Adam's posterous

Untitled

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:05:26 -0800

Its really peaceful and quiet in the school tonight.

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Lets get suicidal

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:37:31 -0800

Had a 4 patty mega Big Mac. Between that and the upsized coke, I'll probably die in the next 20 minutes or so. O.o

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Get Some Rest

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:19:10 -0800

Don't overwork yourself.

Rest when you are tired.

Even God rested on the seventh day after creating the world.

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Travelling abroad

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:41:28 -0800

I usually enjoy travelling overseas on holiday. Its enriching to be immersed in another culture and refreshing to be in a completely different environment. But travelling for work - well that's a completely different thing.
I had a 28 day holiday last year to australia - the longest I have ever been overseas. Unfortunately it was for reservist training and I spent most of that time in the desert communing with spiders. So that pretty much sucked.
Then there's travelling with students. Its enjoyable to travel with them learning more about them and their personalities. If you think travelling with kids is stressful, try travelling with forty. I'm responsible for them and ultimately I feel like a tour guide. Could never fully relax on a school tour. So that pretty much sucks too.
Then there's traveling for business. Travelling as a buyer has its perks. Since I source for suppliers, vendors usually meet me in big luxury cars and wine and dine me at expensive restaurants. Best treatment I have ever gotten was from this agency in Brussels where they put me in a presidential suite. Dinner ranged from caviar to lobster and wagyu beef. But its stressful when you have to make a decision who to give the $1.5 million to and whose services are best value for money. So that pretty much is a great experience until the last 2 days. So that half sucks.
Will have to travel tomorrow to Stockhölm for business. Well, i'll enjoy myself while i can. After I return, its back to work again.

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The old piano

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:47:01 -0800

This is my old piano. It has been with me for as long as I can remember. It accompanied me from grade one. I practiced scales on it.
Through it I have explored music by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and others. This was the piano that I broke a finger when I was attempting to play Rachmaninov at twice the recommended speed limit. This was the piano that I composed my wedding march on. This is the piano that has taken my frustrations and anger. It has endured Proviofiev played on it at twice the recommended volume. It has taken a beating and several broken strings when I crashed Beethoven through it.
This piano has been banged on and repeatedly abused by me.
Still it remains, faithful to the last, still producing music for me. Cheers my old friend. Heres to many more
musical years to come.

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Travelling

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:35:19 -0800

Business trip coming

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A Matter of Perception

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:57:36 -0800

In the US, bank owners beg the government for help to get through one of the worst financial crisis ever. Yet they can afford to fly their private jets to the capitol to beg for money. Am I missing something here?

In Singapore, consumers complain about rising prices and the lack of government handouts as they brace themselves to ride out a looming recession. Yet, people are out in droves doing their Christmas shopping. Number of cars sold have tripled this month. Am I missing something here?

At work, we grapple with manpower shortage every year as we struggle to deploy teachers to cover all classes and subjects. Yet, through the year, we volunteer and participate in one ministry initiative after another with wild abandon. Am I missing something here?

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Christmas and Commercialism

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:13:07 -0800

It is quite disturbing to see how commercialism and retail interests have completely removed the meaning of Christmas. Everywhere I look, christmas has now been changed into a shopping season, not unlike the Great Singapore Sale. It has become an eating season. Everywhere we see images of talking reindeer, fat old men dressed in fur, moving snowmen and other freakish talking animals.
To me, Christmas has always been the rememberance of the birth of Jesus, the day hope was given to the world. As fortold in Genesis, "Man was given mortal pain, but the blessed God came down, teaching that his death will bring to man, comfort." Christmas is joy tinged with sadness, knowing that it took the death of an innocent man to save us from our sin, that the omnipotent God would choose to die for an ungrateful race, that we are given a gift so precious that none of us deserve it. That is theChristmas present that was given on Cristmas day. That is the gift we have to give to others on this day.
Yet, we are told by retail outlets that Christmas presents are material possessions. That happiness is a big lcd television set. That happiness is the newest electronic gizmo. That happiness is having a lavish meal of overpriced beef. That is the biggest deception of the world, that possessions bring happiness.
So at Christmas, I don't usually buy gifts. People may say that I am stingy. But why perpetuate a lie?
Rather I try to present the gift that is much more important, especially to those who have yet to receive this gift. The gift of life, and a life living with a closeness to a loving God. What else could possibly bring greater happiness?

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Back to work

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:29:21 -0800

Its back to work soon for me. 2 weeks of napping, training, eating, napping, jumping into rivers, napping, playing in the rain, napping, dodging lightning and napping has come to a close. Now its back to real work. Time to check on my new posting and meet up with my new boss. Then its back to planning for the new year. Well, i'll look forward to the next round of reservist training. It has been refreshing.

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Rain rain rain

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:30:43 -0800

The rain is incessant. If i was at home dry and in bed now, i would be pretty happy with the cool weather. But i'm cold and wet without any proper shelter now, so the rain is just shitty now. Well, at least there's no lightning now.

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Almost Dieded

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:42:59 -0800

The line between life and death is very narrow. One minute you are taking a piss in the forest and the next thing you know, a lightning bolt just misses you, but leaves enough of a charred smell and frizzes your hair enough for you to truly appreciate life all over again. Thank God i'm still alive. I've had 3 close brushes with death before. But dying by being struck by lightning while pissing in the jungle is seriously the most unglam way to die. Glad i didn't.

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What a night

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:06:06 -0800

Honestly, you never know what reservists are truely capable of in a pinch. We are a rowdy, lethargic and arguably ill disciplined lot. We complain repeatedly and vociferously. But when its time for serious training and when we have important tasks to accomplish, we really pull together in a most astonishing way that seems like we have been working together for ages. Never judge a book by its cover. Never judge a team's productivity by outward behaviour. Perhaps its just me or my leadership style. But my teams invariably are the loudest complainers, the most ill disciplined and that usually worries my superiors. But in a pinch, we pull together and accomplish what we set out to do. Thus i have no regrets about how i lead. After all, results are important. But how we get there is even more important. If i can make that journey more bearable, then shouldn't i as the leader do so? We do what needs to be done. We try to do what could be done and we don't give a shit about what doesn't contribute to our mission. Keep morale high and look after the team's welfare. And i can't case less what others may think. I am always proud of the teams i have led. Everything else is inconsequential.

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Round 2

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:06:36 -0800

Driving the leopard tank is really fun. It's pretty nimble for such a heavy tank. But there are too few tanks here for too many trainees. That means the engine can't really keep up with our repeated abuse and breakdowns are far too common. The machines just can't take it without sufficient rest. Its the same at my soon to be former workplace i suppose. Too many activities and too few manpower. Even humans breakdown when used repeatedly with insufficient rest. Can be seen through the high mc rate. Its sad that the top leader doesn't see it that way. But such policies are out of my control. I just said what i needed to say to that person. If it wasn't taken in the right spirit then there's nothing more i can do. It was an interesting week nonetheless. Lets see how much fun this week's water borne training will be. :)

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Day 2

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:56:20 -0800

Second day of napping. Its quite refreshing to be attending a course where no one can fail. No pressure at all. And thus the extraordinary amount of napping time. Today is a test day. One test on safety where we just do it on the computer until we pass. One technical specs test which is an oral test. Trainer can't fail anyone today, else we'll effectively be excused from the rest of the training. Must remember to sit near a wall to facilitate my primary mission. Napping. O_o

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Day one

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 22:03:05 -0800

I am officially serving my country today. Unfortunately it has been raining all day and outdoor training has been cancelled. Just passing time now. I've been napping far too much today. Free food and excessive sleeping. Looks like the spare tire will be inflated over the next 2 weeks. Whoever said that reservist training was a free weight loss / fitness programme? Crap.

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Savoring the Moments

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:11:00 -0800

Its saturday baking time. The souffle turned out quite well. Tasted great. But took almost 4 hours to prepare and then to bake it for just the right amount of time. Eating it took us a total of 7 minutes. Then comes the washing up. I suppose life is like that. Long hours of work and toil, then a short enjoyment period before starting on the next catch of work and toil. The trick is to savour the moments when they do come. Don't bitch about the work that has already been done and not to worry about the work that is yet to come. Savour the moments!

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Peeping

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:11:11 -0800

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Its The Weekend!

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:34:02 -0800

The weekend is finally here. End of pointless and circuitous meetings. This is also my unofficial last working day. Next comes two weeks of reservist training. Strangely, it is usually this reservist training period that i get my best rest. o_O

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Its The Weekend!

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:33:15 -0800

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Test Post 2

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:47:30 -0800

Testing image post via Posterous

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