beneath-e-pale-moonlight: August 2008

Sunday, August 31, 2008

OMG... Standby call up for ATQ!
can u all seriously believe this, wah... my friend better be grateful i gave away my Frankfurt / New york for offday on the 5th and kanna this Standby. haha... U BETTER OK! Gave away good flights to attend your wedding. haha...

Anyway went to Comex yesterday and bought myself a new camera and a new photo printer. hahaha... Canon IXUS 860 IS, and a Selphy ES29 photo printer. Eh... yah and this is like my 3rd camera and 3rd photo printer already within the last 2 years... *LOL* haha... But what can i say, i'm a sucker for all things photographic. haha... No one loves me more that Canon! haha... Coz i throw cash at them.

Oh... And before i can start spending money i must first throw money at the ERP. It's bloody $3 into town lor... seems like the signboard actually flickers, so when i snapped this pic so happened that part of the sign disappeared. haha...

Hee... A morning Special Delivery to someone... hope someone is smiling.

Anyway i saw something that made me really happy this morning. The sight of the sun rising. I really missed that sight, the smell of early morning dew, and the warm rays on your skin. i'm a morning person but more often than not, nowadays i wake up to the sun already at it's peak. Well... not really always lah, i still wake up earlier than most crew does.

The point is most living creatures wakes up at the break of dawn only cabin crew doesn't, haha... Welcome to the nocturnal life. Waking up early does have it's advantages, the world starts at the break of dawn, tune yourself to the time and pace that the world moves and u will gain more of what this world have for u. Sleep till midday and u might get left out.

I only believe in sleeping enough, Enough to function. Fatigue is a constant irritating companion, it nags at u all the time, but u can choose to listen to it or ignore it. Ignore it and gain more out of your day, listens to it and u get to enjoy a good rest.

Strike a balance, what can u do with a good rest when u have nothing more u can gain from that day coz most of the day have passed as u have slept it away.

I hate forcing myself to sleep when i'm not tired, what for burn a perfectly fine day by sleeping? Becoz of a night flight? Heck... i now hardly sleep for night flight. Know the value of a day and u will realised that somethings lost in a single day is a lifetime's worth.

Time is by far the most precious commodity. We use it to trade for many things in life, we spend hours working in return for money, spend hours practising to perfect a skill, hours trading everything thing u have for moments with someone. To give up time for something is to give up everything else for that thing.

For all the money in the world, u cannot buy back time. Time to do what u should have done.

Oh... and to someone... "SHOULD" is a choice lah. haha...

8/31/2008 12:04:00 AM | Permalink |

Friday, August 29, 2008

Self reflections, resolute.
Maybe i'm never good enough,
never good enough for myself,
never good enough for the world.
But perhaps by not being good enough i see to better myself,
but better will never be the best,
and hence, life remains a continuous struggle.

So let me grit my teeth,
and soldier on, for i am a soldier,
the days of war may long be gone, yet the spirit still remains.
i will not waver,
my resolve shall not be broken,
i shall seek to fight till the day i expire,
For the goal is not to be the best,
For the best does not exist,
but only better do.

I shall seek to better myself till my very last day...

I was and still am a commando, i do not lead ordinary life, thus, i do not expect the simplicity of life.

Dammit... got a damn Saigon turn to do today.

8/29/2008 12:39:00 PM | Permalink |

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Perhaps all is not a distant dream.
maybe perhaps, "for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch..." (R&J I,v)
Or maybe a dream is nothing but a dream.

Is it wishful thinking i do think of such thots, or perhaps life has grant me another chance at happiness. I do wish it's so. But yet it may be nothing at all.

If only courage have the strength to ask.

Why do courage fall short when it's much needed,
words do exist but yet they could not convey,
they hang by my lips, unwilling to leap forth,
brave as they may seem yet behaving so cowardly,
Perhaps fear of losing it all makes a brave man a coward,
Yet to make no move is to ask for non in return.
Such is my Dilemma.

A little Bravery is much needed,
or perhaps Bravery needed to be prodded,
A gentle encouragement or a jestering jeer,
To bring courage to it's feet once again.

This is so perplexing...

Anyway today was a rather boring day, i was my sister's personnal chauffer, drove her to town and back. But we did went for lunch and caught a movie togehter at plaza Singapura since we both were already in town. It has been a while since we last went out, the addition of a car did bring much convienence.

