little space.

Overall, I loved this trip. Well, considering the fact that its my first overseas trip since I was enlisted, and that its a break I could really use from all the work back in camp. And the best part is, people can still call me while I am on the island taking a break, to ask me about work. Marvelous, simply marvelous.

Anyway, I will post some pictures. Pictures can say a thousand words, but a thousand words is not alot. There are some things that just simply cannot be put in words. The experience, having sea spray in your face, looking at the sun rising from the horizon, and setting into it, looking at the underwater life of the coral reefs and diving in to touch some corals and getting your hand scratched by one, getting your dad and mum to do things that they haven't done in their entire lifetime. These are expriences that can't be put into words.

And well, my camera is not some SLR or a super high tech piece of equipment, so there are some limitations: The sunrise won't be as glorious as it really is, there won't be pictures of the coral reefs cos my camera isn't waterproof, the beaches and skies won't be as splendid as it really is, and of course, the camera couldn't capture the sky that was full and full of stars.

Anyway, here we go. Oh, these are only some of the pictures I took. Its a total of 443 pictures. Haha, I think I'll find somewhere else to upload the rest.

In another 6 more hours, *poof* I'll be gone! Well, to Malaysia that is.

Its the 1st time I'm going overseas in 2 years. No wait, 2 and half years. Can you believe it?!?! I've never gone overseas since I was enlisted in the army. What a sad life. Well, unless you consider Sentosa as overseas.

Sibu Island! Beach paradise! I love beaches. Sun, wind, sea. Clear water. I think I will enjoy. And having an entire hotel room to myself, muahaha, the perks of paying for your family trip. Wait, I hope its not a creepy hotel. :S

"Sibu Island is one of Malaysia's unspoilt islands off the Peninsula's East Coast, facing the South China Sea. Approximately 6 km long and 1 km wide, the island abounds with lush tropical vegetation, and is noted for its beaches, hills, cliffs and exotic bird population."

On a side note, something left me stupified for a minute today. I called 1633 (Starhub do-it-all number) to activate my international roaming. As expected, everything was automated, key in this, key in that, which is good. And when I'm done with all the keying, they asked me to wait for the customer service officer. Which I did. For 5 minutes. And they kept telling me that "your call is important to us", "but not so important because its a Sunday night, but if you are earning S$1m a month, please press 1 and we'll attend to you immediately." (I made up the 2nd line).

And then, I got the biggest shock when the CSO picked up.

CSO: Hello good evening how may I help you?

Me: Er, I want to activate my international roaming.

CSO: Ok, let me check. Oh, you already activated it.

Me: Is it? Yeah, I activated it just now.

CSO: Yes, you activated it at 10.23pm (I can't remember the time, but its around there)

Me: Oh, ok, then why did they direct me to a CSO? To tell me that my international roam is activated?

CSO: Yes, I believe so.

Me: Oh ok, thanks.

CSO: Anything else I can help you with?

Me: No, thanks. Have a good night.

CSO: Thank you for calling... ( I hanged up)

I can't believe they directed me to a CSO just to tell me my international roaming has been activated. Couldn't they just automate it as well?? Argh, telecom providers...

Anyway, see you all in 3 days time. I hope I will have pictures to show.

Death.

I never liked to talk about death. In fact, I never like to talk about death. Its not a taboo for me, its just something very unpleasant to talk about.

Death. Its so very unpleasant to talk about that people come up with all sort of terms and phrases to avoid saying the word death. Went six feet under, kicked the bucket, met his creator, passed on, passed away, whatever. We say almost everything else but, die.

Death is something very common. People die everyday, thousands and thousands die in natural disasters, theres a funeral once every few weeks at the pavilion near my house. But to see someone or something die, thats not very common. And to have been able to do something to prevent it from dying, thats very rare.

Yet, it happened to me. And now, I don't know how to describe my emotions. Sad? Guilty? Maybe a mix of both? I don't know. All I know is, every time I close my eyes, that very scene just keeps on replaying itself like a spoilt disc in a DVD player. Its haunting me.

The cat was peering down from the ledge of the staircase railing, looking for its mother. And there I was trying to coax it down with some ikan bilis. If I had known, IF ONLY I HAD KNOWN, I would have went over and pulled it off the ledge. But I did not know, and I was too much of a coward, afraid that it might just jump off when I get too close. The kitten did not jump off. It just dropped off.

