A bid to keep to my 2010 new year's resolutions...

"Bad idea.." 

Us in Geylang Serai..going to the bazaar. 

Ilham and Yasir.. 

Another day in which i broke fast with my other group of frens. This tym..the malay guys. Malek, Jamal, Ihsan, Shah...at Beach Rd after i bought some stuffs for my trip to Brunei. Ate roti john 'shakira'..Heard of it? Hahaha..

Jus some pics to share..but the gist is still as per the last entry..On how frens are important in the process of shaping your life. (Or rather..how ur life was shaped.) But this tym..i'll focus more on closer relationships.

Tonight..i'll be on my way to Brunei..or commonly termed as Exercise Lancer. It will be a 14 day affair with the Temburung jungle terrain. I've been there before as a cadet whilst on Jungle Confidence Course..so i'm not really that worried. It was the best experience during training in OCS! Hahaha..OK i'm digressing.. My lil sister made me a card..a drawing rather..with an A4 printing paper and crayons..(HAHAHA..It stinks of crayon smell!!) But thanks Aisyah!

Basically..it showed the thoughtfulness..even though it was just a small act..from a sister to a brother. The 'small' act..was magnified by the fact that it was a surprise. I found the letter in my bag anyway..and reading it. I felt a sense of family-ness. Would i have done the same thing? Perhaps..but perhaps not too. I may just have told her.."Aiyah..small thing lar! Relax..it's saddistically enjoying!" Hmm..maybe it's just my own way..but maybe it's just ego too..to be protective of the solid fort, hence, unable to really express your deepest thoughts.

Why isit so easy to open up to friends sometyms but u close up when in front of the people u love? It cannot be ego being the mastermind for everything ryt? Isit respect? Or isit just a display of piety, to maintain good (quiet and mild) conduct in front of them? Or could it be the alfamous mafia, the 'Generation gap'?? Hmm...

Let's reflect on this point. I noe i will..cause it's a challenge i've been facing for ages. This tym, Brunei shld be a good environment to reflect especially since it's fasting month and it's very near Eid Mubbarak..a day of forgiveness and love. I shld be able to overcome this...

So for my adik kepo who will read this..Take Care too! Look after the family and dun be naughty. PLEASE clean up the room for me..i did it halfway cos i had to pass ur shirt n book to u..careless gal! Made me go all the way to Crez..and ALSO..PLEEASE go to Nenek house and visit her..coz i wun be ard.."How long haven't u been there?!" Lastly, dun wori..i'll still fast and if i cant make it..i'll still try. If i still cannot..i'll try again and then i will break. But i'll do it everyday.

N ya..to my dear Najee..if u really listened. U will read this in the afternoon..isit afternoon yet? "Check ur watch.." HAHAHA..smalam u went to help ummi after dia dah bangun eh? Or did u fall asleep?! If u did..it's 9-8 in my favour and 50cents in my account k! Hehehe..it's including u too..Take Care Najee..I'll be looking out for full moon there but mathematically..i dun tink i'll get to see one. Thanx alot too for all these while..Please hantar the kueh via DHL too..i already booked a flight for it! Ciao Chinchiao..Chendol OUT! Hahaha..

Can't wait to be back..my frens..u all take care!

A young and successful executive was travelling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared, instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door. He slammed on the brakes and spun the Jag back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. He jumped out o! f the car, grabbed some kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?" Building up a head of steam, he went
on. "That's a new car and that brick you threw is gonna cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

"Please, ! mister, please, I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do!" pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop." Tears was dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me." Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and to take out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you, sir" the grateful child said to him. The man then watched the little boy push his brother to the sidewalk towards their home.

It was a long walk back to his Jaguar... a long, slow walk. He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention. Life whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart. Sometimes, when you don't have the time to listen... Life throws a brick at your head. It's your choice..

Listen to the whispers of your soul or wait for the brick. Do you sometimes ignore loved ones because your life is too fast and busy, leaving them to
wonder whether you really love them?

Hmm..it's been a while since i had something to share. Life's been great so far with everything that's happened..and furthermore, its fasting month. Today is the 2nd day of fasting liao..

