Saturday, January 1, 2011

New Year Post: To conclude 2010...

2010: In a blink of an eye, another year has passed. I have to admit that time passes really fast, 24 hours a day is definitely not enough! It feels like just yesterday i was sitting in a classroom in RP listening to presentation but now, everyone has grown up and entered the workforce. Same for me.

Trying to meet up with one another has become a challenge, one has to take leave/off or arrange to meet after working hours unlike while we are schooling, just a simple - "Let's skip school!" and we can go out and enjoy ourselves. Now you try to skip work, see what happen to your job, LOL

But nevertheless, i would say this year is considered a rather fruitful one. I have experienced a lot of things that i have never experience in my 21 years of life. Thanks to my blogging habits, i was able to recap on what are the highlights of 2010 from my archives! Without further ado, here we go!

JANUARY

Visit to Seoul, Korea. Thanks to LG Singapore!
For the past 20 years, i have never taken a plane before and never did i expect the first country that i would visit by plane would be somewhere that most people would want to visit - Korea. Not only that, i didn't even have to fork a single cent for the trip (other than my shopping $$) Of course, it wouldn't be possible without LG sponsor! UNTIL NOW, I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN TO KOREA!

I'm really thankful because that was the first time i took a plane, the first time i experience -15 degrees and see snow in real life. What an experience! Someday, i would visit Korea again (:

FEBRUARY

2 act chio photos of me taken in Feb!

Nothing really happened in February but it will seem kinda weird if i put highlights for every single month of 2010 and not put anything for Feb so maybe... the highlight for Feb shall be CNY?

Chinese New Year gathering at Yingzi's place!

It's really heart warming to see everyone make time to gather at one person's place for steamboat, catch up with one another during chinese new year. Wanting to make the atmosphere more "New year" feel, i even bought Yu Sheng (even though i don't really like it!) so that everyone can join in and "play" causing a HUGE mess but i guess everyone had fun? Another CNY gathering in 2011? (:

MARCH

Enrolled into RP, Diploma in Business computing in Year 2007

In march 2010, I finally graduated with a Diploma.

I would say i quite enjoyed my 3 years in Republic Poly. I have made good friends, learned IT & Business and much more. (Although i always skip school with rinn and amanda!) I'm glad i managed to make it in the end, even though my GPA is just 2.98 (I wanted to graduate with at least a 3.0! Dammit.)

Honestly, i don't really like what i'm studying in RP. People always ask me why i chose RP (which is all the way at WOODLANDS) when i stay in Pasir Ris. Here's the story: I scored 20pts for my O level, and the courses available for me were mostly engineering (TP, SP, NYP) but i know in my heart, i won't like engineering and i won't do it just for the diploma. That's when i saw RP: Business computing (Keyword: Business) Since i always wanted to do business, so Republic Poly it shall be!


Random highlight in March: First time seeing SHINee in real life during a concert, LOL

APRIL

I knew this letter will come sooner or later.

I knew that after i graduate from RP, it's almost time to enlist into NS. One by one i saw my friend's status announcing on Facebook that they got the "Orange letter" which is the NS enlistment letter, i prayed almost every night that i won't get it till end of the year because i'm just not ready. Apparently my prayers did not work, i got the letter in April -__-

I was really really sad and depressed when i got the letter, i felt that i was going to jail. (abit kua zhang but really!) There's still a million and one things that i want to do and now i have to give up everything and waste 2 years of life serving the country?! But nevertheless since there's nothing i can do about it, i quickly list out the things i want to do in that remaining 2 months before i enlist...

Visit to the newly opened Universal Studio, Singapore!

By the way, i got my enlistment letter at the start of April, so technically i'm left with 2 months - April and May. In April, Universal Studios at Resort World Sentosa was opened so i thought of visiting it before i enlist (although the tickets are freakin' expensive!) but thanks to Hisham and Canon, i got invited in! It was quite magical! One item off my "to-do-before-enlisting" list, totally unexpected (:

MAY

Bleached my hair orange. I mean blonde.

I was thinking, "Since i have to shave botak when i enlist, why not do something daring to my hair!" I wanted to try blonde so i went to Watsons, got a bottle of bleach and bleached only the front part of my hair (Inspired by Jonghyun fr. SHINee, click here to see!) I know it looks nothing like his, but i'm quite pleased with the outcome! TOTALLY never expect myself to have such a hair colour!

Received one of the biggest cash out in my blogging history!

