CIMIC

From left: Me, Richard, Benjamin, Joshua

Jump Shots In Taupo!

There was nothing much to do in Lake Taupo. Hence.

Back From The Land Of The Long White Cloud

Back from New Zealand. Was there for 12 days reservist training. All in all was a very good trip.

We were based in Waiouru camp, about 400km south of Auckland in the North Island. Was very cold, daily temperature hovered between 1deg and 6degs. Everywhere we go could see our own breath.

The first few days of the exercise was quite xiong but then once the games began it got much better. We had pretty good bunks and amenities too. Think the New Zealanders really tried to take care of us as best they could. We had a nice bed, comforter, heater had no problems. Only issue was our room key which spoilt and there was no replacement, meaning we literally left our room unlocked for almost 8 days while in camp!

We even went to Lake Taupo for a Sunday day off even though there was hardly anything to do there.

We had alot of free time to do alot of things like reading books, writing a short journal, and catching up with each other's lives. I shared a bunk with Richard, Joshua and Ben, all great roommates (no snorers). Managed to cover The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer.

Oh, and I spent my 31st birthday in camp as well. How sad right? But then also nice of the brigade to celebrate the birthdays of the July babies (there were only 3 of us) during on r&r dinner on the last day of the trip lah.

I think we were quite lucky to be given the opportunity to go in the first place given that we were reservists, but we made the most of it and made a very good impression with the Kiwis. So good on everyone. And that we spent alot of time in the resident pub of the camp, the Garrison Bar, for alot of nights meant that we made alot of friends there :) Beers were so cheap they were at $2.50 a bottle!

The one thing I really couldn't stand was the constant potato diet! Everyday I ate potatoes! I mean like it, but to have it every single day for every meal? And the sausages were a constant for every meal too aiyoh.

In Auckland we all had a nice dinner, then most of us crammed into a naughty strip bar followed by the casino (lost $200). How's that for a fun itinary.

Its funny that for 3 weeks a year we meet up and even though its sucha short period of interaction, still it feels as though some of us have known each other for ages. Maybe that is exactly what we want to defend in Singapore?

Ok getting ready to go back for work on Monday liaoz. There's golf tomorrow!

Inception

Brilliant movie. Will probably watch it once more.

My final theory for the movie end after reading some spoiler sites is as such: The ending isn't reality as Cobb's totem was still spinning infinitely. Cobb died in a level 4 dream and Saito died in a level 3 dream (of his injuries) hence without a kick, they are stuck in limbo, where Cobb finds Saito after so long (the replayed scene similar to the start of the movie). They both then create level 5 where Cobb finds his happy ending where he gets to see the faces of his children.

I would like to know what happens in reality where Cobb and Saito fail to wake up. Would that even be real in the first place? Haiz.

End of story.

Now I need an extraction job done...

For The Happiness Of All, One Must Fall

I learnt this phrase during my first week of in-camp last week.

There's alot of truth in the fact that usually one person has to sacrifice in order for the rest in the group to have things easy or easier. And the same applies in our civilian lives too. If I don't help to get something done properly, then everyone might suffer. In civilised group dynamics, this self-sacrificial spirit actually helps cohesion and togetherness.

But in the army, it's been twisted towards meaning the sacrifice of one scapegoat. One must take the blame. One must die. One must carry the shitbag. Haha. Its definitely more hilarious than it sounds! It's become a sabo-someone-else-or-get-saboed.

Off to New Zealand tomorrow where it is 4 deg in the mornings!

Flying To The Moon

So Spain won the world cup.

Flying off to New Zealand on Sunday. Will be there for 2 weeks on a bilateral exercise. Hope it won't be too boring over there.

Just watched Despicable Me. Pretty nice and cute animations though the storyline's a little weak imho.

Oh and did I mention that I've been nominated as one of my unit's NSmen of the year?

Holland Or Spain?

The World Cup finals tonight. My money goes to the Dutch. Lets hope they make me some money.

Was at Tering Bay, Batam yesterday for Texas scramble golf. 3 flights of golfers - Lasse/Nick/Sophia, Eugene/Maple/Terence, myself/Youlong/Edmund. Even though I thought we played quite well, we still ended up losing by one stroke. Final scores, 82, 88, 89 (us). It was a more even team split than we thought nonetheless.

Reservist tomorrow. Gotta be at Jurong Camp tomorrow. Overnght. Xianz.

ParentCraft lesson today went through breast-feeding.

PAMmers lunch today courtesy of Tony at Paulaners. Funny that as a manager, when you spend time with the account managers, the topics and conversations range from babies, family to property. When you spend time with the sales guys, the topics and conversations range from alcohol, partying to investments. What a funny diversification. No surprises about which one makes me feel younger though.

:)

Germany 4 Argentina 0

Who would have thought. And the score isn't even flattering for Germany. They really could've scored several more. Argentina was just shite. Messi was shite. Maradona was already planning on how to look sad, and no one played defence. Plus I wasted money on them. Sigh.

A scoreline so embarassing that I had to blog about it.

Now for the last semi-final spot between Spain and Paraguay.

Little Tikes Horsie

Seriously isn't this cute or what?

Courtesy of a nice colleague.

Holland and Uruguay are through to the semis. Wow.