又是新年

Sunday, January 29, 2006

大年初一

你在哪里

那曾经

带着两粒柑向长辈说声恭喜

满脸笑容的

你

同样的一天

隔了几年

午餐吃的泡面

特别有感觉

唯一没有留恋

付不起的奢侈品是思念

电视上播放善男信女强插第一炷香的片断

很厌倦

枕头下的压岁钱

依旧原封不动

Envoy of the Stars @ 8:25 PM
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Friends and farewell

Sunday, January 22, 2006

These two things don't make a good combination. But the bottomline is friends are meant to come and go. At least some are. Those who happen to stay just happen to take the same course in life as you. I guess we all serve a purpose. The purpose of life.

I met good people in camp. We gel through a different way, through tough training, through short but valuable party sessions during free time (usually with a time approximation of 10 min each day), through cursing and swearing (the frequency is so high and it is so necessary in there) and through looking out for each others behind, literally. How long this friendship will last I don't know, cos it has just started.

And just when you get introduced to new people in your life, some others whom you have known would have to leave it. Jing's flying off to Shang hai this tues. It's not really a matter of melancholy, I am really happy for her. But I guess it's a parting that made me realise how dear A12 is to me. I guess I will be in tekong as her plane flies above us.

Friends do come along with an "end", but farewell comes in the hope that they will fare well in whatever they do, wherever they are.

Envoy of the Stars @ 12:41 AM
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Hari Raya

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

After five days of tekong chalet (and much more to come), civilisation suddenly seems so distant but so dear to our hearts. I must confess it's super lucky that Haji falls on the fifth day of enlistment, so we were given a break. However short the duration may be, it sure came timely. I am not kidding when I say I really smell the freshness of the air on mainland. Army, or rather BMT camp is a very interesting place. People from all walks of life, all sorts of strange thoughts and habits with a common knack for using the f-word. For those not used to that, count yourself lucky if you are not a guy, cos in the army, such "verbal abuse" is not common, it's overflowing.

About 2 hours plus of time left before returning to the island, that community, that environment, that militaristic world.

Au revoir, for now.

Envoy of the Stars @ 6:09 PM
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Of Recruits, Misters and Misses

Sunday, January 01, 2006

People I know have lately experienced a change in their status. Well, most of them, at least. Some of the girls who found part-time jobs in the areas of sales or office administration; some started taking classes either in tuition centres or schools, gladly looking forward to hearing the chorus of "Good morning/afternoon Miss fill-in-the-blank-yourself" or just contentedly accepting the newly reaffirmed status of "Miss" that has taken on a more distinctive meaning.

I know one or two guys working because they are only visiting Tekong chalet in march. Of course, they retain their acknowledgement as "Mister". Now for those of you who feel it's no big deal, just keep it to yourselves. Guess it's pointless to say "please think again", because ultimately, you won't know what you are in for until you have experienced it. In a way it's like the Island paradise in the movie "The island" starring Ewan Mcgregor and Scarlett Johannson. For those who have watched this show, you know those poor clones were being deluded into thinking the island is some sort of paradise but in reality, those who are awarded the chance to be transported there are really answering a death call. While the trip to Tekong chalet might not be identical or even close to the "the island", I guess theres one similarity: that the guys are going to have to head for "The Island" sooner or later. And there we will have to leave our identities as "Mister" behind and accept the new title placed in front of our names: Recruit. Yes the lowest lifeform on earth.

And so I took another look at my pink IC...

Envoy of the Stars @ 11:32 PM
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