MiZ in Weekdays 7: CAOCOC Parade

04 Apr 2005
The 10 of us in the marching contigent had drill practice in the morning. Well, the practice is just about some footdrils and rifle drills going to be performed for the CAOCOC parade. It wasn't that tiring actually. After that, we had a short break in the enlistee's mess canteen. When we went back to had our practice again, the RSM told us to go for another canteen break since the weather wasn't that good that time. Well, he told us to be back in 1 hour time, so we decided to go back to bunk and rest first. After a while later, it started to rain very heavily. Because of that, the morning practice was cancelled. We just had to wait after lunch for the afternoon rehearsal.

In the afternoon, we did about 3 rehearsals. Well, for the 2nd rehearsal, before the drive-past, I went into the wrong vehicle. That was what someone said while were inside the vehicle. I didn't know that RSM had assigned the people to which vehicle we were supposed to be in. Hmm... nobody told me about that... Well, maybe I shold have asked earlier.

For the 3rd rehearsal, before the drive-past, I just ran to the vehicle, trying to find out which vehicle I was supposed to be in. Before I could try to find out anything, the people already closed the vehicle door, so I was left alone outside the vehicle. I decided to wait at the building behind the parade square until the people are backed.

05 Apr 2005
One of the most tiring day of the week. The 10 of us were doing drill practice and rehearsals for almost the whole day. In the 1st half of the morning, we had our drill practice to warm up ourselves first. After the break, we went to HQ Armour parade square to had our rehearsals there. Well, the RSM told us that they only need a few people inside the vehicle as the vehicle was too crowded, so the remaining people had to go to that stretched of road near 42 SAR to bid farewell to the CAO. Well, I think that was good for me as I didn't really had any vehicle to go to. We had quite a lot of rehearsals for that day, so after all the rehearsals, I felt quite tired. I also had a bit of sunburn on my face and hands as the sun was a bit unfriendly that day...

06 Apr 2005
There was no drill practice or rehearsal in the morning, so the 10 of us had to go for our usual morning training, which is company run. Well, when we reached there, we waited for a long time for the conducting officer to come. While we were waiting, HJ, SJ, ZL and I were playing around with twigs found on the floor, as we had nothing to do. After waiting for abount an hour, our sergeant told us to go back to our bunk, as there may not be a company run...

When we went back to bunk, Daniel went to do some commandoo push-ups. Some people take the challenge of doing that. Unfortunately, my buddy, JR, got injured after hitting the floor doing so. He had to be brought to the medical centre as he bleed a lot...

After lunch, we were dicussing about whether there might be a night bashing for us. Well, after some time, the sergeant told us that only the few people in our platoon need to go for the night bashing (which excludes the 10 people going for the parade). Well, I felt quite relieved after hearing that, as my webbing was not really prepared for night bashing, and I need to change my No.4 as well after the parade if I had to go.

Well, the RSM took me out of the parade and asked me to be the reserved, so that means that all my practice and rehearsals had gone into a waste... well, never mind about that, being a reserved wasn't that bad anyway since I would not be involved in the actual parade. The RSM also asked me to carry the battalion flag and waved to the CAO after the parade when we bid farewell. Hmm... I almost forgot to draw the flag from WF before the parade, and had to make him carry the flag to me...

After the parade, I went back to bunk to do some personal admin and also some area cleaning to prepare for the stand-by area the next day. Well, I felt very tired after doing all these things...

07 Apr 2005
We had our area inspection by our stand-in CSM in the morning. Well, the CSM just looked around the area and only made a few comments about our bunk. Well, I supposed we want our bunk to stay hygenic so that we do not fall sick... Anyway, after the inspection, we had to go to Keat Hong Camp to test some radio stores. The "train" told us that there were a lot of sotres to test, and if we do not finish, we may have to stay back on Saturday to do so. Well, as opposed o what we had said, we tested the stores very quickly and ended by early afternoon. I think he was just underestimating us...

After we came back to camp, I rested quite a lot as I still felt quite tired after all the parade drill pratices and rehearsals we had for the past few days.

08 Apr 2005
In the morning, there was SOC test/trial for most of the people in the platoon. Well, I should be pacing JR, but as he could not do SOC test due to his injury, so I had to pace another person. Well, initially, I just wanted to take the SOC trial personnal as they were less stressful to pace, but as all the pacers were pacing the test personnal, I decided to run along with them and take their timing.

After that, I paced HH as I felt that he really need a pacer to run SOC. Well, after HH finished his SOC, TH and I had his timing as 9min27sec. But there was some problems with the timing reflected on the timer's paper. I think the person forgot to time someone running into the end point, so eventually HH got other people timing for 9min36secs......... Maybe we shold be the timer next time. Well anyway, after JR pass his SOC test, I might be retiring from the pacer job as there would be quite a lot of pacers by that time.

There was nothing much for us to do in the late morning and afternoon, except for returning and loaning stores from QM.

After I booked out, I thought of going back home to eat, but decided to accompany SJ and other people for dinner. Well, some unfortunate thing happened to me while having dinner. Alex spilt my food onto my right hand and clothings while trying to take his bag. Just been laughed by some people who witnessed that situation. Well, I just laughed along with them since there was nothing much I could do, except to clean up all the stains on my clothes, my personal items and the floor. Hmm... maybe I should sit somewhere else in the first place since the table was too crowded. Anyway, Alex bought me back another meal after that. Looks like he felt very bad after that when I saw him helping me to clean my file, bag and umbrella. Ok, there is something I need to say, I don't really take this matter into my heart (well it's only MZ anyway, just be careful next time), and I can forgive you about that (no more next time, ok?) so PLEASE DO NOT keep bringing up that matter after booking in into camp, saying how sorry you were that day.

Well, after I got back home, I got a letter from ABRSM representative. It was a letter containing a $167 cheque, which was a refund for the exams they cancelled for me as there are no instrument they have in Singapre for me to have exams on. Well, at least I still got back my money. Hmm... looks like I may have to get one myself if I had to take the exams IF AND ONLY IF I had that money...