28 days and 4 months

man.. it's gonna be one loooooooong civilian conversion course. no matter how you look, it reeks of a bad deal. let's not even talk about the off days owed that will never be cleared. or the leave that will be given on days without my say. just look at the work schedule. 

First up, a very nice course they call ISPC. Actually, it's my guys who are on course, but somehow i end up doing most everything my guys do. Having passed the course myself, i still find that it does not count for much, especially with the high attrition nature of the course. i guess you can say that it's not one of the 'sure pass' kinda course, after all, we are training third-class special forces. Then, with whoever is still left with me, we're off to a land of sultans, oil, animism, seven knolls, rain at four, leeches and the beloved swamp walk. 

So after the 2 week jaunt in the woods, it's back to singapore. just in time for a nice thing called 'wait to rush, rush to wait'. okay, actually there's an official and much better sounding name, but if i don't think it's wise to let the whole world know. anyways, it just means that i can't book out.. for how long? nobody seems to know. very nice.

And then, after the confinement in the name of national security, it's off to the land of jay chou, betel nut girls and very efficient ninja vans. 'wah by then liddat, you can smell your ord loh!' unfortunately, my nose will be blocked by the grease of treachery and the fragrance of ord will be barely discernible. my understudy will still be training to be a third-class SF, so i can't hand over. but don't get me wrong, i love going outfield and doing the stuff that we do.. it's just that there's so much crap in the peripheral to contend with.

and then i have to contend with:

so, what are you doing after you ord?

i dunno man. but i agree with them beastie boys,

you gotta fight, for your right, to paartay!