Boys' Brigade - part 2

Well, I think I should proceed to the second parts on the my BB life.Today I will talk about the programme in 4th KKL BB. Hm...let me relate with previous blog. I have joined the senior section after I entered secondary school. I have to wear a new set of uniform which comprised of a buckle belt, a sash, a pair of boots and a field service cap. All these things have to be maintain properly throughout the day. One thing I can tell you is wearing a full uniform under the sun will make you sweat like standing in a sauna. Especially after the foot drill training, our uniform will be like drench in water...full of sweat. I remember the room where we change the uniform is stink due to our odour from our uniform...haha.

I remember I have been assigned in to Squad B2 if I'm not mistaken.I remember my first squad leader is Ronald Liew. Well, Ronald is a good leader and also a funny guy. Luckily, no one try to bully me maybe because my brother is a Sergeant that time...haha..good for me. We usually have two meeting everyweek. The first meeting is a short two hours meeting in our school (SMK St. Gabriel) from 12.30pm - 2.00pm and a Saturday meeting at St. Gabriel church from 10.30am to 5.00 pm. Friday meeting usually will be focusing on regular squad discussions, annoucements, foot drill and some music theory classes. On Saturday, we will be having a band training session from 10.30am to 12pm. I really enjoyed the band practice. I have learned to play marching flute, fife flute, xylophone and euphonium. Even up to today, I bought a modern flute and learn to play myself..hehe. We have been taught by the Kuen Cheng instructor for couple of years. The instructor is really strict and he demand a high standard performance. Of course lo, Kuen Cheng is top 1 or 2 school marching band in the whole Malaysia. I really learned a lot of things from him especially in marching and ochestra instruments. I have successfully obtained two badges each from brass and woodwind (flute and euphonium). They name for the badges are Bugle badge and Bandsman badge.

After the band practise, we will be having a break from 12-1pm. At 1pm, we will be having our parade for 30 minutes. At this time, our uniform will be inspected by officers and any person have unpolished belts or boots, and or untidy uniform will be punished. Well, I remember I have to do twenty push-up and run around the church ground for 3 rounds...but still my punishing rate is low...hehe. Well, after the parade went for worshipping time. As I mentioned before, BB is a Christian movement so worshipping and bible study is part of the programme. Even though I am not a Christian but my knowledge on bible is not weak. I have passed bible study stage 1 and obtained a badge in bible study...haha. However, I didn't proceed to stage two. Ah...I remember I can memorised the who sentence of John 3:16 when I was in standard 5. Well, it is a requirement for a badge exam as well but I don't really know the meaning back then..hehe. It maybe easy for those who come Christian family but for me a total new exposure, memorising it is quite difficult.


After the worshipping, we will be having a badgework session for us to learn new knowlegde. At the end of eash session, we will be having theory and practical exams. If we passed, we will obtained a badge. I'm quite proud of myself because I obtained about 18 badges and couple of stage 2 badges in five years. Also, I am the one who has the most badges in my batch..haha...defeating all other friends..hehe. The most proud badge I got is when I was a Lance Corporal. The badge is about Citizenship. I am the only person who passed the exam with quite a high mark. There are about 35-40 people in the class. As a Lance Corporal I sucessfully defeating all my superiors. I was really happy back then..it is a great moment.


All the badgework badges is worn on the right hand side. At the left hand side, there are badges can be obtained for full attendance, training and also for good UPSR, PMR and SPM results. On the left hand side, I have about 11 badges...haha. I am still the one who have the most badges on my left hand side and also right hand side for my batch...hehe. I am so "hau lian"...hahaha..but i really quite proud back then.


After the badgework session, we comes to the worst time of the day...the foot drill. I remember my mum always said I am like a charcoal back then because I'm always drill under the sun for an hour...haha. Apart from the attack from the hot sun, we also attacked from our drill commander. I think we do at least 50 push-up every foot drill session. The objectives of foot drill is to train how to become discipline, team work and listen to command. So, if one person did wrong, all people will be punished. Well, fair enough for foot drill. However, I passed the drill exam and obtained a badge. All my seniors said this is the hardest badge to pass but I manage to get it...haha.


After the drill session, it some to the best part of the day...the physical training. All of us like this session because most of the time we can play football, volleyball, table tennis and etc. Well, it is really a enjoyable session. After that about 5pm, we will gather again for fall-in to end our weekly meeting. Of course, our day didn't ends here. After that we usually went to mamak stall to eat, drinks and of course chatting. It is really fun.


Apart from normal training session, we have camp as well. I've went to a lot of camps like Gunung Nuang in Ulu Langat, Chang Mang waterfall in Pahang, Sungai Congkak in Ulu langat as well, Taman Negara at Pahang and of course at our school ground. My first camp is back in year 1998 when I was in form 2. I was Private back then and my squad leader is Keang How. He is also a nice guys and he is very taking care of his squad members. From this camp, I feel really relax and comfortable. I like the feeling of surrounded by nature..it is really nice. At some point, I really like to stay there longer...haha..want to become a native...lol. Well, I have some of the pics from my friends. He sent it to me few days ago because I didn't have it. Here is two pictures taken at Taman Negara:

Well sorry for the small picture. This is the best quality my friend can get. He scanned the photo so not really clear. If you see carefully, I am the second one from the left hand side without glasses.

