F1RST!
Friday, December 24, 2010
posted by joseph at 10:00 PM
Friday, December 24, 2010
So when I was thinking through the post of holiday firsts while sitting in my hotel room, I realised that there were many other things I accomplished or experienced for the first time too, through this whole year of many significant milestones. Some might seem familiar to you, and for good reason too. I just felt that I had to search the back of my mind for some of them, which made me realise that even significant events can fade away pretty easily. Or maybe it's just my poor memory.
These go, like the previous post, in chronological order.
1. Getting my head shaved
My brother and mom mused that I seemed to look better with the really buzzcut, and short it was because I had only spent a few days in Tekong before we were allowed to book out for the Chinese New Year period. Once a guy goes almost bald, a trip downtown will suddenly see him spotting so many others with his same hairstyle walking about, something he never noticed but now can't help but realise. I still have less than a year to go before my stint is over, and I'm sure before then, I'd have many more interesting and memorable moments that I'd take with me through these two years.
**
2. Going overseas with friends (twice!)
I store my holiday photos in chronological order, and I noticed that the end tag " '10 " appears three times now in my photo cache of 40gb. KL and HK were my first two trips overseas with friends, and I must say I enjoyed both thoroughly. The slight sense of independence, coupled with great company made both memorable. Even doing the cash accounting at the end of the day gave me a slight satisfaction, I'm not sure why...
**
3. Riding an ATV/ Go-Kart
The closest I'll get to driving a vehicle until the later half of next year. Both, in particular the ATV, were pure enjoyment when the accelerator was gunned and the forward push to your body the very first time sent a tingling sensation through me. Definitely won't have the same kind of enthusiasm when I get behind the wheel for practical driving lessons...
**
4. Sailing out to sea on a warship
I believe entering the Navy redefined my interest in warships. While I had the initial interest in them even before NS, I find myself being more intrigued by foreign navies and various nitty gritty details that I'm surrounded by five days a week. Sailing on board the stealth frigate for a night was definitely a memorable one, and next year I'll have more than 10 combined weeks of sailing to contend with.
**
5. Going on board an aircraft carrier
Lifelong dream fulfilled. Now awaiting the return of the supercarrier, the USS Enterprise to Changi Naval Base. Nothing quite beats seeing so many desertized humvees, in the flesh, so many crew walking around in jumpsuits next to harrier jets, helicopters and all kinds of heavy equipment.
**
6. Participating in NDP
It's one of those things that you'd know you enjoyed and found interesting in retrospect, but would think twice about doing it over again. Marching in the contingent, with the eyes so many upon you, seeing the president and LKY in the flesh, witnessing the flyby from my unique position, everything was seriously memorable about the experience that day, as well as the 15 weekends preceding that.
**
7. Clubbing
Heh, I told myself before that I'd probably never ever do this, because I really didn't see the point to all that gyrating and loud noise. Funnily enough, I found my first experience pretty fun and quite interesting. o.o Must have been thanks to the enjoyable company, too. Sadly, no pictures, we were all pretty much busy having an interesting night, heh.
**
8. Going to the PRC (Shenzhen, then Xiamen)
First time visiting a communist country, and I'm sure that's a milestone for me. I fulfilled my interesting desire to see a Mao portrait in Xiamen, at the village in a small sundry shop where it presided over humble goods. Then there were the prominent party buildings that always looked more ornate and imposing compared to the buildings surrounding them. All in, a pretty interesting first, though the people there at times irritated me with their inability to comprehend personal space and polite behaviour.
**
9. Buying wine for myself
Having turned 18 some time back, I finally managed to buy some duty free wine after returning to Singapore from Hong Kong, after having seen my parents and older brothers do so many, many times during previous trips abroad. Of course, that's not to say that I was dying to do so ever since I turned 18, but I felt a tiny bit of me feeling liberal when I made the purchase of that expensive bottle of Inniskillin. I think I'll use it for ORD, haha!
**
10.
**
**
2. Going overseas with friends (twice!)
I store my holiday photos in chronological order, and I noticed that the end tag " '10 " appears three times now in my photo cache of 40gb. KL and HK were my first two trips overseas with friends, and I must say I enjoyed both thoroughly. The slight sense of independence, coupled with great company made both memorable. Even doing the cash accounting at the end of the day gave me a slight satisfaction, I'm not sure why...
**
3. Riding an ATV/ Go-Kart
The closest I'll get to driving a vehicle until the later half of next year. Both, in particular the ATV, were pure enjoyment when the accelerator was gunned and the forward push to your body the very first time sent a tingling sensation through me. Definitely won't have the same kind of enthusiasm when I get behind the wheel for practical driving lessons...
**
4. Sailing out to sea on a warship
I believe entering the Navy redefined my interest in warships. While I had the initial interest in them even before NS, I find myself being more intrigued by foreign navies and various nitty gritty details that I'm surrounded by five days a week. Sailing on board the stealth frigate for a night was definitely a memorable one, and next year I'll have more than 10 combined weeks of sailing to contend with.
**
5. Going on board an aircraft carrier
Lifelong dream fulfilled. Now awaiting the return of the supercarrier, the USS Enterprise to Changi Naval Base. Nothing quite beats seeing so many desertized humvees, in the flesh, so many crew walking around in jumpsuits next to harrier jets, helicopters and all kinds of heavy equipment.
**
6. Participating in NDP
It's one of those things that you'd know you enjoyed and found interesting in retrospect, but would think twice about doing it over again. Marching in the contingent, with the eyes so many upon you, seeing the president and LKY in the flesh, witnessing the flyby from my unique position, everything was seriously memorable about the experience that day, as well as the 15 weekends preceding that.
**
7. Clubbing
Heh, I told myself before that I'd probably never ever do this, because I really didn't see the point to all that gyrating and loud noise. Funnily enough, I found my first experience pretty fun and quite interesting. o.o Must have been thanks to the enjoyable company, too. Sadly, no pictures, we were all pretty much busy having an interesting night, heh.
**
8. Going to the PRC (Shenzhen, then Xiamen)
First time visiting a communist country, and I'm sure that's a milestone for me. I fulfilled my interesting desire to see a Mao portrait in Xiamen, at the village in a small sundry shop where it presided over humble goods. Then there were the prominent party buildings that always looked more ornate and imposing compared to the buildings surrounding them. All in, a pretty interesting first, though the people there at times irritated me with their inability to comprehend personal space and polite behaviour.
**
9. Buying wine for myself
Having turned 18 some time back, I finally managed to buy some duty free wine after returning to Singapore from Hong Kong, after having seen my parents and older brothers do so many, many times during previous trips abroad. Of course, that's not to say that I was dying to do so ever since I turned 18, but I felt a tiny bit of me feeling liberal when I made the purchase of that expensive bottle of Inniskillin. I think I'll use it for ORD, haha!
**
10.
**
Labels: bmt, holidays, interesting, NDP, nostalgia, thoughts
posted by joseph at 10:00 PM