Ok..let's see what i can share. For those who just started reading my blog..Pls note..
**Im not here to share my life..SORRY! Just here to share things i've learnt.**
Cos i feel that my life is not something i would like to go public with..HEHE..:p

The theme for my life these 2wks had been relationships..and the constant quest for improvements. So i will share what i have learnt during my time i AWOL from my bloggie..

These 2wks..i spent time on building relationships and improving myself..with my men, my friend and family. My men..i am the supposed 2IC of charlie company, 4th Battalion Singapore Infantry Regiment. I share the tasks with another 2IC..But it came to a point where our jobs are segregated into him taking the administrative role of a 2IC and me the ground role with the 84mmRR team under my jurisdiction. Hmm..it made me sort of 'jobless' and free..I dunno but it made a few people unhappy perhaps to see me having nothing too do most of the time? Hahaha..

But den, what can i do? Bulldoze myself into getting a job..Perhaps if i was SIAO ONZ! But naah.. im just sparing myself. (slacking in other words..) But i have never refused a call for help or an 'arrow' even. Most of the tym..im arrowed to cover the safety of troops during exercise..but did i ask for it? Most of the tym i would be preparing myself to slog out outfield till at the last minute where i find myself having to be the safety officer..and the rover is mine. When its time to do my job, i do it..when its not, i'll do my own stuffs. But then..i won't refuse to help unless its ridiculous!

The point im driving here is that people compare..i compare. But is it healthy. I agree that for grounds and means of checking where u stand and how much u need to achieve, it's OK..but i dun think comparing our jobs is fair. It's like comparing a triathlon runner with a chessmaster. Say, both are traing for a major world competition..the triathlete has to do a whole lot of physical conditioning but the chessmaster perhaps has to just, play chess. Sitting down most of the time. (Maybe he does exercise to keep fit..) But the amount of physical strain in comparison with the triathlete differs a LOT! And at the end when both wins..lets say US$2m as prize money..can u say the chessmaster doesn't deserve his prize?

Its no use comparing on different planes..the playing ground is different. Back to my life example.. our jobs are different. As a platoon commander and as a company 2IC..(esp when its dictated where my job scope lies..) ..both of these jobs are different! As with a policeman and a soldier and a teacher and a clerk and a librarian and even the bangla worker...all of them may possibly earn the same amount of allowance but the demands are different. Even in the same race..u compete in different lanes. The only legal direct contacts u can have with the one beside u is one of visual and sound. And what affects u is all mental..u control ur mind. Who can u blame? So why compare and be miserable?!

If u had read my earliest entry..regarding the Dalai Lama and the art of being happy at work.. one shld not compare. In the end its ur choice..ur mind is in ur control ( it should be).. U choose whether or not u want to be happy at work..u choose whether or not u want to BE happy cause in EVERY situation..it ALWAYS comes to 2 choices..positive or negative. U can choose to view 3D, 2D or flat!! And don't blame others for it..to be a victim of circumstances is to be your own victim. BE strong..in the end..life is about maintaining good relations. (In the working world..its abt making use of relations!!!)

I personally believe..u will be more willing to sacrifice for a friend than person u call boss..That's how i train my men and behave with them too. As a friend..and a leader, since that post was commissioned upon u..sincerity breaks barriers. (Its proven to me with Naj too..but i wun elaboarate on that. ) Here's what i got to pen down from my thoughts..

"Friendship..the reason to sacrifice..and the key to bonds. Friends are the closest thing u have besides family.. Basically, relationships starts with bonds..of friendship or love. Its an unwritten contract of trust, respect, sacrifice and partnership. Ultimately..your loved ones..when taken away the bonds of emotions and desires..is a close friend. Friendship is the foundation of every relationship."

So here i talk about friends and realtionships as well as a point on life improvement. Hope u reflect and share my perspective. Let's summarise..its no point comparing life and work if u are unhappy abt it. Everything in life comes down to 2 choices..u choose whether to be positive or pessimistic. Friends..its about maintaining good relationships. If it doesnt appeal to u..its ok..ITS A FREE WORLD BOSS!!