Monday, November 23, 2009
Yep! From tomorrow onwards I will step out of this place, and hopefully I won't have to come back again! That's what I thought last year, but apparently I was wrong. Only one left in this place for today, since almost everyone opted for the extra day out... at a cost, of accomodation as well as dinner expenses. It will probably add up to around 60 to 70 SGD, and I rather spend that sum on gifts or anything that catches my eye tomorrow. Can't believe that I had spend 33 days here, finally it is over! Can't believe how much I miss Singapore, and I guess it is going to be a lot worse when I come here to study next year, since it would be stretches of 4 months before I have the chance to go back.
From this trip, there will be around 10 days off for me, but I really doubt if I can use them all. Have so many things to settle that I probably can use only 9 days. At least I can inofficially "Oscar Romeo Delta" after I go back! Don't have to step into office and do work for those people =P
Yep, and Caleb, if you are reading this, jiayou! All the best, and you better pray that you won't be returning to this place next year! (Tho honestly if you have to, good luck, 3 frames! Nearly 60 days!)
Singapore, here I come!
Days remaining: 1
Matt
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
5:57 PM
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Finally the days left can be counted with just one hand. 4 days! 30 days here, can't imagine how I got by all those days. The last "field trip" out was pretty good too, as the stars somehow seem super bright, and it was also a lot peaceful too! (No leopards running by us) Too bad I dozed off before I could see a shooting star, and only woke up at 4.30am (which the sky was super bright, Singapore's 8am equivalent.)
In preparation for the return I had already set all my watches/handphone timing to Singapore time, I wonder if that will actually help myself adapt to Singaporean time again.
Oh, I have one more day of shopping at the end of the trip, if you want me to buy anything do tell me beforehand!
Matt
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
7:09 PM
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Yep, although we didn't get to watch the meteor shower, it was really a great sight, with the stars covering the entire sky. Totally reminded me of the sight I had last year, with near total darkness, and shooting stars streaking across the sky from time to time. Never fails to remind me of the fact that the universe is indefinitely big, with so many stars and planets out there, and yet God cares for every one of us with his own unique way. Indeed, all the evidences point toward the fact that God is there. Had this heart to heart talk with a new friend I had made, and I had come to realize that there are so many things which I had been blessed, but never been truly appreciated by me. Perhaps there is some good coming to this horrible place after all, since we had so much free time, it doesn't hurt to use the time for some self reflection, as well as knowing more people.
1 more day left before returning back to our tents.
ANDDDD we would be back next wednesday! (Wahahaha finally I get to say "NEXT" wednesday!)
6 more days remaining!
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
5:05 PM
Monday, November 16, 2009
New hobby! One which my colleague taught some of the others near our tent, and ended up wrecking our brains from the game. Brings back memories when we played bridge so often before morning assemblies during JC days. Kinda miss playing computer games, so have been playing those lousy facebook games which I would otherwise not touch. Will be going outside (again!) on wednesday evening, so don't expect any updates from then on till Saturday! All the best to YY for her wedding rehearsal performance (alright, it's her cousin's), as well as the actual performance on Saturday! Will keep you in prayer once again!
And oh darn, missed the free chocolate milk the canteen is giving out again. Maybe it is good for me as well, since expiry date is today (again!)
9 days left! Finally it is single digit! Can't wait to get back to Singapore and away from this horrible horrible weather. A wall clock stated that it was 41 degrees within a tent today at 10am. Madness!
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
7:18 PM
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Still pretty much bored in this place, at least our tent is situated under a tree (that allows us a cooler tent to sleep in the morning!) Usually the heat will force people to wake up around 7am but for us, it is still bearable till 11pm. Yep, after today's confusion due to some vehicle problems, I realised that I need to watch my language, especially when my civilian life is just around the corner! I guess I also need to keep my cool as well, or nothing good will turn out as a result (to myself and others around me)
Oh, there's this offer for milk here, buy 2 get 1 free. After grabbing it (like typical Singaporeans) we realised that the expiry date is today. Yep, definitely has a reason after all -_-. After drinking it my stomach feels weird, don't know if it is due to milk or other reason. Never spending money on canteen again. Current expenditure in canteen here: A$2. Total: $9.50. Not bad eh =D
Yep, 10 days to Singapore! =D
Matt
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
7:54 PM
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Yep, weather getting undeniably hotter. Makes me miss the rainy weather when you can just sleep the whole day. Now, it is impossible to study/sleep between 9am to 3pm, even in the toilet (which is relatively cooler). Been playing a bit of CS (old times!) using the laptop we brought, but we are getting bored of it already! Left 4 Dead runs pretty smooth, but overheats the laptop too easily to complete a proper game..
