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YSunday, July 29, 2007
Just... Leave Me Be...
What is this feeling that has overcome me? I feel tired, without the slightest flicker of hope. Life seems pointless. An overwhelming lethargy has blanketed my soul. I have no desire to pursue what I once sought. Nothing would gladden me more than to just lie here, in the dark stillness, letting my body waste away. As these emotions envelopes me, I wonder.
What could possibly have brought this upon me? Was it the hauntings of my regrets? The sad remembrance of previous mistakes? The Or was it... No. It couldn't be.
I had vowed, that I would never allow myself to suffer such a fate. I had fought all my life to resist it. My sweat, my toil, was it all for naught? As I lay here, I shed a single tear for what I've become. Perhaps, this was how it was meant to be. I laughed, a sad, quite laugh. What an ironic twist of fate. Soon, I would become em...
Wait a minute. Now I know what this feeling is. It's hunger. Idiot.
So, I had a sandwich. All is well.
YSunday, July 22, 2007
Renaissance Gold Labels: Musings
It was a wonderful experience.
This year's Renaissance was a bit of a last minute thing. For one thing, we only managed to practice in those big concert hall type places once before the actual thing. That happened on the actual concert day itself. Musicians will tell you know one has to get used to the sound, and adapt to the high celling of the performance venue. There was no full rehearsal of the entire program.
This was my first year playing as a member of an Alumni band. All who came back, myself included, came back for the same reasons, out of our desire to entertain the crowd, and because of our passion for music. There were no perks for the alumni. None at all. We had to go back to SJI for practices at night. No food was provided for us, not even on the concert day. Getting fed was our problem, not the school's.
The concert was held at NUS University Cultural Centre. They were very strict regarding access to the venue for practice. They actually gave us passes.
Apparently, I'm an artiste.
I felt ever so important.
Anyway, after a bit of practicing, and changing into our attire, we were prepared. The main band went up first, after all, it was SJIMB's concert. They played very well. I remember they were practicing while the Alumni were in the dressing rooms, enjoying card games, while an endless string of vulgarities spewed forth. (Good times.) The sound coming from the hall was piped in through speakers, and I actually thought I was listening to the radio. Honestly.
However, there was one thing that pissed of quite a lot of people. Secondary 1 and 2 students. They were incredibly rude throughout the concert, being immature, making "shh-shh" noises every 5 seconds, talking, and generally making a nuisance of themselves. I remember the drum section was performing this clapping song, and those tactless children started clapping in the middle, much to the annoyance of many. Next time, I think the teachers ought to not force them to come. They don't want to be there, we don't want them there disturbing our concert. It's not like SJIMB ever has any trouble selling tickets.
Several of my friends did come to support me.
Though they weren't very nice to me after the concert.
Anyway, after a while, it was time for the Alumni to go on stage. We weren't warmed up, we weren't properly prepared, but we followed the words of our conductor, Mr. Lim: "Just play la." To be perfectly honest, the Alumni band is probably weaker than the main band. There are a few outstanding players, some have even gone on to become professionals. However, most of the players are like me, people who no longer play any instrument on a regular basis. Despite this fact, we gave it our all, and our energy and passion carried us through. Our music was greeted with great applause, and the roar of the crowd after the last song brought contentment to all our hearts. We set out to entertain, and that we did, and did well.
Sorry I wasn't able to get any pictures of the alumni band playing. I couldn't because I was playing my trombone. A thousand apologies.
After we finished playing, the Alumni from my batch, those who study in the same level as me, had a camwhoring session. I shall let the pictures speak for themselves.
Looking back, I once again realise how much SJIMB means to me. My skill as a trombone player may wane, the music that I learned by heart may be forgotten, and my ability to understand marching commands may decline, but my friends from SJIMB will always be a part of me.
YSunday, July 15, 2007
The Joys Of Physics Practical Labels: Musings
It appears that my attempts satirical humour aren't always as successful as I'd imagined them to be. I had envisioned that people who had read the most recent post would have tears rolling down their cheek, instead I got reactions that can be classified as puzzlement. No matter. Life is, after all, a learning process.
Anyway, today's post is going to be about school. Though it is typically dull, there are moments (though few and far between) of amusement to be had during those long dreary hours. On Friday, those moments were during our Physics practical lesson. It however, began quite unremarkably. Our teacher was talking about uncertainty and errors and graphs and so on.
