Back into the living

After 25 brain-numbing days, I'm back.

Another good news is that my "precious" have a new nose. So it's back to more DotA, Uncharted waters and Blogging...

Oh ya, the Greece thingy..

Return to my old unit: breakdown on what have changed and what have not

[Background]
After the events of 911, a new flight (mine) was created to supplement manpower needs when needed. We are to put on the old roles we knew so well. The crap we know even better.
In theory, when we are around, the active personnel would have an easier time.
[Background]


[Good]
1. More fans...
2. We can lie on the beds during daytime now
3. My old Camp Sergent Major is gone
4. The base appears more secure to public

[Bad]
1. Room is actually warmer now, with less ventilation and more warm bodies
3. His successor is even more "charming"
4. The base appears less secure to me
5. NCOs and Men divide is wider than before
6. Duties do not get lightened due to our presence. In fact, more duties were generated
7. Men are expected to use their initiative (see #8)
8. Men are expected to seek Control's advice when something is out of the ordinary (see #7)

[Just-as-stupid]
2. TV is still off-limits during the day
9. Contingency drills requires everyone to assemble outside the guard room. Perfect for a grenade or sniper kill

[New-high-in-stupidity]
10. Contingency drills require everyone to line up and sign for their ammo


I can go on but it would then be attacking the stupidity of individuals that are in-charge. I shall stop here.

Greece: write-up and photos?

I'm not dead. It's just that the number of photos are so staggering that I have been putting off the organisation.
Secretly, I have been doing some posts. However, as the excitement of the trip dies down, the entries get simpler and simpler, haha.

I back-dated these entries in May so that it is easier for me to relate to them. When all is completed, I will put up an index page so that you'll know about it.

If you can't wait, there are two tools for you to locate my posts. One is the archives. The other is the "labels" located below each entry.

Choosing a birthday gift

[post has been back-dated]

Belachanbabe wanted to buy me a belated present and asked me to pick my own. I refused to let her do a "Gaga" and went about looking at "anything".

I saw a figurine / bust of Saya(Blood+) in an attack pose, together with Hagi and I expressed my interests. She however claimed that it was too perverted as Saya was in uniform...

"Hello? Bleach is more perverted. Blood+ is serious all the way. Ahem, I correct myself. Bleach is very perverted."

However, my argument fell on deaf ears. She picked something in the end, unwittingly completing a collection of mine.

Later, we saw a nice display set of a popular cartoon series. It was several characters and its selling point is "Create your own opening scene!". Belanchanbabe then thought it would make a better present. I felt shy about returning the present to the shop-owner so we left it at that.

Thanks. Anyone wants to gift me a shelf next?

Tribute, inside joke or self praise?

[quote]
...My first awareness as I came to myself, such as I was, was of a medicinal scent, sharp and acrid. Next was the realisation that I could not move. I was lying on my back, and straps of various sorts kept me there. After a time, it occured to me to open my eyes.

...I resolved then and there to remain still while my head cleared. If I alerted the staff of this place--surely the mental hospital that Tuvoon had mentioned--they were certain to come in. No doubt they had permission to give me drugs to make me sleep again.

Something like this had happened to a fellow in a novel I read once. His enemies stashed him in a private sanitorium and authorised its staff to dope him to the gills. He, however, turned out to have superhuman strength and recuperative powers, and had busted his way out. I wasn't so well equipped.
[/quote]

Amber! Corwin of Amber!
Nine princes of Amber By Roger Zelazny.

I found this in the book "Lord Demon". The last work of novel by Roger Zelazny with Jane Lindskold before his death. I wonder who put that reference in and why he allowed it. Anyway, I burst out laughing upon reading it. Luckily, no one put in a mental hospital.

The Zen of guard duty

Sleep when you can
The best way to pass time

Eat while you can
It gives you a high and it lets you sleep better

Read if you're alert
It'll put you to sleep

Read if you're bored
Not as good as sleeping but it serves

Awakening

He thought it safe so he played with fire
Few were blind to his desire
She took time off, her heart to calm
That news he learnt, his heart did bind
To loot a burning house is not his way
Yet choosing otherwise is to cause him pain
The girl later chose, with her guy to stay
Life's painful lesson, taught over again

-Midgard, 2007

Dream of Santorini

Dreams as they go don't make sense. I just thought that it's amusing to log them and read at a future date. Readers might want to skip this entry.

[Dream]
Family came to visit me at Santorini for the weekend. Brought them out. "See the caldera? Nice, isn't it? Look at the streets. Note the stones are different from Paros and Mkyonnos."
Went into toy shop. Picked up a Veritech fighter box, tore open the black bag inside, saw a VF-1s and tiny figurines of Zentradi officer pod and UN Spacy's Mac II, which I already have. "Hey Melvin, you want a VF-1S?" "Yes, I want", replied Melvin. Wow, these days they stick the little models into Lego bricks instead of seperate items. Huh? These days I see are not for sale? Item turned out to be Jabba the hutt vs Stormtrooper on speederbike. The type is on the box. "Oops, you still want it? I can purchase it to complete my collection, no problem." "No, no, I can still get it." "You sure?"
Took a look around, rest of family is gone. "Oh no, stay here while I go look for them." Ran around a large modern train station, could find them. Came to town. Entered narrow streets. Entered a shop which turned out to be a massage shop. Boss(?) and Fauzi where there, having massages. Lied on a bed, which turns out to be the most expensive one at 28 dollars. Attendant started giving a massage by applying oils. When the massage for the other two guys have been completed, the massager's went to the center of the shop, which is laid out like a gym and took part in a popularity contest. Of them, who is the best massager? My guy won are came back to me. He seemed to have lost interest or lost track. Either way, he concluded my massage, leaving me unsatisfied.
Got off from bed, the coins in my pocket have spilled out. Segregated different denominations and put them back. Remembered that the rest of the family could not be found that they couldn't get into my hotel room as I'm the only one with a key. Phones won't work as there is no reception there.
Went to cashier to pay. The bill came out to be 40.05 Euros - because of herbs. Was unhappy due to lack of transparency but paid up. Gave them 40 Euros and a dollar coin. "Hey, what's this?", the cashier demanded. Took a closer look. SBP.. "Oh, Scottish Pound. Sorry, I took out all my foreign currency with me". Found the correct coin and paid them.
On way out, came across LHS and Fauzi. LHS uncharacteristically used his elbow to rub my shoulder, which only feels mildly ticklish.
[/Dream]

Scottish Pound is not SBP. It is used domestically and has the same value as GBP. Great Britain Pound is GBP.

In-camp..

O fun. Don the green thing and I sweat like crazy. Can someone develop some ultra cool material for us please?

I'm doing the same old things again. My 6th ICT. *Yawnz* You'll expect us to do our jobs without any refresher courses by now.

I have also updated my timetable. It doesn't look as good as it could but I still have some free time :)

Politics: Saving Face

For a bigger nation to admit that a smaller nation is a military threat is a serious loss of face. Hidden in the admission is a threat to bomb her into the stone age, if it ever happens. As sick as I am of hearing this bravado all the time, it is also kind of amusing.