beyond defending Singapore
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Life in NS sure is passing by fast, just like everything else seen in retrospect. And in retrospect, one year and ten months seems like slightly too short a stint to qualify for a defining moment in the life of a teenager. Perhaps it's because my life in the Navy hasn't been about rushing across grassy knolls at an enemy in green fatigues, day in and day out.
Regardless, this post isn't another look back at my NS journey so far, but rather one about the journey ahead. Specifically, what I've been thinking of doing once the 5th of December rolls around. Time has been passing quite fast, and with two long sailings, it will soon be a mere half a year left to that significant date. It's more or less a good eight months I have till the August of 2012, assuming all's fine in the world. And if it is indeed so, I want to make good use of the only extended (extended is a mild way to look at more than half a year) hiatus I will be getting in my life for a long time to come. So here's a list of things on my mind.
1.
Attending a professional art and design course.
For many years, I've browsed through pamphlets from institutes like Digipen and ESDA, feeling an interest to join one of their many courses in design. I now also don't rule out those in photography; anything that I believe can help bring my creative side to a greater level. One that perhaps one day, might be utilized for freelancing. With these courses spanning many weeks, it's never really been my ability to join them, or fork out the dough for them,so this hiatus will be a good opportunity to try out just that.
2.
Getting a job.
Of course, this comes as no surprise. But I'm not in it for the money, it's the experience that I want. And I don't mean the kind that I can use in a testimonial or resume, I simply mean the personal experience. That's why I don't want any desk-bound job, I fear anyway that I might be doing that for many years of my life to come, whether or not I will come to be thankful for that.
I want something service-based, something that lets me interact with customers face to face, or at least one that has a decent level of interaction. Having heard of many stories from service staff hell, I've always found it interesting to be in their shoes. Not that I have a hunger for some drama or a good bitching from others, just that for some reason, I'd like to experience the a wide gamut of possible interactions with others to satisfy personal curiosity. I would probably shy away from waiting, though. The last time I tried it out, I found it to be quite droll. Tuition wouldn't be out of the question, though.
3.
Going on at least two vacations.
The qualifier of 'at least two' can be reasoned by the fact that I've long been having yearnings to go on more than one type of holiday. One is the kind that I'm sure I must have told you once before, where we rent a villa on stilts in some island or beach with crystal clear waters and white, clean sandy beaches. Where the agenda of the day is that there's no agenda of the day, it could be anything from windsurfing to staying in and playing monopoly deal.
The other is another visit to a place less resembling the tropics, and places like Japan, the US and Europe come to mind. I don't need it to be a long vacation, just long enough to love a good chill in the overseas weather again. Exploring places rather than going around shopping has always been something I've preferred, and in the trip I'd love a good many photo opportunities. The other day in the newspapers, I read an article on
Karlskrona, a Swedish port town now declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With it's heavy emphasis on the naval roots of the town, and the picturesque port developments that have been preserved and protected over many years, I felt that was too a place that I could consider. Then there's still Fukuoka in Japan, and perhaps New York or something...
***
I think come the 6th of Feb, I should go do something to celebrate my one year anniversary. It will also be the month where Joel's pay will not differ from mine by more than 300, so that's cause to celebrate, too. Heh.
Labels: design, holidays, NS, thoughts
posted by joseph at 7:26 AM