After his briefing, we would usually proceed to carry out the day's practical experiments,
which were usually involved staring at a pendulum or playing with marbles. Physics practicals are usually quite boring compared to those of the other sciences. In Chemistry, you get to play with dangerous chemicals and fire. That's always quite a thrill. In Biology, you get to cut up dead animals, which does seem quite macabre at times, but very interesting. I recall being put off by prawns for a period after cutting one up and seeing the vein of gross stuff located along the entire length of the its body. In biology you sometimes even get snacks. Throwing away kiwifruits that we had examined just wasn't in our nature.
Back to the Physics practical. We were learning about circular motion, which is exactly what it sounds like, things spinning in circles. Very scientific. So our experiments involved just that, spinning a weight round and round. Not very clever.
This practical just wasn't meant to be carried out. First of all, the labs aren't that big. So twirling around objects isn't the best thing to do. Many of us got hit, accidentally of course, by our friends' experiments. Some people got hit by their own experiments. Second, the fans in the labs were turned on, and with all of us whirling WEAPONS OF DEATH, there was a huge risk that some enthusiastic fellow would get his experiment tangled in the fans, and inadvertently create the ULTIMATE WEAPON OF DESTRUCTION. The mere thought of such an unintended cataclysmic occurrence sends shudders down my spines. Finally, some of us with more active imaginations believed ourselves to be Indiana Jones, cowboys, or some other heroic character, and took it upon ourselves to create situations where our experiments would help us escape, and bring justice to all who opposed us.
After a while, we were brought back to Earth by our teacher's reminders that we had to hand up our work on Monday.
Oh, the joys of Physics practical.
YFriday, July 13, 2007
Them and N'US
They tell you to cast away your dreams. Scoffing at you, they proclaim them to be the stuff of madmen, the fantasies of a child's mind, unrealistic, unattainable, unfortunate.
We do that too.
They inculcate in you a deep loathing for formal education, through their uncreative teaching techniques, and own lack of interest in their material.
We do that too.
They remind you of your shortcomings, by constantly surrounding you with people better than you in every conceivable way, just for the fun of it.
We do that too.
So what's the difference between them N'US?
They know how to use proper English.
NUS, offering you the best of mediocre education since a long time ago.
YSunday, July 8, 2007
SJI 155th Anniversary Parade Labels: Musings
SJI's Anniversary Parade (AP) can be aptly described as "The First Half Of The National Day Parade But On A Much Smaller Scale In A Less Grand Location With Kids Instead Of Soldiers". Yes. Former Uniform Group Members, such as myself, have mixed feelings regarding this considerably important event in the SJI school calendar.
On one hand, we have been through this crap many times before, and can recall how we had to stand in the blistering mid-afternoon sun wearing thick leather boots carrying guns and musical instruments and sticks and things, during the many practices, and during the actual event. Whilst all this was going on, some terribly uninteresting event would be happening at the front, and we would all be having malicious thoughts, wanting to just... as I recall someone muttering through gritted teeth "to go in front and beat the shit out of that guy and make him shut the **** up". Thank god those NCC boys didn't have bullets in their guns, or else many APs would have ended in tragedy.
On the other hand, we, who had now graduated, didn't have to put up with such nonsense anymore, and could sit in the stands at spectators, and laugh (whilst pointing of course) at those poor children standing unwillingly out on the field in their smart uniforms. As you can imagine, quite a number of Old Boys came back.
This year's AP was especially special for me, a former Bandsman. It was the SJI Military Band's 50th Anniversary. This makes SJIMB it one of the oldest surviving Military Bands in Singapore today.
So anyway, AP started. The band started the parade, marching on to the field, playing our signature-tunes. This year they did some things a little differently. They carried out several new formations, which was pretty interesting to see. This year's the band's contingent was especially huge, i think at least a 100-odd bandsmen were marching. After the formations were completed, the other Uniformed Groups marched onto the field.
At this point, I recalled how boring AP was. So a few friends and I decided to proceed to the canteen for an unscheduled break, and we helped ourselves to the cold drinks that were provided. After a while we went back.
I do not wish to remember all the boring details, so I'll just elaborate about the more interesting aspects of AP.
One thing that has been consistent over the years is that the Narrator guy will read some sort of script. And for as long as I can remember, the script is always the same.
Halfway through the band's march in, two army helicopters flew over on the horizon, carrying a massive Singaporean flag. People started cheering wildly when they saw it. Whether or not this was planned, we will never know.
