So let the carnage begin (literally). And we shall be nice and wind the clock back for everyone's sake.

72 MAN GUARD-OF-HONOUR FOR THE PRESIDENT OF PANAMA @ THE ISTANA
18th October 2010


No, please don't go asking him how Scofield and co. managed to break out from prison

My last parade for a long long while (though I did not know it then) proved to be the most taxing physically and mentally.

High humidity and temperatures in the morning, before something apparently happened and the sun had given way to low-hanging grey clouds and wild gales as the parade took place.

Was glad that the rehearsal ended before I tell the person beside me to watch out. My vision was getting all screwed up just as the all-too-familiar spinning sensation was beginning to hit home hard.

And something real bad happened during our stint in the Istana that morning. That really left a sour taste in everyone's mouths.

19th October

I took off on that day (finally clearing the last of my NDP off.. Or so I thought) and was just stirring from my sleep when I got stunned by a double whammy of missed phone calls and messages.

And as feared, I made my way back to camp in the afternoon for an interview with CO, his intention being to prep me before the official switch in platoons the following day.

So here goes the brief - Mine's a job with high expectations not only with regards to reports and also on-the-ground information. Must be able to write, edit, formulate, critique facts and put stats into context. And also be able to hit the ground running and go for ops to keep myself updated.

I guess its going to really test the strength of the network I had set up in the unit with people of different platoons. And I sort of welcome the challenge of doing paperwork and shooting emails all over the place - people like Aaron's already in the mix for the past eight months or so..

Abrupt timing? I guess so. Just as I was preparing for super-November with so many parades lined up - with two 72 man, one COG with rehearsals et al in the first two weeks alone.

20th October

Had only five effective days to learn everything before my upper study goes ORD and enjoy the good civilian life (it seems).

Stayed back for dinner with AO, who was an ex-HC guy as well. Guess we managed to talk like schoolmates outside work and the huge difference in rank.

Took part in night ops with my (ex)-platoon over at Samuel's. The only problem is that we did not visit him but the cluster next to his. So yeah, could not see a classmate yet again. (The guys went to visit sY on the 26th.. I was in the office already by then >.<)

21st October

More of the same.. Guard duty in the evening - my last for the foreseeable future as well. Kind of celebrated by trying to take out the prowling device.. >.<

22nd October

Platoon 3 cohesion at Marina Superbowl. Did not bowl a good game but the atmosphere was good - although someone forgot to turn down the volume mixer for our side. A group of teenage girls screaming and squealing proved to be more irritating than us though.

24th October

Four Birthdays Together on a Private Yacht

Nuff said. Makes me feel like renting my own yacht for my 21st.

Then again, it costs like upwards of $1500. So it shall just remain a pipe dream, just like almost everything else.

25-26 October

Time seems to crawl to a halt when you're in the office..

Talk about the second coming of the haze. Someone's been felling and burning all those trees over the other side of the Straits recently.

27 October

Got called to join L for Neptune that evening. And as usual, it turned out to be anything but dull.

Managed to catch 'Paranormal Activity 2' at Downtown East - which was like only the 4th horror flick I'd watched in my life. The main selling point of the film's probably its realism though, much like The Blair Witch Project

The rest of the afternoon included shopping at Tampines IKEA and sharing a plate of cheese fries at Changi Village's 'Botak Jones' outlet in addition to all ghost stories we shared in the car after the movie.

And we could even play Monopoly Deal in the car over in the heart of William's workplace. Too bad he was on off that particular day. Shucks.

28th October

Appointed the POC for the bus log sheets as well for the unit. Responsibilities stacking up now.

29th October

We were one of the few left on a chilly Friday afternoon when almost everyone, bar CO, was on some sort of off. Am now tasked to prepare a report on all parades and ceremonies done by the Command as well. Well well well.. Talk about MP being multi-purpose. My job's the true epitome of that very term.

30 October

What a dull weekend (again)..
On another note, its only 9 days to the A's and most of the guys have received their enlistment letters. Deja vu, non?

***
And what of this?

1913 (BST): GOALFLASH Man Utd 2-0 Tottenham (Nani)

Man Utd goal: Erm, what on earth? First Nani thinks he should have a penalty after going down under Younes Kaboul's challenge - not given - and then, when Heurelho Gomes puts the ball down for what he thinks is a free-kick, Nani taps the ball into the empty net. Spurs are livid - and the linesman looks to agree with them - but referee Mark Clattenburg over-rules his assistant and the goal stands.

The easiest goal one can ever score.. Surely..

Happy Halloween, people.
Please don't overdo the scaring and report back to work/school on Monday in one piece with a still-sane mind. :D

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