Well it did brought about much swearing as well with the numerous ERP gentry and the horrendous traffic. Not to mention the young greenhorns driving their daddies' big car hogging the traffic just brought my blood to it's boiling point...

A word of advice, please buy a smaller car, dun leave a 1 meter plus gap behind the next car, when u caused the car behind u to be stucked in the cross junction. Dun change to a faster lane when u are not even intending on travelling alittle faster. Your girlfriend will not be impressed.

8/28/2008 10:58:00 PM | Permalink |

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Proving oneself.
Why always the need to prove oneself? Why we cannot just be accepted based on face value? Why to believe is so difficult? Or is it just me?

I've been proving my worth since the day i could walk and talk. I never had it easy. But come to think of it, why should i? Yes, IT'S GOD DAMN TIRING, plus no one really know all the crap i've to go thru, but i believe everyone else have to go thru the same shit.

Proving your worth is actually more critical to u, than it is to whom u are trying to prove. It shows u your true self, whether u measure up or found wanting. Goal may still be achieve with alittle help but in your heart u truely know if u really deserve it.

It feels good to be blessed with an easy life, but what's the point of it when u have to worry about someday being presented with a real challenge, whether u measure up or not. I rest easier at night if i'm constantly thrown into the forray, no doubt briused and battered, but alive and with lessons learnt, i'm better prepared to deal with the next battle.

Ultimately we are our greatest critic. We see our weakness which others may not and which is where lies the greatest danger, it may either help us, improve us, or destroy us, casting self doubts on whatever we plan do.

The start of failure is to fail to believe.

I never want to be pitied. I want to be respected, not envied. Envy comes from man's Jealousy. Respect comes from... eh... i dun really know where. haha... But repect is given only when u have done something exceeding the capability of others. They cannot replicate, they can only look on in awe and hope to follow in your footsteps hoping to lead them to where u are.

Many things in life need to be proven, perhap the cruelest thing life could ever do to u is not giving u a chance to do so.

hmmmmm... Think someone smiled today! haha... enjoy breakfast ya. :)

The army guys met up once again. This time was for Kurt's Baby's 1st month. Haha... Last year we were like attending his wedding and now another addition has came. Congrats ya Kurt.

Some pics for the evening. haha... Tonight was not a photo night. haha...

Left: TJW and JiaEn, Right: Silvia and Jason Ong.

Oh... and finally, Happy BELATED birthday JiaYing. Haha... At least i remembered. haha... it was Wii night till 2am (24th Aug) at the Gan Sisters house, too bad "BROTHER" Jack not around...

Oei... Brother, come back soon from the States lei... We challenge Wii. haha...

The order of my post a bit wrong today hor. haha... it's in reverse. haha...

8/24/2008 05:34:00 PM | Permalink |

Saturday, August 23, 2008

I wish for a 30 hours day.
Time never seems to be enough. Why do i have so much to achieve yet so little time? Or perhaps it's youthful ambition where it will wear off as years goes by. Dreams die as u age, with ambitions following closely behind. U have nothing to look forward to, no goals to reach for and nothing to work hard for anymore. That is when time become in excess, with so much to wallow in self pity, thinking of all your failures in life, your "should-haves" and "have-nots".

But perhaps it is this lack of time that brings out the very best or the very worst in us. There is always too much to do with too little time. SO CHOOSE. Choose which is more important. By our choice, we define who we are.

To choose to pursue your interest or to pursue the tangibles. To choose perfection in a single field or just the basics in multiple fields. To choose devotion in work and money or to find better meaning in life other than work. To choose to spend time with someone to make someone happy or to use that time to gain something else in return. These are choices we made and this puts value in our choices, sacrifices are made and this makes each choice worth something.

By your choice it speaks alot about your character.

It is true we always hunger for more, but to give up more for something seemingly less makes that "Less" worth more than anything else u can trade for. Well it's commonly know as sacrifice, but everybody's value sacifices differently.

To understand the value of sacrifice, we must understand the value of time, and each values his or her time differently. Scarcity of time dictates the value of time thus dictactes the value of sacrifice.