One of the more enjoyable things about AP is watching all the little children on the field who succumb to the effects of the sun beating down on their heads.They would either squat down (which I never quite understood) or begin to sway back and forth as if grooving to the silent beats of some New-Age music. As if on cue, two St. John's Ambulance Brigade boys would scamper onto the field, and carry the tired little boy off the field. There are several variations. Sometimes the tired boy would resist in an almost drunkard fashion, weaving and swaying while pushing away the SJAB boys. Others would stumble off dramatically, as if they had just spent a week without water in the Gobi desert, which of course, they didn't. The most casualties came from NCC Air, which was not unexpected. Year after year, they have been putting up solid consistent performances.
This year was especially memorable as one of the Flag-Bearers, who are some of the most important people, had to be taken off the field. Hilarity ensued when the person standing behind the flag bearer was volunteered to carry the flag. Even from my seat, I could see his look of disbelief. The flag-bearer's belt/sash was unceremoniously forced upon him, as was the flag bearer's hat. The flag was thrust into his hands, and he was forced to deal with this unconventional situation on his own. As usual, none of the bandsmen had to be escorted off the parade.
Halfway through the parade, a giant brown dog suddenly appeared, and ran onto the field. We thought the German neighbour had had enough, and finally snapped, and trained his massive dog to EAT SOME UNFORTUNATE CHILD, or at least take a piss on his leg. But it was not to be, and some non-white person went out to drag the animal back to the spectator stands.
This was SJIMB's 50th anniversary, so they got the first ever Drum Major to come to the parade, which was quite special. He presented a new gold mace to the band, which looked very nice.
Oh yes, the NCC leader guy would go hang out in the air-conditioned school office and drink cold drinks while his juniors were outside tolerating the ferocious heat.
After the change of command, the flags were lowered, and the current batch of leaders stepped down, allowing the next batch of leaders to take over. Parade was then dismissed. Many of the UGO members seemed extremely delighted, immediately taking off their caps and tossing them into the air, slapping each other on the backs, their faces alight with smiles. But there was one contingent, only one, that remained perfectly still at the end of parade.
The bandsmen were still. Not one of them moved a muscle. The current batch of Sec 4s then left the contingent, and formed a new group. The new Drum Major then took control, and led the band for the first time, marching past the saluting Sec 4s.
Band Toast was held next. All the bandsmen gathered at the canteen steps, along with the sizable number of alumni that were present. There we sung our three traditional songs, that have been passed down from many years ago. Our voices echoed loudly, all in the canteen heard us, but we didn't care, we weren't performing for them. The band was then finally dismissed at the parade square.
Once a bandsman, always a bandsman.
YMonday, July 2, 2007
Swimming Labels: Spontaneously Spouting Silly Stuff, Thought Of The Day
Sometimes I ponder about meaningless things.
Case in point: Swimming
I used to enjoy swimming. I don't anymore. Because I did something stupid. I sat down, and I thunk. (I didn't even know this was a proper word. Other than being a form of "think", it is also, and I quote, "an abrupt, dull sound". I didn't know sound effects were considered to be actual words in the English language. Fascinating. If that's the case, then shouldn't things like "Zish" and "Piang" and "KabooOOooOOoom!" be considered words in the English language as well?) Anyway, I thunk hard, like really super hard. I had just went swimming, and after a few minutes, I just realised that swimming is the most disgusting physical activity that one can partake in.
Sorry if I'm gonna ruin swimming for you.
Human beings are living creatures. Therefore to survive, we must respire. Dissolved oxygen can be found in abundance in water, but since we are not fish, we cannot obtain it. As such, to breathe while swimming, we must come to the surface, and open our mouth to suck in air. Therein lies to problem. No matter how meticulous we try to be, when we breathe while swimming, some water will go in our mouths, and some will go out. So, to put it simply, when you go swimming, you are swimming in the saliva of 500 people. When you breathe in while swimming, you are swallowing 500 peoples' saliva.
While swimming, every single part of a person's body is in contact with the water. So basically, while swimming, your body is being exposed to water that has been tainted with the unholy touch of other people's feet, noses, armpits, and other body parts. I do not wish to go into further detail.
Finally, kids use swimming pools. Kids are stupid. They do stupid things. Sometimes I wonder what it is that clouds their judgment. I doubt it is their intention, but they do horrendous things. Kids piss in the pool. Seriously. I know of people, who shall remain unnamed, that have done so. They did it because "the toilet was far". However, this desecration of public facilities is not a one-time event, it is an ongoing affair. Therefore, whenever I see kids from Fairfield Methodist Primary School splashing around in ACJC's pool, I cringe.
So the next time, on a hot July's day, when the sun is beating ferociously on your backs, and you think longing of the cool water lapping against the side of the pool, it's crystal clear surface beckoning you to dive right in, recall what I've said. Try not to gag.