Amok
POSTED AT 03:35 PM

Even reading about troubling news like the NSF who was apparently caught with a loaded SAR-21 at Cine, I am starting to miss home. A winter return is seriously being considered, though I know I'll probably need to make a fast decision.

To talk a little more about that, as someone that has gone through the system, I've always felt that many NSFs were always going to be too immature for the responsibilities that were put upon them. I mean, take the example of Switzerland where the soldiers bring their weapons home and keep them in their closets. That would never work in Singapore, and I'm not even referring to our zero tolerance gun policy.

I don't know if people don't take it seriously because of the conscription and inherent mandatory nature of the job, or if we Singaporeans are just produced differently. There's something very sacred and solemn about defending your own country, but perhaps the lack of blatant necessity (ie. active duty and/or combat) gives people a trivial impression of the whole affair.

Speaking of immaturity, I've always felt that I wouldn't really stick out that much here even though I'm 3 years older than everyone else, because I never behave like I'm 21 anyway. Which has generally held through. But some people tend to make their youth more obvious than others. I'd like to think that I'm pretty tolerant of the people around me and I'd have wished that they aren't like that, but I guess that's just the way things are. Hopefully the growing up process occurs sooner rather than later.

Things that make me happy
POSTED AT 03:40 PM

1) Meeting open-minded people
2) Being enlightened by witty, acerbic insights
3) Good Asian food
4) Systems that work
5) Hearing from people back home
6) Karaoke
7) Shopping on the cheap
8) Having good beer in my fridge
9) Listening to Mambo
10) Thinking of you