But understanding comes with maturity, u can't possibly tell a child that your sacrifice of time is a display of love more worthy than that toy he has been begging u to buy. Perhaps a simple monetary explanation would help, let say his toy cost $30, and i earn $5.50 an hour, translate that to half a day of 6 hours, that would be $33. It would have cost more than the toy. But is it ever that simple?

The answer is no, it's about sacrificing all your other wants, worth more that that "$33" all for something as intangible as spending time. I come to appreciate "spending time" as i grow up, because i now understand the value of time.

Oh... by the way i dun earn $5.50 an hour, that's when i was working part time during my student days. haha...

Anyway Happy birthday Dewei! See we spend time to celebrate your birthday! haha... At this point i know alot of people will be saying, "But u damn free mah!" haha... No, i'm not ok! haha... But i treasure friendship more than time and money.

Drinks, Finger foods, Cake and a birthday celebration at Red Dot, Dempsey.

After birthday celebration was Joyride session with My Sister and her boyfriend. 2 Cars, one rental, one ZENGed and one very long Road. Changi Coastal Road. 10KM. 140KMH.

A Plane coming into landing at T3. "Cabin Crew to your landing stations..."

So much for an evening out... a moment of excitment, brief and shortlived. My heart desires else...

"O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" (R&J II,ii)

8/23/2008 09:53:00 AM | Permalink |

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Greased Lightning...
well, not exactly. hahaha... Rented a car yesterday and have just returned it, all no thanks to being called up for flight. If not i could have taken this baby for another joy ride. Took mom for Joy ride this morning to all the ulu parts of punggol, after which i drove down to Hougang to settle some housing loan issues before returning the car.

Damn got to go sleep already, flight's later.

I shall leave u here with some pics, haha... ignore that person with the car. haha... Yah Yah Yah.... i know i looked as if i've bought a new car, but this is the first car that i've ever rented in singapore. Heee... and yah yah... sounds very loserish i know, call it cheap thrill but it's still THRILL. haha... *LOL*

Oh and i sent someone home last night! hahaa... first time, and i know everyone must be laughing, NO I DIDN'T GET LOST. haha...

Alright, i'll update more story when i get back... Most probably about this flight today, i got called up to act up. Most senior non ranking crew, can u believe that? haha... Someone please remind me to be zappy, haha... i always forget to act senior one. hahaa...

8/20/2008 02:42:00 PM | Permalink |

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Music Soothes the Savage Beast...
Perhaps i should go back to playing the piano. Though i still remember the drag of sitting infront of the piano spending endless hours practising, staring at the scores, with fingers running up and down the keys, trying to press the right keys at the right time, but instead often ending up pressing the next key beside. So much for short and stubby fingers. The mind furiously trying to decipher the notes, always playing "catch-up" to the fingers. Yah... It should be the other way, i know. There are times i see the notes all merge into a white blank page while the fingers are standing there lost. haha...

Haha... But despite all these, i love the sound of the hammers striking on the strings. A simple tune played is never a simple tune, it's a dance across the keys, a tango, a different dance step on each hand, different yet complimenting, in unison, they dance to form music. Exciting to see yet, soothing to listen to. It never fail to dazzles me.

Thanks goodness my mom bought a really good piano for me and sister back then which acoustics still rocks till now, well not exactly rocks lah, but it still does produce great sound. Crystal clarity, firm, clean and solid.

Anyone buying a Piano? Choose Yamaha, can never go wrong. 22 year already and still sounding great and the keys have not turn yellowish yet, well except for the bottom part but nevertheless it has out survived alot of my friends' pianos. Heck... i think it will even live longer than me! hahaha...

There was this joke in the past i always used to say, i wished i've learnt the guitar instead, with increased mobility i can serenade to a gal anywhere anytime, with the piano i would have to bluff the gal to my house which might end up me getting slapped and called a pervert before i could even finish my sentence. haha...

Being a pianist is either u get to dazzle or u don't and most of the time u don't. It's not like the guitar that u get to bring everywhere for personal pleasure or as a girls magnet that draws them like bees to honey. I've heard of people bringing guitar on flight, playing music in the crew lounge, ofcoz i was impressed when i came to know of such things, until one day i had a chance to hear it for myself in New's York, in the hotel crew lounge. I was like, is that all? haha... My poly friends play better for kicks.

