SG Secrets

Read of this community in the papers a while ago...

http://community.livejournal.com/sgsecrets

A place where people can just anonymously send their secrets in to. Well it seems most of them are about relationship issues... or friendship issues... others are about self esteem issues. Goes to show that you never know, out of so many people whom you see in the streets everyday, each one of them has their own set of challenges and problems. I have mine too.

But each and every one of us is unique, and it pains me to know that there are those who would destroy that uniqueness by committing suicide... Suicide is never a solution to any problem, it leaves behind a trail of unresolved issues and will also hurt the people closest to you...

The lyrics of these two songs carried me through the dark valleys of my life... and it is my prayer that it will carry someone else through as well. I apologise for those who are not Christian but anyway... see life from a bigger picture and know that there is a higher power up there who is in control, whether we know Him as God or some other name.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone,
Because I know, I know He holds the future
and life is worth the living just because He lives.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.

Living Full Indeed

Have not had the time to update in a long while as I was busy with various stuff such as:
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8th Certified Hypnotherapist Course

This was a 10 day course which Dad recommended to me in the hope that I would learn something useful. The course introduced to us hypnosis as an accepted modality in psychology, which when used in a therapeutic setting can help clients overcome a wide range of problems.

I must say that this was a great experience learning the skill of hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis, and more importantly how it can be used to help others.

More information on hypnosis and hypnotherapy can be found here.

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Leadership and Mentoring Skills Course

This was, like one of my friends put it 'back to the days of going to and fro HTA'. It was the one which i took up the challenge to take one of the lectures. And it was indeed a confidence boosting experience, hearing the positive feedback from my fellow officers and even cadets.

The end of the course was an anticlimax really... but the main thing is that we have imparted useful skills to the cadets. Skills which they will not only be able to apply in their main CCA, but in their life in future.
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Saturday

My colleagues in The Organisation conducted an interview for the upcoming Sec 3s. It's only now that I appreciate what we are doing in LMSC by imparting the skills to the Sec 3 cadets. No such thing in The Organisation, I really wonder what they are teaching the cadets during Advance NCO course nowadays... Because a lot of them are still stuck in their comfort zone and do not wish to take up Heads of committees, telling us that they are not confident, et cetera.

I hope my juniors will really step out of their comfort zone and not just follow the rest of the crowd. No doubt you always have the right to say 'No' and we respect that. However, our challenge to you is to take up the challenge and take up Heads of committees and other leadership positions. Do not say 'No' just because you will be working with teachers that you 'do not like', because in the working world or even in JC/Poly there will be lots of people who you not necessarily see eye to eye with... but have to work with them nevertheless. This is no doubt a good training ground. Screw up in CCA and at most you get a scolding, screw up in your actual workplace and the consequences can be much more severe...

This is where I really hate the Asian mentality of just going along with the flow and not bucking the trend... See my older post on this issue here...

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One of my colleagues is leaving The Organisation after 19 sterling years of service. It is sad to see him go, but happy for him that he has made his stand clear and is not allowing others to push him around. It is sad, however, that 'upstairs' has not gotten the message...

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I have got to know that one of my acquaintances from secondary school had passed away a few years ago... may he rest in peace.

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I've put on weight these days and found that I had to loosen my belt by one notch... but it's a good thing since I am considered borderline underweight...

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I alluded to the book on the subconscious mind given by Dad for my birthday and wow, it indeed blows me away. The subconscious mind is indeed a very powerful tool for change and re affirms the truth of the Bible verse: "So as a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

Live Full and Laugh More

Sunday

Celebrated my birthday with dad and a few of his friends. We went to the Gun Club at Rifle Range Road and had fun shooting clay pigeons. Though one thing I must admit is that technique for firing shotguns is totally different than that for M16 or .38. I don't think I scored any whereas Dad scored three out of 26, not bad for a 1st timer...

After that we went to IndoChine, a restaurant along the Singapore River for dinner and birthday celebration.. The food was good, but the company was even better... and the server was pretty jovial as well.

Sorry readers no pictures, did not bring my camera though dad did take a picture of me blowing the candle on my birthday cake :P

Dad gave me an interesting book on the subconscious mind, promises to be an interesting read...

Monday

I went to SANA House to help with the SANA Anti Drug and Inhalant Abuse Badge Scheme courses. For those not in the know, SANA runs this programme for the 9 uniformed groups in Singapore to spread awareness of drug abuse and anti-drug messages to the youth in Singapore. They work with the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and a pool of volunteer course instructors (of which I am one) on this.

It is a fulfilling experience helping keep the youth off drugs. My hope is only that the youth will not just be motivated by the badge alone but learn the real message behind all these. The teenage years are an impressionable time where peer pressure is strong. Hopefully, they will not merely be deterred by the punishments (they did show a video of how an actual caning is conducted) but KNOW that even though it may seem to be 'cool' to engage in vices like drugs, alcohol and sex, it serves to destroy their lives (and their family members's lives) in the long run.

Tuesday

Morning was speech day rehearsal. Now, as to how I got involved in the first place... my unit is pretty short of manpower as the other volunteers are busy with their own committments. But things went smoothly, and we were fortunate to have external help. Now i hope it continues to go smoothly for the other trainings, especially where I cannot make it due to my CH course.

Went for LMSC IPC in the afternoon. Now, this LMSC (Leadership and Mentoring Skills Course) is part of the NCOs training package conducted by The Other Organisation. They needed a lecturer for one of the modules, though and after some hesitation I decided to step out of my comfort zone and take this up.