I can still hear its claws, frantically trying to grab at anything to hang on to, but it was too late. I could only pray, that an angel, maybe a cat angel would just fly over and pick it up in mid air. But that didn't happen. "Thud." I can still hear it in my head.

IF ONLY I HAD WENT OVER AND GRAB IT. If only if only. If only time could go in the reverse direction. If only so many so many different things.

Dropping from 8 storeys high. I cannot imagine. I quickly took the lift down. The kitten did not die. It just sat there, with its mother by its side. I knew its mother. I had only fed the mother a few hours back.

As I approached, the kitten limped away with its mother. I can still remember its face. The cute face, even after falling from 8 storeys high. "God, please keep this little fella alive."

That was the last time I saw the kitten alive. The next morning as I went to work, I spotted the corpse in the distance. Lying motionless on the floor. My heart broke to a million, billion pieces. I could not even bring myself to see it. And as I walked on, its mother approached me. "Meow." I patted its head. "I'm so so very very sorry."

I do not like to post sad posts. But I can't post happy posts considering how sad I am now. Telling myself not to think about it did not help. You can don't think about something, but that something can still stay in you. And when you stop thinking about anything else, you will find it right where you left it.

And thats how it is with me now. Scenes just keep on replaying itself. The face, the mewing, scurrying of claws on ledge, the thud, the fact that I could have done something other than trying to offer ikan bilis.

If only I had known. If only I had done something. If only it didn't come up to the 8th storey. If only I wasn't there. If only a hundred million things. If only I wasn't such a coward.

When I came back from work in the afternoon, the body was gone, probably swept away by the indian uncle who keeps my estate clean. However, everything else still remains in my mind. Haunting me. Accusing me. Murderer. A cowardly murderer.

Its another 10 more working days, 22 more actual days. ORD here I come.

I can feel it. Operationally-Ready-Date. Thats what ORD means. Its funny how the SAF come up with such a term. Well, thats because most people become less operationally ready when they ORD... but well, it doesn't matter.

Then I will get back my pink IC, and someone will ask me "Whats that shiny card in your hot hand?" (I can't remember the exact words, FF7 fans help?) and I will reply in a very cool manner, "Thats my PINK IC.I say again, PINK IC."

Welcome back, me.

Another nice video. Someone remind me to get a window seat when I find a job next time.



"Oh you coward you. You are not going to get anywhere by just sitting there and reasoning with yourself, giving excuses for your own cowardness. Get up and do something about it for goodness sake!" - Me to myself.

Reminds me of The Wizard Of Oz.

"Courage!
What makes a king out of a slave?
Courage!
What makes the flag on the mast to wave?
Courage!
What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk?
What makes the muskrat guard his musk?
Courage!
What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder?
Courage!
What makes the dawn come up like thunder?
Courage!
What makes the Hottentot so hot?
What puts the "ape" in apricot?
What have they got that I ain't got?"
- Cowardly Lion

"I want so much to open your eyes, coz I need you to look into mine."

"Eve was not taken out of Adam's head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him."

I had nasi lemak today again. This time, it was breakfast. Somehow, my friends and I felt adventurous (and hungry) during work in the morning and quickly hopped into the car. We ended up at the same Bedok market we were at yesterday.

And yes, I had the "best nasi lemak" in the market (remember I had the second best yesterday?). It's a stall called "HONG NI", which literally means RED MUD in mandarin. I have no idea why its called RED MUD. I think it has something to do with the very potent chilli sauce and the potential shi.. output that the customer will produce after eating. Well, its not so bad. I only had 2 stomach upsets in the afternoon. And I skipped lunch.

Had dinner with my family at Xin Wang @ Yew Tee Point after work. I can now safely say I have been eating the same things for the past 3 days. Xin Wang on Sunday, Nasi Lemak yesterday, Nasi Lemak and Xin Wang today. There was so so so much food. Gosh, I just love eating with my family, I can order anything I want! Muahahaha.

Anyway I was in the bus going home and there was this person humming a little tune behind me. I didn't turn to see who it was.

Person humming: Lalalalalalala.

*Bus mounted the curb and there was a huge jerk*

Person humming: Ah! Jagulismkfsgokadn (Gibberish I can't understand)

Me: *laughed, tried to control laughter, failed, and laughed*

Me: *repeated above actions*

*People in front was turning their heads to see which mad guy was behind them*

Me: *repeated above actions until I alight*

And gosh, I have to sleep in camp tomorrow and Thursday night. How sad. I will miss my computer. And my PS2.