And oh, internet is always crowded again, now that everyone is back. I guess I will keep waking up at 5am (like what we did today) a daily routine!
11 days left! Can't wait to get out of here!
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
2:17 PM
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Yep, so much time here, inevitably you will end up with thinking random things. Today's topic will be appreciation (especially in the workplace), which was discussed with one of my friends yesterday night. Honestly, it is extremely easy to show one's appreciation for another. It doesn't have to be a gift, a treat to lunch, but can be as easy as a personal email appreciation, or even just saying thank you. This is something which I have rarely encountered in my workplace, and those words of appreciation only come from those who are around the same age as us. This can lead to an extremely inefficient workplace, since everyone who are of the same status/appointment essentially get the same salary, no matter how hardworking they are. It seriously bothers me when the treatment I get generally is almost the same as a super lazy colleague of mine, by those of higher... appointment. Bleh. Luckily I would be getting out of there soon enough, so that problem will be up to the new people to solve.
But yep, on a happier note, mass slacking today, as well as a barbecue later! Kinda compulsory, but definitely something different from the usual routine!
13 days left!
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
4:15 PM
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Yep, been reading this book, A Case of Faith, a friend of mine (Caleb) kindly lent me. After reading halfway into the book (which Caleb has been telling me repeatedly that's too fast to absorb the meaning of the book =P ), it seems like my doubts on my faith vanished all of a sudden. Previously I had been questioning myself repeatedly about whether I could have misplaced my faith, but now, I am 100% sure I made the right choice. I must have been blind not to recognise the evidence around me which points to the fact that there
must be an Intelligent Designer. I must really agree that the Evolution theory threw me off track for a long while, it seems like there was an alternate explanation on the origin of life. However, as the book kindly pointed out, every living organism, even the most basic form (bacteria), has designs so complex (storage, food processing etc.) that it is impossible to create by artificial means. The theory of random lightnings zapping into warm pools of water and creating life in ancient Earth is totally impossible due to the complexity behind each living cell, the lack of proper materials (proven by scientists). Even if amino acids were being formed (shown in Miller's experiment, under the RIGHT conditions, which were not present in prehistoric Earth), to make a cell fully functional, it would require far more than the amino acids randomly produced. The time period required for a cell to evolve into complex organisms such as humans would be far longer than the Earth's age (at least, the time period which supports life) itself. Other things would include the oxygen composition in the atmosphere which I read about some time ago, in which a slightly higher oxygen concentration will combust when lightning occurs (read the book to find out more, guess I am getting tired already and can't recall much =P)
Going to run to grab some nights snack. Just felt like posting this out of impulse, so yep.
Cya guys in 14 days =P
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
6:11 PM
Yep, finally I can smell the end of this! Just 14 more days and I would be out of here! Can't imagine that I already spent 20 days here. At least the internet room/tent is accessible since most of the people here are out! It has been rainy for the past 3 days, so it has been getting really cold, even in the day! I estimate the temperature to be around 20 degrees at the moment, and the strong wind (I guess it is due to proximity to shore line as well as high ground) isn't helping! Only thing good about this camp would be the reception! Finally I get to use the Zone 1511 phone card, and apparently I still have 200+ minutes left! Looks like I am going to spend the rest of the time here using this card!
And yep, L4D 2 is coming out! And I believe Modern Warfare 2 already did! Argh, spoilt for choices! Without income, I am not too sure if I should get both! Temptations!
Countdown: 14 days!
Matt
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
11:07 AM
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Yep, back to tents again! That night out was sooooo great, finally getting to sleep on a proper bed instead of a foldable one! We certainly made good use of time to do some shopping, as well as to explore the area, since we heard that there is this last day here which we could go out again! Whee!
Some things I had been thinking of during the shopping trip. Yep, I practically stoned at a corner while watching my friends buy Havaianas slippers, and each pair can cost up to around 40 Australian dollars, which is slightly more than 50 SGD at the current conversion rate. Makes me wonder if paying so much for those slippers, which are evidently made of cheap materials (foam like) is worth it. According to my friends it was supposed to be quite sturdy and can last quite some time, but I doubt if it will make a difference if I buy 10 pairs of lousy 3rd rate slippers - probably can outlast that single pair! Probably some will say quality over quantity, but seriously, I am not convinced! Maybe it has something to do with myself willing to spend 80+ dollars on a mouse, while others won't (but hey, the higher sensitivity and comfort does work wonders for gaming!)