Wednesday

I received a note that my promotion has been finalised. On to a set of new challenges. No more shall I duck challenges for fear of failure. I'm proud that I took up the challenge to conduct one of the lectures for LMSC.

I am confident. I am sure of myself. I expect a good outcome. Everything I do is blessed. I am grateful to God for the infinite potential He has placed in me, and I am equal to all challenges.

The upcoming semester will be the most challenging one yet. Not only will I have to restrategise AGAIN for my studies, I will also have the added responsibility of being a member of the JCRC. But I chose to take up the challenge and I am equal to it.

For those who wonder where the title of this post came from, it was actually the server's birthday greeting to me on Sunday. And I feel that is one of the keys to being happy and satisfied with life. Well, not satisfied as in complacent but satisfied as in, content with what we have, but yet working hard to achieve better standards. Not sure if you all know what I mean but anyway...

I'll have a 10 days Certified Hypnotherapist course starting tomorrow. It is going to be an interesting, challenging yet fulfiling course and I am looking forward to every bit of it.

NS What-if

What-if...

I was combat fit and went through enhanced BMT.

I will never know... would I be a specialist or an officer instead of
just a CPL?

Results

Got back my results. Suffice it to say that i didn't do *fantastically* well but on the bright side i didn't screw up as badly as i feared. it's somewhat like my 1st sem results, but slightly worse.

Corporal First Class rank

I discovered yesterday that the SAF has introduced the rank of Corporal First Class. It's supposed to be for deserving Corporals who are unable to be promoted to 3SG due to estab requirements.

All I can say is why didn't they introduce this rank earlier? I wonder if I would have been able to be one... I was kind of disenchanted with the system whereby an NSF with A level/Diplomas would be promoted to CPL irrespective of his performance. Granted, with better performance he will get the CPL rank earlier, but the end state is that everyone ORDs as CPL (if the estab does not permit them to hold 3SG).

And plus, I hear the pay for a CFC is $500... (green eyes)...

Wonder if I can still become one! CFC(NS)? Based on my 'Very Good' COS... But then again, if that means being given a key appointment and having to come back more often i rather not...

Stained Glass Masquerade

Is there anyone that fails

Is there anyone that falls

Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around

Everybody seems so strong

I know they'll soon discover

That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay

If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too

So with a painted grin, I play the part again

So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people

Under shiny plastic steeples

With walls around our weakness

And smiles to hide our pain

But if the invitation's open

To every heart that has been broken

Maybe then we close the curtain

On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there

Are there any hands to raise

Am I the only one who's traded

In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing

And we know every line by heart

Only when no one is watching

Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free

If I dared to let you see

The truth behind the person

That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open

Or would you walk away

Would the love of Jesus

Be enough to make you stay

200th post...

Just taking some time to blog about my life since the last post a week ago..

Most of my friends are on internship now while I'm helping out at my relative's company on an ad hoc basis (not engineering related, sadly, so can't claim VIP for that :D) while also helping out at the Staff Club.. as one of the executives is on leave. Anyway, the job is pretty routine - helping with data entry and compiling a database - more like freelance, really, than 8-5. Helping out with SANA, again, but only for a couple of days. Well, at least I'm able to contribute to teach young people not to take drugs. So this holiday (June) will be pretty packed for me. July will be a different story but will cross the bridge when it comes to it...

Attending a workshop by Stuart Tan (Adam Khoo's associate) on Internet Marketing together with my friend this Sunday, the one i talked about in the previous post. He has a website for his own business, so does my relative, both of us are cracking our heads on how to increase traffic to our websites.

To all the mothers out there: Happy Mother's Day!

Last day in hall

Right now most of my stuff has already been shifted back home and here I am, on the last night of my hall stay in AY 06/07 in my hostel room.

Bittersweet feelings if you ask me... I have a challenging holiday of part time work, courses and community service ahead of me which is sure to broaden my experience during these three months. I lived on the top floor of Raffles Hall and at first did not relish the thought of having to climb 4 1/2 flights of stairs to get to my room... but the view is terrific I must say. And as much as I would like to get back the same room, that will really depend on whether anyone else eyes this group of split level rooms.

I had a conversation with one of my friends recently, he bucked the trend by the fact that although he graduated with a pass degree in civil engineering, he's already been promoted once and is being considered for another promotion (with an increase in salary that will bring him above that of a good honours holder). How many 2nd upper holders can get 2 promotions in a year? He's a live example of the fact that a good honours, or honours for that matter is not really the matter - working attitude and competence are what matters.

Of course I will still try my best to get at least a 2nd lower.. i will know on the 26th how close (or how far) I am to that aim.. :P

Some trivia: I reclaimed my Pink IC 2 years ago today.... 12 hours to the exact time.

exams are over

Finally... exams are over... Now what to do during the 3 mth break?

1. Restart my long overdue exercise plan.. my sequence of running, swimming and frisbee during Sem 1 kind of died a natural death... and the swimming pool renovation didn't help that at all.
2. Take some of the Learning Portal courses on IVLE... it's a gold mine of info there...
3. Read the books which have been languishing in my library untouched...
4. Sell those which I have no further practical use for (at Bras Basah Complex)

This month I have not been too uptight (read: more relaxed) about my studies so far... and only time will tell whether this approach has worked.

But for now, it's the holidays! time to hang loose and enjoy it while it lasts... before i plunge into the 2nd half of my education in NUS.

4 sems under my belt, 4 sems more to go.