"Let it snow (rain)...let it snow (rain)...let it snow (rain)..."

"Jingle Bells...jingle Bells...jingle all the way..."

Warning: Unusually long blog ahead...got much to catch up aft 2 weeks of non activity...hee

yelo everybody...i'm back!! yes yes yes...i know i haven blog for like more than 2 weeks or so...muz be the longest time i have stopped blogging since my inaugural blog entry in april...also muz be too long never blog liao...now blog also trying hard to "squeeze" the words out...unlike at the peak of my blogging craze in US when the words juz flow out like nothing...haha...in fact there were times when i wanna blog over the past 2 weeks abt my working life in the shipyard and catching up with friens and so on...but den somehow blogged halfway den dunno wad to write...got such thing call blogger's block anot?? heh...maybe also using the right side of my brain too much with all the engin stuff at work...the creative or left side of my brain are not utilised as much these days...all these explains why i haven been blogging...haha

and of coz shagged lah my work...i need to report at sembawang shipyard at 7.45am every morning...and that means having to wake up at 6plus in the morning...andden leave my office at ard 5.45pm each day...if never meet friens...go home on another dreary one hour bus-mrt journey...eat dinner...watch tv...check mail...read newspapers andden the nxt thing i know my hp alarm clock sounding again at 6.15am...haha...working life quite shagged ah...somemore in a shipyard...heh...

more on my shipyard work now...i'm attached to a Project Office currently building an oil rig...the 1st of its kind which semb shipyard is building...i am actually very thankful that they attached me to so called "outfield" rather than to the main office (which kenny and YX are stranded...haha)...really learn so much more than wad i know and learn in sch...in fact i know nuts abt oil rigs coz haven start to specialise yet mah...but over the past 2 weeks...have really learned a lot technical aspects of building an oil rig...a jack-up one to be exact...not only that...also getta learn abt the organization and structure of a project office...like the diff depts such as hull, electrical, mechanical, logistics, heavy lift, piping and such...didn't know a project can be so complex as such...last time thought juz building only wad how difficult can it get...as such the past 2 weeks have really given me a good feel of the system & working culture in a shipyard...and a good background for my longer 12-week VIP in May and of coz my 2 years bond in the yard and hopefully beyond...hee..hope can come back to this proj in May again and hopefully also they attached me to a proj when i grad come 2008...

it's been a fruitful and accomplishing 2 weeks at the yard...of coz thanks in large part to the proj manager aloy...a gregarious man whose charisma simply exudes thruout whenever he conducts the daily safety meeting with the area managers...foremen...safety officers and contractors...his enthusiasm despite working in the yard for like 35 years simply rubs off on anybody...and i really hope to learn as much as i can from him...and of coz special mention to my mentor mike...area manager for heavy lift and logisitics and currently serving his bond...haha...really showed me ard the yard...bringing me to all the depts to get to know the pple in the yard...and of coz patiently answering wadever questions i got...juz like a big brother guiding the little one...and the rest of the proj office for making me feel at home...there's juz that sort of bond between pple in a project office when they r all working towards a common goal...and i dun really feel any animosity or so called "office politics" between the pple which the environment i kindda of like...and besides i'm definitely more of an on-the-go person rather than a deskbound one...haha

as such a typical day for me will start with a 10min morning exercise in frt of the office building porch...yes it's a standard exercise routine for all workers in the yard...ala the all-too familiar great s'pore workout...aftwhich changed to my coveralls...den read the spec mannual...technical primers and engin drawings...jot down notes...andden cycle to the site for the daily safety and progress meeting...yah man the yard is so freaking big...and u really need a bike to move ard esp with my office at one corner of the yard...aftwhich follow by my own site exploration...in and ard the rig...den ride off for a "shipyard tour"...haha...yah free and easy really...but of coz lah i cycle ard all the docks to "look look" lah...the more u move the more u look the more u learn rite...haha...even board an oil tanker on my own to see how it is like...shagged ah go up...heh...den go back office if got time ask mike some questions follow by more reading...den lunch...hurray!!!

aft lunch normally stay in office for a while den go down to the site if weather permits...still remem my 1st day was like a baptism of "water"...taking shelter with blanghas and my bosses underneath a makeshift attap roof...went home without socks that day...coz soaked like to the max with all the flooding at the site...damn pathetic really...lol...den if no events like safety briefing or meetings or wad...go back for more reading...so my job juz to look...observe and learn...heh...yah lah wad ya expect me to do...175million project ask a half-past-six student to take part meh?? heh...but things will be diff the nxt time i'm back...no more such carefree role...added responsibility...added stress and of coz added $$...hee

the oil rig project i am attached to...looking to be completed by 1st Quarter 2008

Asian Hercules...as the name suggests...used to lift extreme heavy loads...the largest floating crane local shipyards use

heavy lifting in action

Premier Dock...the largest grave dock in the shipyard...it's quite scary looking down to be honest

Malaysia ahead...sometimes my phone can even detect malaysia signals...juz an idea how far i am working man

in full gear...certainly back to my lifeguard colours...haha

view from atop the tanker i boarded...btw semb shipyard is the biggest in s'pore...occupying 83ha in total

an ongoing ship conversion project

where they keep all the new cars pending COE release...wah lao everyday i confirm drop by here see see...see can shunbian drive one back anot...lol

caught up with the bulk of my friens over the past 2 weeks...mp&c buddies...NP gathering...leong...the fab4...over steamboat buffet...ala carte...western food...and tepanyaki...always a nice feeling to catch up with old friens...esp now when everyone is like busy with studies over the sem...and career aft they grad...harder to catch up...so always try to make it a point to catch up with each group come holidays...a simple meal and catching up more than sufficient...recalling the old times over beer and such...can be quite heartwarming ain't it...still got left 4-10 and class18 pple haven meet up...hopefully can meet up before the new sem starts...

looking ahead to nxt week's highlights:

1. exam results out on tues!! wah koaz feeling those nervous pangs again...one click to decide the fate of ur entire sem...super cruel...in fact got leak of results on last Sat...nb got the news already too late liao...looks like Tuesday is destined to be D-day...

2. Bidding of modules...wah lin...haven even enjoy my hols now muz plan mods liao...even b4 the results are out...damn crappy...sighz...happy times always seem to fly by...

3. email of details for signing of contract...that's it once it is signed...no looking back liao

4. Gabe returning frm US...haha...yd dun cry when u see this...u r a highlight...hahaha

5. dinner with TR and Ken T (to be confirmed)

wad a rainy christmas eve...in fact wad a downpour it has been over the week...adding a tinge of chill and at the same time a feeling of warmth to the festive air...went for my 1st sunday service this morning...cannot be more symbolic since it falls on christmas eve...christmas takes on a more added meaning for me this year...as a born-again believer...celebrating the birth of Christ...for Christmas is the day to rejoice and come together with ur loved ones to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the only son of God whom He sent to die for all our sins...

Here's wishing all my friens a Merry Merry and a simply Merry Chirstmas...may God bless each and everyone of you...be it ur family...loved ones...studies...work or health...Merry Christmas!!