After 1st wk Driving Course

Some achievements: full marks for Highway code test; passed driving assessment with 16 demerit points. It's important to keep note of this small milestones, in order to keep morale high as the course gets increasingly difficult..

I try not to be on cloud nine just because I had a perfect score. True, it's been a very long time since I had done so well in a test, but that was honestly an easy test; I shouldn't be so easily satisfied. After all, the ultimate aim is to get a civilian license, not the PDL.

Meanwhile, in the 'Sea' arm of the SAF, they just had a commissioning dinner last night. Amazingly, one female friend of mine got invited, apparently because one of the Navy scholars happened to invite her. And guess what? They'd be sitting at the VIP table with the Chief of Navy! I heard about this on the same day as I got my test result. Being tired and bored that night in camp (Really?? Think so...), this piece of news regenerated my mind and forced me to look at my life in perspective.

Here in Sembawang, course-mates were all smiles about acing their first theory test. I have all the reasons to celebrate too. But am I only capable of performing well at this kind of standard? Yes, people always say, "Hey, you're a smart guy with 3As under your belt!" True, I worked hard for it. Meticulously. How many 3As holders are there? I'm an ordinary guy, too.

I am someone who watches Gundam and surf the Net on weekends. I don't have the money to enrol in any overseas institutions. I have to strive and put in 110% in everything I do, in order to excel; people with talent only need 90%. I don't have the courage to enrol in any course. Not to mention sitting next to VIP.

No, I'm only a layman. It's normal to have to persevere through adversity to get what my loved and I want and need. I'm lucky to be healthy enough to have the strength to mount a challenge. Many do not.

So what if I can't give u fame? Simplicity is a virtue by itself. Something that is easily overshadowed by greed nowadays. While it's necessary to aim higher than intended, one must always be fully aware and unmistakably clear about what constitutes the point of satisfaction.

SAF Driving Course!

First post for 2005!

Alright, after much delay, i'm finally going for SAF driving course! The ultimate objective of course, is to earn a Class 3 civilian license. Not forgetting the joy of driving without the need to pay for petrol, parking coupons, COE and maintenance fees! But after all, nothing comes for free in this world, and this is no exception.

Based on info given by seniors, people posted to Driver course are usually fresh from BMT and lack discipline and manners. Instructors there are therefore harsh and criticise freely. Imagine being thrown with vulgarities for 3h, just you and him. Living conditions at Sembawang Camp are also not known to be satisfactory. More importantly, it's a 5.5 day week course! To pass the Driving test, there are only 3 chances given, a drop from 7 chances. Recourse means having to return to Sembawang in June after Spec II course. Too troublesome. Lastly, only upon clocking 7000 km will a civilian license be issued. This means that I'll have to use my remaining NS time to achieve this ultimate aim.

On another note, some friends have been reminiscing about how we've been in contact for so long, you know, people from different backgrounds and interests, and such. I've been through this stage before too, just recently actually. And what did i do? I initiated contact with my old friends and tried to consolidate my current friendships. Thoughts not acted upon remains in ou minds; actions initiated help to realise your dreams. And it's not been easy. Which is why people can only have so many good friends, i guess. Time factor. Perhaps laziness too.

Yet numbers don't count for much. Friends for 10, 20 years? Length of friendship is perhaps the most basic aim to achieve, but something i'm beginning to realise is, what have we been doing throughout these years? For example, i may have known you for 10 years, but i might still not know your character well enough. I mean, it's best that friendships continue to develop as advanced as possible, and not to just remain stagnant, or even fall behind.

What often bothers me is the balance between work and social life. Maintaining a focus on acing my driving course, and at the same time, work towards better family & social relations. Which is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life? =P Fine, i've got to learn to deal with that...