It's Job Week Camp! and its the last leg of the camp already... the boys are sleeping, the leaders are still hanging out late (or early in the morning) watching some show.

Well... things has change over the years. During my time of Job Week, there wasn't such a thing as rest, as we worked our ass off for the money and to be the best of the best. The top earner position was really a precious and prestigious spot in the unit. Training was scheduled every night so as to fulfill our progressive scheme.

Now, as the boys gets more pampered, the parents gets more protective and the school overloading them with remedial and enrichment lessons... the boys gets to have light games, good food (being brought or catered for) and good SLEEP!.

Well, I do hope that they learn to be appreciative of matters as they will begin their training non-stop, full blast and fun-loving.

Thinking back about my Job Week... it was really the essence of honest and hard work that brought me to understand the value of working and earning honestly. Not some get-rich-quick scheme but old-fashioned labour and earn. It was super duper fruitful during those times and I really enjoy the challenge of going out, meeting people, greeting them at their gates and telling them about Job Week.

However, I do wonder... do kids still love challenges this way? or do they prefer challenges from their computer screen...

People around me is getting sick these days... I wonder if I am the cause of it as I am still nursing a flu. I don't even know how I got these. It sucks being sick as you feel restless and like shit. I hope Marlinne is getting well too.

Life as a passionate leader, who gives it all to the boys and the name of Scouting... not that I am bragging but I think I did my part as one. I wonder if it is fair for Marlinne, who needs me by her side at times. I do feel sorry and apologetic about this, really.

I hope that as time passes by... and more of my vision and dreams achieving... I am let go more and more stuff for the younger generation to handle. I am not scheming anything... but I would like the younger ones to have the exposure and experience as a leader, in their own terms.

Responsibility... I used to be the one shunning responsibility when it was given to me. I didn't like the idea of extra burden. Therefore, I am not really surprise to see the younger generation of leaders doing so too. I was quite fearful that because of the extra burden, these young souls will feel overwhelm and leave one by one. I have seen it and I felt sorry for them.

Well... the next activity is starting soon and I hope those boys are prepared for some treasure hunting!

There used to be a time, where kids or men proclaim that they are rugged enough to live in this World. I guess that time is either slowing down or dying off each generation. I have this mentality that parents who oppose their kids to joining certain activities (meaningful activities), had a bad history with it.

I may not be parent yet, however seeing kids this days. I do not know whether to envy them for their comfort of living or pity them for what is to come for them in a worst-case scenario situation. I stand by the fact that kids needs to be expose to outdoor living and stuff so as to get used to the environment. And I strongly oppose the pampering of kids by resisting them or brainwashing them to be computer geeks (no offence, really).

True enough, based on the past year of medical incidents of Army life adaptation as well as sports activities... I wonder, will the human race be complacent in their lives? My seniors and elders told me about how their Army life were and the war stories... I trusted them about the hardship and sacrifice that they had to made. Comparing then and now... I do not know how to react to this.

Well, being a leader, seeing parents defending their kids at weird moments... I wonder how effective are they parenting their kids to be strong humans that can withstand different situations in life.

The old challenge: Street Smart V.S. Bookworms... who shall prevail.

Well... I disagree with many things especially with the current education system. This has been a topic for many years and the situation seems to be from bad to worse. The topic on School Holidays. I respect the choice of the school to have enrichment lessons for kids who needs assistance as well as other matters... however shouldn't these be part of the lesson plan by teachers? If not, why the need to do lesson plans for their teaching schedule each year?

The new CCA will soon be Enrichment and Remedial instead of the current sports, uniform groups, musical or clubs. Why? Simply, the focus are on academics, academics, academics... yes, we need the paper!!

Paper, paper, paper... isn't it just prove that we have been there, done that, achieve it and be Eligible for it... reminder! The word is eligible but not guarantee. So what's your take...

The new challenge: Moral, Values, Survivability V.S. Papers.

Well... it only takes a spark to keep the fire going... so how do we continue to have a balance of both and yet, stay sane in this World?

"Were people so blinded by the money that they honestly believed themselves to be defenders of the poor and the sick?" (Quoted from 'King of Torts' by John Grisham)

I was reading about lawyers preaching out to the World that they are suing for the poor and powerless people, to gain what they are suppose to received. I've heard people preaching to me about community work as a vision of a MLM company. I've seen community volunteers shoo-ing kids back into asking for donation.

Has the money that the humans created, blinded them instead? Have the money that we thought to be used as currency for exchanging items and buying items, controlled our fate and moral values? I believe that the creators of monetary values were to see the future, they may have destroyed the idea of even having one. Why? Simply, I don't think they created the monetary system to control humans.

Look at Wall Street today. Look at the banks today. Are humans being so greedy and naive into thinking that they can just throw their money into some kinda investment without even looking through the terms and conditions or even understanding the usage of it?

Is Scouting making me blind of the reality of the World?

I got to admit that Scouting as a passion, as a leader, can be quite an occupation hazard in one's life. Take for example, in a situation whereby you got to be a leader... you got to be one. When you are in a situation to be a Rover, you got to be one. There isn't any mixed or matched... it's one or another.

I do empathise Marlinne whenever I overloaded myself with the Scouting works and passion stuff. Teaching and guiding a boy's life and using it on the relationship... it isn't that fair to her or to myself. However, sometimes, it takes time to let go of some stuff and let others handle it.

I do agree that I can be a perfectionist, to a certain degree... I love to do my work on my own and when it comes to other people doing it for me... I do get quite hesitant to it. I fear that the results they produced wouldn't be the ones that I have expected it to be. But now, I am learning to coordinate. To be a coordinator in some sense (no, I am not watching too much Gundam Seed).

Well... I think I got to sort out my thoughts for now. So many things line up for me... so much to do. I'm not complaining... in fact, I love to do things. That's the reason why I stayed out from home, to go around. Even if it means travelling down to the North, even if it means sitting at the coffee shop with my brothers, even if it means going down to school to meet my brothers... I just got to do something instead of sitting in front of the computer or the television the whole day. Instead of lying on the bed like a dead corpse the whole day.

I embrace the challenge like my uncle once said. I do... and I take pride in it. I take pride in doing things differently, to work my ideology out, to step out of my comfort zone. There isn't any need to be sorry for the other intentions you think that I am having. I am just trying to enjoy my life here.

Each man has an ego. I've seen great leaders fall from grace due to their ego. Ego that has been bruised or hurt by someone they love or even things that they can't accomplish. I do have my ego too... however, I guess my ego is too small for such things to happen. I believe that I can be as proud as a peacock, yet I would always remind myself to be humble and down to earth. I am no high achiever that people once thought I am... I am no superhero that I thought once... I am no super lover too, although I would love to be one.

I am just a plain fish.

When the Priest mentioned: "When a person is happy, he or she radiates happiness to others. Similarly, if the person is wounded or sad or bitter, he or she will inflict sadness, bitterness and making the other party wounded (be it physically, emotionally or mentally)".

The first thought that came into my mind was the common slogan used between my God-sisters and me... "You happy, I happy. You sad, I sad" Somehow, so many years have passed, and the slogan still live in me whenever I come in contact with humans.

I am not a very emotional person, as I am more of the logical side of a human. However, when it comes to sharing of other people's happiness and problems... I can handle it with care. I don't get too engrossed, till I fall in with the person. Yet, I do not be over zealous and go over my head.

I'm glad that life has been quite smooth for me.

Rain rain go away come again another day... Little Marlin wants to play! More clouds, more playtime...