But yep, that place, Big W, had been visited by me the last year, so I guess pretty everything is familar! We also found out that the canteen has been ripping us off, selling 600ml milk in cardboard cartons for A$3.50 while Coles (think cold storage) had been selling 2 litre milk, more than 3 times the volume (same brand!) in a plastic bottle for only A$3.20. Win. Even with transportation costs involved I am VERY sure it isn't that much. Not going to spend a single cent in the canteen this frame. Yep, only spent A$7 on canteen so far for 20 days, and I intend to keep it that way =)
Yep, congrats to the people who ORDed! Do keep in touch and have fun!
Matt
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
4:07 PM
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Cooling day today, with a real proper rain instead of one which ends 2 minutes after it starts. Yep, got to sleep quite a bit, so I guess it is far better than the other days which hot weather forces us to wake up at around 7am local time.
Ok, my days out of this place would be tomorrow and the day after, which means I won't be able to use the internet then. So if you want me to get anything for you, drop me an sms! I should have internet access again on the 10th.
Days remaining: 18 days! Rawr.
Matt
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
11:29 AM
Friday, November 06, 2009
I guess during my free time I had been playing this facebook game a bit too excessively. Yep, this application called "How fast can you type A to Z". Sheer boredom I guess. Weather can be too hot to sleep in bunk, so most of the time is spent in the canteen, or the neighboring internet room. Or tent that is.
Day out is confirmed, on the 8th and 9th of November. Yep, so if any of you want anything from Australia, remember to drop me an email/sms asap!
Countdown: 19 days
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
11:23 AM
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Ok, I was partly wrong when I stated that the weather was turning colder. The NIGHTS are turning colder, but the days are turning hotter. Not only it is getting hotter, it seems to be also getting more humid. I hardly sweated for the last 13 days, but today... different story. Hopefully it will change, sweating in this kind of weather is just plain uncomfortable.
Looking at my friends ORD, looking at my temporary bunkmates preparing to go back to Singapore, I guess it fuels a sense of frustration within. To go through the same thing again, it is just plain boredom. I feel as if being imprisoned within this area, which is partly true I guess, not being able to venture out of this aarea, doing the same thing over and over again. Only bright side is that I won't have to work anymore after I go back to Singapore (depends on whether the boss keeps his promise)
Oh, I guess there's something to break the monotony of life here. There was this possum which was hanging around on a tree near our sleeping area, and we decided to try to catch it due to sheer boredom. A wild possum chase, all attempts to trap it failed. It's actually pretty cute, I will post photos when I come back haha.
Days to go: 20. Fully 14 days here and I am getting tired of it =P
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
6:44 PM
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Ok, back from this field trip. Or whatever you call it, finally I can type my post with no one looking over my back, since most people in my area isn't back yet, or are tasked to do some stuff. Yesterday night was freezing. I have no idea what's with the weather nowadays, as usually weather gets warmer as it progresses to summer, not the other way round. But overall still the trip is enjoyable, and I feel really guilty for leaving most of the work to my friends. At least the area we set up shop had handphone reception!
Well, I guess the free time during this trip had given me a lot of time to think things over, I guess perhaps this trip to Australia isn't that bad after all, at least it gives me mental preparation for my future university, since I will have to be out of Singapore for at least 4 months at one shot. It's only about 2 weeks and I am already missing my family and friends.
Ok, I am not going to type anymore, the wind is very strong, and I am at risk of getting smacked by this flapping piece of tent, as well as the risk of the whole tent collapsing. Going to make a move first! To those ORD ppl: Congrats!
Countdown: 21 days. So close, yet so far...
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
1:53 PM
Monday, November 02, 2009
Yep, managed to get back today! Yesterday night was really cold, and I am so glad I brought my sleeping bag along. The star view we saw, honestly, wasn't as good as the last time, and I am willing to bet that it is due to the full moon's light interfering with the starlight. The moonlight is actually so bright that the picnic lantern we brought wasn't used at all, and my friend actually managed to read a book under that light. It also wasn't so hot during the daytime, as we are on high ground, and for some reason there was a lot of wind (also contributed to a lot of airborne sand).
Due to boredom, the whole bunch of us did quite a bit of stupid things, like trying to cook instant noodles using heat from the sun. Actually kind of worked, but I swear it is unhealthy - The soup was pretty much concentrated - it was contained in that small maggie mee pack. Another thing we did was to hunt for handphone reception, and I have come to the conclusion that my current phone brand is useless - The nokia phone my pal had managed to get 4 bars (out of 5) of reception. Thankfully due to the break in activities I am back to civilization!
On the side note: Water is still out. Unable to shower. Rawr.
23 days. Not too sure if counting down is a good idea =)
ABUNDANT PEACE :)
6:45 PM