Extending another 6 months in the army is just nice. Another month and I feel that too much energy will be drained out of me, less a month and I feel that I've not earned enough yet. This contract for 6 months is given to me by God anyway, so of course its nice.

Well, thats my own conclusion after discussing the matter with a friend at work today. At least I'll be leaving the army with a positive experience (thats what the Army Recruitment Centre likes to say most) and not feel sour about giving my time to the sacred work of protecting our beloved nation.

A colleague asked me today if I'll look for another job after I ORD in May. He advised me to look for one. Reason: "My brain would rot if I don't use it for 3 months." Not that my brain is not rotten enough after my stint in the army. I would probably consider taking up something light though, like tuitioning or something.

Anyway, theres also the part in me that doesn't feel like leaving the army yet. Leaving the army means leaving my source of income. And leaving my source of income would mean the following:

• Sorry family, can't bring them out and treat them to good meals as often.
• Sorry friends, can't go to nice places with them too much.
• Sorry myself, can't go shopping as much.

Shopping. Oh man. I recently realised how much I love shopping. Ok, lets not use love, LIKE shopping. I recently watched "Confessions of a shopaholic" (I was forced to) and I could almost identify with the protaganist. Gosh, I don't even know if I am supposed to feel ashamed. Masculinists (I don't know if theres such a word, to find out its meaning, think feminist) would probably be making their way to kill me right now. Well, at least I am still serving in the army and I play soccer every week and I don't go for facial and I don't carry pretty bags and I don't wear tight fitting clothes, so please don't shelf me in with the "Sensitive New Age Guy" or "Metrosexual" categories.

ANYWAY. Today is declared as "Nasi Lemak Day" by me. Thats because for both lunch and dinner, I had Nasi Lemak. Yes, I skipped breakfast. So during lunch time, my friends and I drove out to Bedok and had some Nasi Lemak there (we love to be very adventurous during lunch time :D)

This Nasi Lemak, although I ordered alot alot (2 chicken wings, fish fillet, fried egg, luncheon meat, long beans, extra rice), I was left longing for more! Its not "FANTASTIC!", but it was good enough. This despite the fact that my friend says this stall is only second best in the market (and I thought I only saw 2 Nasi Lemak stalls in the market)

So the story goes, as soon as I finished work, I decided that I shall not have the usual dinnerfare from my mum's stall and go buy some Nasi Lemak at Yew Tee instead.

And after having Nasi Lemak from 2 different places today, I have decided. I still like the one at Chong Pang better. :D

Something for Easter :D

"And it doesn't end there. Jesus is alive."

Many a times, its the imperfections that make life beautiful. The imperfections that make it, perfect.

Today is a sad day. Its the day that I mourn the loss of my 1 month old iPod.

Good bye my iPod, I pray that whoever stole you from me will treat you well. Good bye all my songs, I pray that you will bless the one who took you away.

Well, its quite an expensive lesson, but I have learnt not to place my bag unattended in my bunk now. Evil people are everywhere! I am finally convinced that people can get so desperate that they search other people's bags for 'goodies'. Hmph.

And of course, as with all things in life, God always has a lesson in the things that happen to me. This time, its about carelessness. (Is there such a word even?)

I used to be a very careful person, locking up my stuff in my locker, making sure nothing is left lying around. But months and months of 'good times' and I have become complacent. Thats why the bag was not in the locker, and thats why the iPod was not in the bag.

The same thing applies to our walk with God. Sometimes, after being so on fire, so close and so touched by God, we get complacent. We feel that nothing bad is going to happen, that even if we skip praying for a day, or not read the bible for abit, its alright. We won't backslide. We won't lose the fire.

The devil's most common trick is to make us feel that "its alright". That is, in fact, the oldest trick the devil has in his book. And yet, its one of the most effective one. Its the 1st trick he played on humans, when he said the same thing to Eve, tricking her to eat the apple. And we've been tricked again and again and again.

Its not alright. If its alright to sin, Jesus wouldn't have to die on the cross for us. If its alright, Adam and Eve wouldn't be cast out of the Garden of Eden. It is not alright to skip prayer, skip devotion, skip service.

Therefore it is very important for us to be on our toes all the time. To be alert, cautious, and not be easily tricked by the devil. Don't wait till you lose your iPod before you start putting your things in your locker again.