Sunday, July 30, 2006

Final Phase

As of today, my service balance has reached 2 digits. The end is near..
It's a nice sunday afternoon, the weather is fine, and I can't help but wonder, what the hell am I doing blogging on this fine day?
Paradoxically, after my past few weeks have been burnt with duties, family emergencies or personal emergencies, here comes a day where I can really relax and do stuff I want to do, yet I end up doing a whole lot of nothing. Jolly.
Still, it has been a trying last few weeks. My sister got pneumonia and was warded, watched pirates and began obsessing over its soundtrack, was put on standby to go to Indonesia to assist the relief efforts after the most recent tsunami (in the end I didn't go), depressing uni pre-departure sessions where the fact that my further education will be held back for a year more became all too apparent and painful, the start of the post-service trip planning, the overnight mahjong session that ensued causing me to be a zombie for 3 days, my driving mishaps plus the first time I drove the car by myself and only myself and most of all the nice times I spent with very good friends.
August, September, October, November does not count. I can almost feel it. It's near, but yet still far...
August brings my operation, which I hope will yield a healthy amount of MCs. Also the labour intensive NDP will end, bringing a lull period. Then comes the audit, the last of my tenure, I hope to do it properly this time and save myself any potential trouble. This is the month I hope to hand over all the stuff to my understudies, so I can be Mr Hands Off for the rest of my time.
Will most probably go for an overseas exercise in sept, for 2 weeks, with a base doctor, so it shouldn't be that bad. Like I always told him, send me as I'm the only guy without a girlfriend so I wouldn't mind the long period of time away from Singapore. 2 weeks effectively means that the number of true working days I have in Sept are greatly reduced, especially if the post exercise off I'm promised is given to me. And October is the month of clearing leave and off.
Can't wait.
But, as I always say, be patient, everyday is a day closer to the day you leave the service.

Monday, July 10, 2006

And it was all over

Needless to say my last month has been consumed by the FIFA world cup. Been trying to catch the matches played late at nights or early in the morning and still getting up to drga myself to camp to work. I'm actually amazed I managed to get through this world cup period without any major meltdowns. Can you imagine? All my 3 bosses are not rabid football fans and don't give two hoots about the world cup.
Still, I managed to survive, and there are great memories to take away from this world cup. The absolute genius of the 24 pass goal by Argentina and their subsequent demolition job of Serbia and Montenagro, the hush that went around my living room when the red card was produced for Wayne Rooney, the dismay I felt by the very unjust penalty for Italy against Australia, the surprise I got when the Brazilians were dumped out of the cup, and finally the experience of taking today off to watch the final in kenneth's house, and the sickening feeling of seeing zidane red carded.
One month of madness is over. Football is really the opiate for the masses. I cannot even begin to comprehend the scale of its reach. It is truly the global game.
Once again, all hail the Beautiful Game.