new post @ 10:21 PM

Just came back from a holiday yesterday, which explains the delayed response in the blog entries... Church Camp 2004 was a Blast. It was great. The times spend were memorable. Church Camp 2004 was at Allson Klana Resort. (I finally know where the location I am going for the church camp, heck!) Well, must admit that the accommodation, hospitality and facilities for the camp were satisfactory only lah. Else it's substandard. The games organized by hotel management were good. Rope Confidence. Wahaha. I was the cocked up leader for my team (Vicious) in the games. I guess I didn't communicate well enough with my team members. Or maybe I didn't put across the instructions clearly. But my team was great and thank God for that! As they were independent, indestructible, different, cooperative, brave and patient with me. Even without me, they were able to manage the team by themselves. They gave me a chance to learn. But in anyway, I have learned something in the games, at least in the basics of leadership. And thank you PLH and AKR, I feel great for that. The scary part of the games organized by AKR was the Rappelling and the obstacle course at the Flying Fox. Boy you bet my balls shrieked and shrinked.

The hotel rooms in AKR were satisfactory. You can make out the outdated tiles in the toilet and deficient cooling system coming from the room air-cons. But strangely, the air-con in one of the meeting rooms was like a murder. Maybe because it's from LG, a branded aircon that's why it is working good and too good at it. Room service was ok. I clearly remember one morning when my buddy Andrew and I woke up late for Quiet Time all because our morning room call service didn't gave us that awfully dreaded morning call to wake us up. No qualms for that. I have learned to share and open up more in the camp. Which is a good thing. Bonds were forged closer and better understanding and relations were shaped among PLHers. In retrospect, I'm a pleased that I went for the camp. I have come to realize how important it is, to start and end a day with God. The food was good but balls I got indigestion on the third day and I just can't flush the unwanted waste outta my tummy resulting in mood swings in the morning. But I see that people cared for me and asked how I was which made me felt all the better. The waitering staffs have a problem. Especially this tall guy called Aziz. He has a problem when I asked him for eating utensils and he told me that they don't have any. I asked him politely if he could make his way to the kitchen and get the utensils for me. But he looked at me and slowly drifted to look at somewhere else with this dopey look on his face. (a.k.a. feigning ignorance) So much for service dude.

Joy, I really enjoyed the pool and the water polo games. Though I loath playing the midfielder. Always have to pump the ball up to the attack zone and swimming up and down in the pool like a dolphin. Now it makes my shoulders broad and who will be responsible for the swelling. Hey, isn't that a good thing to have broad shoulders, haha? Speaking of Nemo, I got to know a brand new wacko. She is none other than Hannan. I am impressed by how she bonded well with Andrew and I. Pity that she will be leaving SG for LA soon. But I thank her for bestowing me as her best buddy. I also got to know better of Jophia and Dorcas. And again a pity that Dorcus will be leaving for England. Why is everybody leaving man? I got to know Jason better too. He is a fantastic guy. You know when you get to know better of him the more you will like him. He is a great guy though I also get to arrow him plenty, ahahaha! (No offence my man) I got to communicate better with Zara and Andrew. And Joel is our friendly giant. I feel honored that I am added among Joel's links. Well, what can I say about my buzz group but they shrill! Man, they are turbo-charged up. With powerhouse individuals like Jophia as our mentor and Dorcas who co-led. And active youths like Sarah, Jane, Jason, Kevin, Ricky, Julian. We have got a buzz group like none other. Our speaker was fantastic and he is none other than the well received Moses Lim. He was the speaker who spoke to us 2 years ago in the Church Camp 2002 just before I entered army. And now I am out of the army and he speaks to me again in this church camp. How ironic. Anyway, when I first saw him, he greeted me with his cute adorable smile and asked me how were things. He speaks to me personally about spiritual and personal issues. Oh, I love his talks. He is gifted.

I felt so honored and happy and special and grateful to PLH. They celebrated my ORD day with cakes and handshakes with well wishes. Never have i felt so good in such a long time. This I will remember in the many many years ahead. And will contribute back to PLH. Special note to mentors like U Shih Kiat, U Nick, U Alex in SG.

Mmmm, I must come to admit that I don't feel like I missed the church camp so much like the previous church camp 2002. Church Camp 2002 fever followed me till 9 months in the service of the army. I was still thinking of that event in the army can you imagine. But it is still too early to say whether I don't miss this church camp or not.

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I woke up quite late today, showered and washed my face. Then called a few friends on the phone to meet at Keat Hong Camp 2. And then got out of the house. I took a train ride down to Choa Chu Kang and walked deep into the avenue and into Keat Hong district in a bid to redeem my freedom. So while I was in camp, I met up and said non-teary goodbyes to many old friends and acquaintances who served the nation alongside with me, and finally, after much delay, I got back my pink identity card. ORD Loh!!!

It felt weird to hold that piece of pick plastic, finally in your hands after two years of stinking regimentation. It felt even weirder to look at a printed face that is too child-like and innocent. But seriously, I think it was all quite anti-climatic. Despite the hype of others, it didn't do anything for me as I thought it would. Then I walked a final walk through the blocks of combat companies and when I reached the exit, I didn't do any of that melodramatic shit like sniffing the air and looking squinty-eyed into the sun like a godforsaken convict.

I later trooped down to SSDC to do my advance theory and knowing that I didn't study for the test. Will retake it again someday. And there ended my so-called eventful day.