Heck i can do better with the piano lor. I can play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in C and will still look and sound more impressive. hahaha...

The truth of the matter is that the Piano is a personal affair coz most of the time u only play for yourself, the sound will reverberates throughout, muffled yet distinct, but no one knows exactly who's playing or where it's coming from. But yet, the pianist never seek other's attention for he or she finds more joy lost in his own music. Pianists play to their own liking, nonchalant to the world around.

But despite all these, to a listening, it's breathtaking.

Piano. It's all or nothing at all.

Oh yah... anyway my sister Bf came over last night and was in the room when he came out and ask if i was the one playing the piano just now... haha... yah... i serenaded to a guy. haha... But that crisp clear ping is unmistakable. It will be a natural draw.

8/19/2008 01:09:00 PM | Permalink |

Monday, August 18, 2008

Back home again.
Back last night actually, first order of the Day, or rather what's left of the day of precious 6 hours was to rush down to Jo's Birthday but not before hunting for her present first. I had 13 hours onboard to think of what to get for her.

Anyway while onboard i asked the other FSSes a very funny question which made everyone burst out laughing... "Hey is there anything i can buy from the Krisshop cart for birthday?"

Haha... They said, "Dun want lah, where got people buy presents from Krisshop cart one?"

Heee... True True, so Jo, U must thank them for the present. Well... sort of lah, coz in the end they didn't offer any useful advice and i still spend 13 hours thinking of what to get for u, but at least it's not from the krisshop cart. muahahahhaha...

A quick run to the nearest SK at the Airport, rushed home, a 5mins shower, a 5min birthday card, haha... the fastest birthday card i ever made! then i sped down to vivo in my uncle's car with my uncle in tow, hee... since he needed to go home i might as well make use of his car to get me somewhere quick. haha... Which actually wasn't exactly too smart a choice coz i've never driven to vivo from my new place before. haha... Driving at 100, looking for street signs... I think i can be a fighter pilot already!

Finally made it there a little past 8. Yay! Hope u like the present Jo! Happy Birthday Joanna.

Fun Places and Happy Food.

Joanna and her sworn sister, thanks Jo's sworn for the following great pics!

Such was a great night and a happy occassion.

Anyway Paris was great, countless time there already, but this should be the best so far. Never a time i had so many crew going sightseeing together, plus it's the longest stay there ever, 2 CLEAR DAY LEH. Plus we even managed to come in early and secured an extra dinner allowance! Woohoo...

I should say this trip i did the most sightseeing in Paris ever, usually i would just go one place of interest per trip, this trip i did 2! We went Reims to visit all the champagne production houses and Versalles to visit the royal residance of Louis XIV.

Day One Trip was to Reims, Champagne. Anyway the Champagne Region is where champagne is produced, hence bearing its name. All the Champagne production house are located there.

The Start of the Trip.

The Journey to Reims' Cathedral to find the tourist information center and pose for some quick shots. Day's running short thus we all looked like some mad bunnies hopping around taking pictures.

The Champagne house of Tattinger.

Follow by visit to the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne House.

Finally Dinner at Reims. Mussels again! haha...

The Trip back by the TGV train.

Oh man... so tired...

Paris Trip Day 2, Visit to Versalles.

Hee... See Jo, told u i went sightseeing in Paris with Fanni. haha... Oh yah... The "Friendster connection" was damn funny. haha...

I'm missing from all the pics all the time coz u always need a photographer, and i'm always your's truely. haha...

I realised the most amazing part about all my paris trips was that i know how to get around paris Metros and trains better than in my own country's MRT. haha... Karen will know, haha... Asked me to stop at Yio Chu Kang i ended up at Katib.

Oh... and i did a very cock thing today, tried to drop a big package in someone's mailbox but ended up it won't fit thru the mailbox slit. haha... Waited for her to touchdown to hand it to her. haha... In return i got FREE TRANSPORT and company for dinner! haha...

Haha... And someone left her Artwork on my organiser. haha... Thanks ah, now must keep my organiser properly already, drawn and signed by Jo, it will be worth a fortune in the future. haha... But it's a nice addition before someone says my organiser is GAY.

8/18/2008 01:50:00 AM | Permalink |

beneath-e-pale-moonlight

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Friday, August 29, 2008

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Monday, August 18, 2008

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