another amazing coincidence.

Have you ever discovered that you actually knew someone longer than you think? And that your paths actually crossed before? This is something that can happen often, but it's something you wouldn't be able to find out easily.

Not for me, not this time, as I happened to unravel a mystery of my life in the past.

He is one of the only few people who were together with me all the way from Police Basic Training, to life in SOC. He was also one of the very few who shares a very similar background as me, compared to other people from our intake. The first two months after being posted to SOC, I used to meet him on the train and head together to base for training.

And we both ORDed together on the 10th of November. The last time I saw him was on last Monday, when we collected our certificates. We had a good 1 year and 10 months long of friendship from the Home Team Academy to SOC, or so we thought.

The next day after we last met, he smsed me, asking me if I was in NPCC back in my secondary school days and if I attended the National Camp in 2002. It was a 'yes' to both questions. That sms prompted me to dig high and low for this notebook which has some contact information of people I met at the National Camp. And.. there it was.. his name.. Muhsin Abd Razak.

high and low for the best

'Hi, I'm looking for running shoes for distance running, for overpronators and people like me with mild flat feet.' I had to repeat that umpteen times yesterday when I went all around in search for the best kind of running shoes for myself.

My running hobby started many months back but I was the least aware of the damage I was doing to myself all these while with the pair of mass-produced running shoes issued by NS. But that was only until recently, when I decided to make it a point to buy a pair which best suits my feet.

Then came the jargons which only until recently did I start to comprehend. 'Over-pronators', 'Neutral' and 'Under-pronators' are terms coined to mean the type of running pattern one adopts while running. I am an over-pronator, which means my each feet tends to roll inwards when I walk or run. For cases like mine, the solution is to have shoes which have an additional support on the inside of the shoes, to counter the tendencies of both feet to lean inwards.

I decided to make a trip to Queensway Shopping Centre, where I inevitably felt spoilt for choices with so much variety of running shoes. Fortunately, I was able to narrow down my options after trying countless pairs of shoes. After a good few hours of browsing, I proceeded to Novena Square, for two reasons. First, there is a New Balance outlet where I intended to use a 30% discount voucher I had. Second, and higher on my priorty list, was to visit the Running Lab outlet. For those of you who are like me, in search of good running shoes, that is the place I strongly recommend.

No, it's not because they have shoes that others don't or they sell shoes at the most affordable prices. In fact, it's the opposite. They sell same shoes, at the same price or more, as retail shops. That means the prices are entirely on the higher end. That put me off, and for a short moment, I decided to leave the shop. Then I paused and turned around, setting my eyes on this standing poster. It says, "Come by and talk to our friendly consultants to discuss your running concerns, regarding shoes, apparels, and any other issues", or roughly in that context.

It was the right decision to head back into the shop and talk to one of the shop assistants. Then I repeated the first paragraph above to the Malay lady who attended to me. The next thing she said caught me a little off-guard. She said, "okay I need you to roll up your jeans to knee-length, remove your socks and shoes and step on the threadmill." Subsequently, she visually analysed and patiently explained to me, the anatomy of my feet while standing stationery, walking and running, and accordingly grabbed the pairs which she deems are suitable for me. It was not only her knowledge and expertise that impressed me, but also her friendliness and service-orientedness. Obviously, I did not make a hasty investment by buying what she had recommended. Instead, I seeked her opinions on the shoes which I already had in mind, and her response only further justified and confirmed my choices.

So I'm down to these 3 pairs:

Asics GT 2120

Nike Structure Triax+ 10

Saucony ProGrid Trigon 5 Guide

As one of the shop owners at Queensway Shopping Centre retorted, most people comes, buys and leaves, but people like me who comes, contemplates, and contemplates even more, ends up buying the wrong shoes. I couldn't understand his logic, and I guess he couldn't understand mine either. Of course, from a money-maker's point of view, you wish your customers would just come, try, buy and leave; but from a customer's point of view, or at least from mine, I am making sure to the smallest detail, that I do not end up regretting my investment. That is the sole reason why I go high and low for the best.

it's all worth it now.

I have just received my C.O.S (Certificate Of Service) today, the paper that actually certifies the completion of your National Service and grades you accordingly based on your entire National Service performance. It brought a genuine smile on my face, as soon as I saw the words 'Conduct - Outstanding (Top 10%)', knowing that every single thing that I have done has been worth the effort and sweat.

On a deeper level, I couldn't help but to recall the milestones of events of my National Service life in SOC.

1. First, the culture shock in adapting to the squad, which is largely made up of people who smoke, who have zero respect for others, who act in the rowdiest manner, and worst of all, who indulge in pornography and premarital you-know-what. It may sound like I'm exaggerating things, but I'm not. However, I have these people to thank for, for without them, I wouldn't have a platform to hone my tolerance and patience.
2. Next, there was the intensive 10-days deployment for the Singapore 2006, IMF/World Bank Meetings in September 2006.
3. In November 2006, I took over as the leader of the squad. This was only for name-sake as it was futile exercising my leadership over people who do not have the least respect for another. It was not until each intake of officers start to ORD one by one that I began to enforce my leadership skills.
4. Then came the Chiang Mai trip in January this year. That was one trip which I enjoyed because I was largely on free-and-easy mode and I got to travel to places where I wanted.
5. My stint as a sentry officers for three grueling months. Why grueling? It's the shift pattern that wears me down to the skin. But of course, it is not until you're in that position before you start to learn about the nuts and bolts of it.
6. In May, I was posted back to squad with a new responsibility - a driver for the Police Tactical Squad Vehicle. Despite being a rookie driver, I was almost immediately tasked with the duty of driving the vehicle into the Singapore Indoor Stadium as part of the demonstration of the Police Day Parade SOC segment.
7. It was in late August when we went on the STAR Cruise trip, another trip which I enjoyed, this time because I tried my hands on some things for the first time in my life, primarily snorkelling.
8. And most recently, the transferring out of my two supervisors as a domino effect consequence of some stupid things that some guys did, despite repeated warnings against such acts. It is however a blessing as far as I see it, since my two supervisors, who have been instrumental in my NS life, have both found new abode, hopefully better working environments.

After so much of giving my best in everything and setting the best example I can be to others, it finally boils down to this paper which justifies my every word and action. It was all worth it.

Thank you, SI Goh and SSS Saad.

this day, i'm free!

10 November has finally arrived, and it's time to say bye-bye to much of everything about NS. I cannot help but to feel a sense of nostalgia. After all, it is during this NS times that I've learnt so many lessons, made so many friends, and of course been through so many wonderful experiences. I'd challenge naysayers who oppose the good of NS. Well, it may sound like NS has been all but a rough period of time for me, which isn't true at all. It is through these difficult times that I learn to be more rationale and independent in making certain judgements.

This day marks another beginning, a new phase in my life. After this day, I am considered an operational ready Police National Serviceman (PNSman). And I cannot wait to embark on the next stage of my life. Let the curtains roll! =)

a random quote I thought of...

"Expect not surprises when you expect them; expect them when you least expect."