Sunday, June 13, 2004
--- I ---
Panic this morning.
Since last night I have not been able to locate my jockey cap, which is especially important for reporting to camp tomorrow - all SAF personnel must have headgear at all times outside (except while sitting down indoors or in public transport).
And so the whole family is roped in for the search and recovery operation. Every possible nook and cranny in my bedroom is searched. The other rooms are left untouched because no army items have ever found their way there before.
Mother wonders if the cap has dropped off the pole and down to the ground floor without our knowledge, but the cap has never been re-washed. Furthermore Mother recalls that she placed the cap inside the red bin in my room where I store all my army items during this block leave.
The wardrobe is virtually ransacked. My bed is now cluttered with army apparel. Lining on the floor against one corner of the wall are the larger items such as the webbing, field pack and helmet, not to mention the Ali Baba bag.
Still no sign of the cap.
At this juncture I hear loud laughing coming from the kitchen. My father is guffawing heartily. He comes into the room holding the box that once contained the Creative speakers when we first bought it. He opens it, and - lo and behold, my cap is inside, together with my gloves (which I have forgotten about) and my underwear and socks.
No wonder I seem to be lacking in underwear day by day; the stock never replenishes.
--- II ---
Sometimes I just wish my parents won't interfere with whatever I do, don't give any advice, don't give any suggestions. Just let me do what I want to do.
I keep getting an explosion of ideas such that it becomes so pressurising; I feel I am not allowed, and I cannot, think independently.
First in case is regarding my future vocation in NS. I've been posted to Armour HQ, but my parents still think that I can get a chance with the MDC, especially since I've composed so much and have quite a large and varied portfolio behind me. They try to ask me to appeal and send in my works to see if I can get a transfer. I really doubt so. It's going to be a tedious process. If I wanted to do this I should have done it earlier.
My parents say I should fight for what I want, or I will not get it. Okay, I believe in that, but I think this fighting is going to get me no where. SAF will definitely tell me to stay put. And furthermore, I don't really believe that MDC just hires a composer to only create music for the rest of his NS. Even people like Kenny Khoo is involved in the choir, and occasionally doubles up as an arranger.
I'd rather suffer than bring about further trouble upon myself that I never ask for. I don't want people chiding me that I'm wasting my time, that it's not allowed, I should just shut up and go back to my original vocation.
And just let me carry my duffel bag and my field pack and whatever heavy shit when I go and report to the Chief Clerk at my new unit. I don't care if the paper tells me not to bring anything but the guy on the phone line tells me to bring everything… call me scared and timid but that's the way I'd rather be. Again I don't want any unnecessary trouble; I don't want to be seen as a parents' boy by telling them, "Okay, please permit me to go to my father's car to collect my duffel bag." Or give my new superiors a chance to swipe at me: "Where's your duffel bag? Chee bai, you put in your father's car for what? You sissy arh?"
During dinner they were telling me to sign up as a musician in the army, with the hope that the SAF will sponsor my studies at the Conservatory. I'm not sure if they really do such a thing, especially with a lowly musician. I know they send their future top brass to study, but for a musician? Nah. Anyway my parents told me to check it out. I'm not going to; honestly I don't look forward to a military career where I have to put on a uniform every single day for three times the duration of NS. ¶ 6/13/2004 06:00:00 pm
Panic this morning.
Since last night I have not been able to locate my jockey cap, which is especially important for reporting to camp tomorrow - all SAF personnel must have headgear at all times outside (except while sitting down indoors or in public transport).
And so the whole family is roped in for the search and recovery operation. Every possible nook and cranny in my bedroom is searched. The other rooms are left untouched because no army items have ever found their way there before.
Mother wonders if the cap has dropped off the pole and down to the ground floor without our knowledge, but the cap has never been re-washed. Furthermore Mother recalls that she placed the cap inside the red bin in my room where I store all my army items during this block leave.
The wardrobe is virtually ransacked. My bed is now cluttered with army apparel. Lining on the floor against one corner of the wall are the larger items such as the webbing, field pack and helmet, not to mention the Ali Baba bag.
Still no sign of the cap.
At this juncture I hear loud laughing coming from the kitchen. My father is guffawing heartily. He comes into the room holding the box that once contained the Creative speakers when we first bought it. He opens it, and - lo and behold, my cap is inside, together with my gloves (which I have forgotten about) and my underwear and socks.
No wonder I seem to be lacking in underwear day by day; the stock never replenishes.
--- II ---
Sometimes I just wish my parents won't interfere with whatever I do, don't give any advice, don't give any suggestions. Just let me do what I want to do.
I keep getting an explosion of ideas such that it becomes so pressurising; I feel I am not allowed, and I cannot, think independently.
First in case is regarding my future vocation in NS. I've been posted to Armour HQ, but my parents still think that I can get a chance with the MDC, especially since I've composed so much and have quite a large and varied portfolio behind me. They try to ask me to appeal and send in my works to see if I can get a transfer. I really doubt so. It's going to be a tedious process. If I wanted to do this I should have done it earlier.
My parents say I should fight for what I want, or I will not get it. Okay, I believe in that, but I think this fighting is going to get me no where. SAF will definitely tell me to stay put. And furthermore, I don't really believe that MDC just hires a composer to only create music for the rest of his NS. Even people like Kenny Khoo is involved in the choir, and occasionally doubles up as an arranger.
I'd rather suffer than bring about further trouble upon myself that I never ask for. I don't want people chiding me that I'm wasting my time, that it's not allowed, I should just shut up and go back to my original vocation.
And just let me carry my duffel bag and my field pack and whatever heavy shit when I go and report to the Chief Clerk at my new unit. I don't care if the paper tells me not to bring anything but the guy on the phone line tells me to bring everything… call me scared and timid but that's the way I'd rather be. Again I don't want any unnecessary trouble; I don't want to be seen as a parents' boy by telling them, "Okay, please permit me to go to my father's car to collect my duffel bag." Or give my new superiors a chance to swipe at me: "Where's your duffel bag? Chee bai, you put in your father's car for what? You sissy arh?"
During dinner they were telling me to sign up as a musician in the army, with the hope that the SAF will sponsor my studies at the Conservatory. I'm not sure if they really do such a thing, especially with a lowly musician. I know they send their future top brass to study, but for a musician? Nah. Anyway my parents told me to check it out. I'm not going to; honestly I don't look forward to a military career where I have to put on a uniform every single day for three times the duration of NS. ¶ 6/13/2004 06:00:00 pm
