Observations, thoughts and other assorted stuff.
Published on August 19, 2004 By Ravenblack In Misc
Bored with nothing to write about, I took to looking through a neglected drawer just next to my bed.

I found an old plastic "junkbox".

It's contents:

An old student transport pass for bus and train rides - this was back when I was studying in polytechnic. I remember I had to wake up really early to get to school. It took about one and half hours to get there. I don't know how I managed to do that for three years. The trains were always horribly crowded and so were the buses, and I really can't stand crowds. They make me very grouchy. I often arrived at school in a bad mood because I was irritated by inconsiderate behavior on the crowded transports.

An old address booklet - cool, all my old secondary classmates phone numbers are in here. Most of them have already moved or changed numbers. It's funny, in those days, you always thought you would be 'friends forever' and never be apart, but it's been years since I've seen them. I guess we all went our different way after we left school. They took different courses and then down a different career path. We had a few reunions but there was just less and less things to talk to each other about. The drift was eventual and everyone was busy with higher education and new friends and activities. I'm not sad about it, I wonder how they are and why is it that on this little island, I still haven't by chance meet them on the streets or something. Strange. Maybe we've changed so much we just don't recognise one another anymore.

A bag of seashells - There's still some sand in the bag. Nothing very beautiful about these, they are just plain white ones. It's hard to find nice ones on Singapore's beaches. Too many people maybe. I bet the minute a nice one washes up, someone would've seen it and taken it at once.

A gold pin for scoring well in fitness tests - I once was fit. Not that I'm totally unfit today, but i used to be able to do 45 sit-ups in a minute, jump a meter plus in one try and 9.5 minutes for 2.4 km run.

A couple of proficiency badges from my days as a police cadet - it was an extracurricular activity in secondary school. Saturdays and school holidays were usually spent drilling under the sun or making camp in the school field. We had a few excursions to some of our islands for hikes and physical training too. I used to be good at campcraft, footdrill, road safety, first aid and crime prevention. I was really serious about these things, at one time, I actually wanted to join the police force after leaving school. But I became a scientist instead. No regrets.

Other things in the drawer:

Old "Our Daily Bread" - I used to subscribe to this free christian daily-read booklet. It's pretty good. BUt I don't always agree with everything inside. God bless them for sharing their thoughts, and sometimes they are enlightening and insightful, but I just don't agree with all of it. Sometimes I think the authors live in a fluffy world or something.

A couple of old diaries - stuff I was thinking about years ago from today. I think differently about quite a few things now.

A electrical plug adaptor - I bought this to Australia with me so I can charge my phone there.

A paper weight - This is cute because it doubles as a mini chinese abacus. (I do not know how to use it though.)

5000 German Words - Many years ago, I wanted to learn German and I took up a basic course. I'm out of practice, I can still remember some very basic stuff like saying hello and numbers.


Comments
on Aug 19, 2004
Raven: I really enjoyed this! I tend to keep "keepsakes" from everything . . . I even have a hard time getting rid of my boys' outgrown clothes because of all the sweet memories I have of them wearing them. Your items are all so diverse and paint a very interesting portrait of the person that you were and the one that you have become. This was fantastic. Thanks for sharing, Raven.
on Aug 20, 2004
Thanks for your comments, Texas.
on Apr 17, 2005
Hello I'm just drifting around, reading blogs I haven't read before and discovered this.
How interesting! Especially the part about the address book, I so relate to that, happened to me once too.
It's such a bittersweet, kind of melancholoy thing huh?
I also enjoyed your post about not posting in the forums, and it's a lesson for me....
Keep on posting! They're enjoyable Trudy