This one also not really clear. I am the second again but from the left. I am wearing a white shirt with blue colar but this time with glasses.

Well, it is really a nice old days memories. H,..I think that's all I want to say for today. My next part will be my advancements in BB. From private to warrant officer..stay tuned..haha.

Boys' Brigade - part 1.

I was suppose to post my short review on my Samsung Omnia that I got last week but I haven't really try all the functions yet. Therefore, I decided to post it next time. Well, today I saw one of my friends posted some pictures on facebook. It was quite nostalgic for me because most of the pictures are the pictures he took when I was still in Boys Brigade.

Let me recall my memory. I joined Boys Brigade in 1995 when I was still standard 5 in primary school. The reason I joined is because my brother is in as well..haha...can't remember whether my brother is the one who drag me into it..lol. Well, I never regretted to join this uniform group because it really give me a lot of opportunities to learn a lot of things. I was initially enrolled into junior section which is mainly for primary school boys. By the way, Boys' Brigade is a Christian movements and at that time they only accept boys. However, nowadays they have girls...good for the boys..haha. I remember there are several other primary school boys joined as well but not from my primary school (SRK Jalan Peel). From there, I get to know couple of new friends. There is a company section which is mainly for secondary school boys (13-18 years), and my brother is in the company section that time. I remember he is already a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) and his rank is Corporal or Sergeant...em not really remember but he is definitely a sergeant in 1996.

Let me explain the hierarchy system in Boys' Brigade. It is actually same with British military system since BB was found by Sir William Alexander Smith at Glasgow in 1883. The path are from Private -> Lans-Corporal -> Corporal -> Sergeant -> Staff-Sergeant -> Warrant Officer ->
Lieutenant ->Captain. This is the system for company section while there are no ranking system for junior section. Basically, NCO are from Lance Corporal to Sergeant and Staff-Sergeant above are officers.

After i joined for a while I really enjoyed it because I can play games, singing, bible study and etc. Later on I joined woodwind section and learn to play marching flute. This was the first time I get interested in music. Frankly speaking, I really have no interest in music and I always got C or D in the music test in primary school. Apart from that, I also learned foot drill and my group joined a foot drill competition and won first-runner up. It was a very good experiences back then. Imagine when you are 12 years old and have to be very discipline in the competition with few hundred of eyes looking at you. I can tell you I am very nervous. Ohya, I think some of you might know that I have joined the University officer traning corr before. It is part of British army. From the foot drill experiences I gained from BB, I actually got praised by a Sergeant (a real army) because I did well in foot drill..haha.

After spending 2 years and couple of months in the junior section, I moved to the company section when I entered secondary school. Well, of course I start as a Private.I met more new members (I think is about 60 people). It was a very big company and there are so many names to remember..haha. My squad leader was very helpful and nice. That time I think my brother is sergeant and he is in-charge of another platoon. There are platoon A and B. Each platoon has 3 squads. In company section, we have to wear full uniform everyweek. The badges, buckle belt and boots has to be polished and maintained for the whole day. I remember I wake up at 6.30am every Saturday to polish these stuffs. It is very troublesome but fun. We always compete who has the best polished belt or boots. If we didn't polish good enough we will get punishments from the officers. Forgot how many time I have been punished, bet it is a lot...haha.

Well, I think that's all for this time. I think I will post more tomorrow. I guess it has about 5 parts..haha..all talks about my life in Boys Brigade. Until next time...cya.

Chocolate swirl cake

Another home-made cake. Well, as usual I'm using the mix that can be bought from supermarket..hehe..kinda lazy to make all by myself. This time is a bit different because I'm adding chocolate power in the mix to make chocolate swirl cake. Well, I didn't do it really good this time because I'm stirring and baking it at 11.30pm..haha..preparing for my breakfast. Here are some of the pics.

Hm..seems a bit over baked

The texture..not too bad right?

Well, it is quite difficult to draw energy to stir it. Do you know so far what is the thing I used to stir the mixture? Stirring machine? Nope...so far I am using nothing but a pair of chopstick to stir the mixture...surprise leh. Hm..I think this method can be used to train my hand muscle..haha. Okay,that's for this time..yummy!

New companion

Hm...another week is passed since my last update. Some of my friends are complaining that I didn't update my blog frequently. Well, I guess I need to do more homeworks then..haha.

Okay, today I will be introducing my new companion...that's Cactus-chan..haha. By thinking cactus as companion, I think I'm becoming a psycho already..lol. I bought this cactus from Sainsbury for only £3. Well, I always thinking of getting one and set it in my office because I am an environmentalist..pai seh..not 100%, 50% got la..haha. Here is the picture of my new Cactus-chan.

Okay folks..until next time..ciao.