I started blogging in 2007 because i had nothing better to do in class. As time goes by, this little humble blog of mine got "discovered", more and more people start to read everyday, advertisers come knocking on my door, and BOOM! I started earning $$ from blogging. Quite an amount (:

Every month i start earning a few hundred bucks, on lucky months, maybe around a thousand. Money, Free movie previews, Free phones, Free products, everything's like too good to be true. But well, it did happened! Although i would say this "route" does comes with a price to pay but i learn to overcome it throughout these years. Till today, i'm happy with what i have achieved from my blog! It's like, "How many bloggers in singapore can get a $1.6k cheque in a short period?!" *flicks hair*
Weekend KL trip with BFFs

Decided to go for a short getaway with BFFs because god-knows-when is the next time i get to go overseas after i enlist into army, maybe 2 years later? Last minute-ly planned a short trip to KL and we took a plane! (officially my 2nd time taking) It took like less than 45mins? Quite cheap also, like $50?

Even thought it was just a little weekend trip, i had a really fun time with my BFFs in Malaysia! I'm glad our friendship manage to last so long, it's like 2 girls and 1 guy leh! Not 3 girls or 3 guys, LOL May our friendship last! (I intend to invite them to my wedding the future lor!)We are now planning to go Hong Kong in Feb 2011, hopefully it's possible! We are like flying further and further! *excited*
Visit to Universal Studio Singapore (again!)

Most Singaporeans you let them go to Universal Studios once they already very happy already. That applies to me as a well. BUT little did i expect myself to visit the themepark again! (Within 2 months!) and guess what? IT'S FREE AGAIN! Thanks to Jiaqi meow you won the tickets from the Nuffnang Family Day blogging contest, so she got me, Jing long and Gisiang to go with her and her mum! I can proudly say i'm the few Singaporeans that have visited USS twice since it opened! :D
Picnic and kite flying @ Marina Barrage with the bloggers!

This is something that i always wanted to do for the longest time. Gather a few (ok, in this case it's not a few) friends, buy some food and head to Marina barrage for a small picnic and fly kite! I would like to thank this bunch of bloggers for being there in my life. They made the most impact in my life in 2010! Without them, there would be fun, laughter and joy! (not forgetting gossips!) If i'm not wrong, this marina barrage outing is considered one of the largest outing we had! More outings in 2011?

Look mum! No braces!

Finally took off my braces after 3 years plus! Actually i can already take it out during the end of my 2nd year but i somehow feel/ think that my straight teeth + braces look quite nice so i decided to keep it on all the way till god-knows-when BUT then i was afraid that my braces will somehow affect me during NS so i decided to take it off in the end! It's like a MAJOR decision that will change my life lor!

JUNE
It's time to cut botak. Bye bye long hair.

The last week before enlistment was really really difficult to pass. I was practically feeling sad the whole week. My friends around me know how i felt and tried to console me. The most memorable moment was crying over webcam, damn paiseh! LOL Nevertheless, i managed to complete most of my to-do-before-enlistment list, which include meeting all my close friends. Enlisted on 04 Jun 2010!
Enlisted into Orion Coy 03/10 PTP Batch.

Apparently i kena one of the most "xiong" company in Tekong (I don't know what i've done to deserve that -__-) People's BMT is 2 months, but because i failed my NAPFA, or should i say i DID NOT even go for my Napfa because i think i would fail anyway, so my BMT is 4 months instead, Yes FML tyvm.

In army, i did weird things like field camp (without bathing for 5 days!), walk 24km all the way from Changi to Marina platform(?!), throw real grenades, fire real gun etc. Even though i really hated army for taking away 2 years of my life, i would say army made me matured. I tend to appreciate the things around me better, such as my family and friends. So i guess it's not a bad thing afterall? Oh wells.

JULY
Designed a new blogskin!

Wait, hold on. Now i'm wondering where did i get all the time to design this new blogskin! It's like Monday to Friday (or even Saturdays) i'm in tekong, how did i managed to finish designing this blogskin over a few weekends?! I can't seem to remember anything... It shall remain as a Mystery.

AUGUST
Revealed on my blog that i'm in the Army.

Yes, i hid the fact that i enlisted into army on my blog. I think i wrote a post on why i did that,wait. Oh here it is! CLICK HERE TO READ. I think i managed to sucessful hide the fact for a good 2 months before i decide to reveal. Throughout that 2 months, every weekend i would come up with at least 2 to 3 post and scheduled it for the weekdays so that no one would suspect. It was quite difficult as the "secret" would be revealed if i post any camwhore photos of myself, thus the influx of food posts -__-

SEPTEMBER
Random highlight: Saw Korean superstar - Lee Min Ho in real life.

