I finally resisted the urge to play my games and type this. I had a good birthday on Wednesday right? 21st..yes. My course mates treated me to Canadian pizza! Although I had a very bad cough, I had to oblige by eating! Not really my fault. Haha! What happened after that was something like a normal procedure. They tried to catch me and do something funny. Not funny to me though. Being the smart me, of course I anticipated that! So I was ready when they jumped! I went on all fours under my bed. It is a safe place but I knew I was trapped. And I don't intend to sleep there. So being the kind me again, I surrendered. No no, not so easy. They smeared muscle rub all over me. Almost a whole new tube. But I gave it back to them in the form of reused muscle rub. What they put on me, I put it onto the nearest legs I could find. Not to mention the marker pen I snatched from them to start my graffiti work on their arms and legs. All's square! The end product: An extremely hot sensation all over my body and a towel with muscle rub on it. It was quite amusing. So that's my birthday celebration. Got to make do with the limited resources available. But I was really touched(not physically) by their intentions. Had a great night!

On the night before my birthday, the Air Defence Artillery(ADA) wing of the Air Force held its 25th anniversary dinner at Paramount Hotel. Just opposite Parkway. For $50 the food was not enough, though the quality was good but the entertainment was good. Lots of laughter and sexy dances. Can't believe my eyes initially. Apparently, such dances are very common during functions. It was an expensive night, including the cab fare.

X'mas! I spent the first few hours of X'mas wrapping presents. Yes Si yun, thank you for reminding me the meaning behind wrapping. It is the excitement and joy of tearing away the wrapping paper to see what is underneath. I am more practical, so I didn't realise. Spending X'mas is Singapore is nothing special. It feels like any other day. My greatest X'mas wish is to spend this special day in Europe, in the best hotel surrounded by beautiful streets decorated with lights, snow falling and lots of people buying presents, carrying it around and groups of kids singing X'mas carols. My first contact with an ideal X'mas setting came in the form of Home Alone 2. The atmosphere is great and of course! What is X'mas without snow? Never mind, one day I will be there to experience it all.

Buying presents requires alot of effort. First, I tried to recall if they ever mentioned anything they need. If negative, I thought of the person's personality and tried to associate it with a gift category. Then I had to walk all over to look for potential items. I had to make sure it was practical and useful. I don't like people to give me things I don't use and I am sure they wouldn't like it either. The price isn't a great issue. So long as it is perfect, it is worth it. Of course, the price has to be reasonable. Even as I spend, I don't fell the pinch, in fact I felt happier than before I took out my wallet. For my present to myself, I bought a backpack. Not cheap, but it will last. Strange that I am buying a present for myself? Well, it just coincided. Nothing much, so I might as well make it as though it is a present for myself.

I am looking forward to the New Year. I am sure it would have a better atmosphere than X'mas. More activities and fun! Typical in Singapore. Another week to go.
*sigh* I am already 19. My face says I am 16. My body says I am 17. My heart says I am 15. So who should I believe?

It's my birthday! But I have no time to type anything long here. Just want to say thank you to all who have took the effort to send a wonderful "Happy Birthday" sms early in the morning. Thank you! Off to camp again!

Life is different now. Living conditions in Air Force School is almost like that of a chalet. Besides the boring lectures, tests(yes, tests, my gosh!) and arm-breaking chin-up-cum push up regimes, life is blissful. That is because we are still in the basic phase of training. I wonder how training would be like in future.

I have more time to think about myself now. I have more free time. Well, that's because we have a nights out on Wed and book out on Friday evening. Suddenly, I feel like the old me. X'mas is coming. I have to get presents for the people around me. Problem is I don't know where to start. I have a tight budget and the things I want to buy are expensive. But that's the challenge and joy about X'mas. Pleasing everyone with what little money I have. Actually, I don't mind spending all my money but my mother wouldn't be happy. As she always says, 'must save up for your social life in uni". What she doesn't know is that no matter how much I save, it wouldn't be enough. I really can't wait for the next week to be over. Then, it will be my birthday and X'mas. Oh how I love it!

This weekend, my family is out holidaying in Thailand. Poor me, stuck here. This time last year, I was having the time of my life. Going overseas twice in a fortnight. In a flash, it is one year later, with me typing this pathetic blog. This time next year, I wonder what will I be doing. By that time, I would have tasted the sweetness of freedom. Then again, you never know what is going to happen. I was watching Cast Away last night. It is a good movie. It was my second time watching and I still enjoyed it nevertheless. It is something like what I am experiencing now, just that the plane crash is expected, if you know what I mean. The time he spent on the island is just like my time in army. Same feeling at the beginning, trying to adapt. I am now at the point where I am waiting for the wind to blow towards the sea, then I can return back to reality. That will be a year later. Then, I will pick up from where I left 2 years ago.

It has been a long time since I had any nightlife. I mean..not including night training. When I was at Orchard Road on Friday night, I was like "oh my gosh! What am I doing here?". It was almost like a culture shock to me. To see so many people in so many different kinds of clothes and gait around me again is amazing. Not to mention the fantastic X'mas decorations already in place. Sad to say, I'm afraid I can't bask in the X'mas atmosphere as much as I did before. December has always been my favourite month. I usually associate it with presents, decorations, celebrations and holidays! This year would be different. But only this year. Anyway, back to night life, I couldn't get used to it. I knocked out once I reached home. It is a different feeling spending the night outfield and in Orchard. Well, obviously! It is tiring enough trying to absorb all the glare from the lights and navigating through endless streams of people. But I enjoyed it. I have always enjoyed going out at night. The temperature is great, the lights are great, everything is great!

Tomorrow I will embark on another phase of training. General impression of air force is it is slack. Well, it might be. But for sure, my course is one of the toughest air force has to offer. No matter how tough, it will still not bring me down. This is the final phase. Just 9 weeks and I will be operational and most importantly, attain my well-desered rank. Certainly looking forward to that day. But in the meantime, all I can do is to dream about my fantasy nightlife. Dream until it can finally become reality again.

Sometimes I find something missing at home. And when I realise what it is, I understand what I have to do. That is to treasure everyone around me as though it was my last day on Earth. It might be difficult to do that, but at least try to treat them better than how I usually would.