I was invited by LG to attend the launch of the LG optimus, and the event includes a meet and greet session with Lee Min Ho. At that time, i don't even know who he is so i twittered something like, "I got invited to meet Lee Min Ho, but who is he ah?" Guess what? I got scolded (ok lah, not really scold) by a few of my female followers who are his fans, they were like, "HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW WHO IS LEE MIN HO?!", "HE IS THE FAMOUS KOREA ACTOR!" Apparently, he's really very famous, LOL
Cashed out $100 bucks from Churp Churp, earning through twitter.

Ok, i know that's not alot of money but then never did i expect to earn through twitter. I started using twitter for fun, and in 2010, Churp churp was formed. So i signed up, and started earning. At first i was thinking, "Aiya, just join for fun lah. Where got so easy cash out 100 bucks!" But i was wrong. I cashed out in 2 or 3 months. As of now, i can cashed out my 3rd or 4th cheque already! Amazingly hor?


Random highlight: Took a plane for the 3rd time this year to KL with my mum!

OCTOBER
POP at Marina Platform on 10th October 2010!

In a blink of an eye, 4 months past and i graduated from BMT. 4 months... Not very long, but i would say it's not short either. Normally the BMT graduation parade will be held in Tekong but this year dunno why so special, they move the whole parade onto the Marina platform. (Heng ah~) Last 24km route march from all the way Changi terminal at 8pm till the morning 4am at the platform. What a feat. Basic military training over, time to welcome the next phrase of training. One week of block leave first!
Halloween at Night Safari! (I swear it's damn scary!)

Got invited to the Halloween @ Night Safari as a blogger! (I got invited in 08/09?) Brought Jing Long and Jiaqi along this year! Once again, it's damn freakin' scary and definitely worth the price! One of the MUST GO if you're into Halloween! Thank god for the media pass which allow us to SKIP ALL THE QUEUES and head straight into the attractions! How i wish i'll be invited for subsequent years too!

21st Birthday celebration at Mcdonalds!

One of the most highly anticipated event of 2010, MY 21st BIRTHDAY! As everyone know, turning 21 is like your first step to becoming an actual adult, so no matter what also must make it special abit! The irony is, i held it my 21st at a Mcdonalds restaurant which is like for kids! AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Super duper happy that night because i managed to gather all (or most) of my good friends that i've made. Glad they are able to set aside time to attend this childish party! I'll remember that day

NOVEMBER
Enrolled into Officer Cadet School at SAFTI MI

Made a major decision when i was in BMT which i will say later. Enrolled into OCS, apparently only the top 10% of the total cohort in BMT get to go to OCS to become officers, so dunno is i heng or what.

Parents' visiting day on Week 2

In OCS, there's a 3 week confinement , ok they call it the "adjustment period" whereby we have to stay in for a whole 3 week. Thank god for Parents visiting day during Week 2 sunday, i get to see my parents and bring them around the premises to see see look look. You can see all the parents bringing in bags of Mcdonalds, KFC, Burger king, all the cha pa lang fast food. Yes, we are that deprived. LOL

Life in OCS was not bad compared to BMT. In OCS, everyone is treated as officers to be, not like in BMT (recruits!) My bunk is a 2 man room with a huge wardrobe, writing table, shelves, side table whereas in BMT? 16 man Bunk (not room) with one metal cupboard each. See the BIG difference? Phew.

During the first 2 weeks, i also get to experience things such as jumping off a 2 storey platform into the deep pool, climbing up a super tall tower, experience tear gas in a gas chamber (damn pain and scary!), navigating in the jungle alone in the dark and many more! Route to becoming an officer!

Another 1.2K cheque from Nuffnang! Need i say more?
Signed on as an Air Force officer for the next 5 years. (Can you spot me in the photo?)

Remember i say something about making a major decision? That decision was to sign on as an air force officer as my career. I studied Business IT in poly, but i'm not sure if that's really what i want to do as a career, and honestly speaking, my GPA is not good enough to get me a placing in a local Uni either. That was what's running through my mind when the option of signing on was given to me.

I would say i'm quite happy in the Air force, happily drawing 2.2k per month (There's even year end bonus this year!) 21 years old not young already, time to stop playing and plan for my future (:

DECEMBER

Crazy Christmas Night @ Studio M

I have to wait till end of December before finishing this post but i agar agar know Dec's highlight would be about Christmas. This year's christmas was spent in a rather unique way, we booked a room at Studio M hotel and celebrated it there! Many many things happened! Anyway i will blog about it soon!

So to conclude 2010, i would say this year was rather fruitful and i look forward to 2011 (: