Synergy Com 2004

When I see this pic, I have an overwhelming sense of pride that I had the chance to work with the best. The Synergy Committee was made up of Com members from their various CCAs. The hard work we put in to make everything possible, from the painting of this banner, to sacrificing our weekends to come for meetings, proved our commitment to the project. We wanted to make it a success and it was. Working with them taught me a lot. Leadership. Keeping cool. Preparing for this concert was as memorable as the concert itself.

Looking back at my Junior College life, this is an event that I'm grateful to be a part of. It's one of the most meaningful things that has ever happened to me and it really was an honour to work with all those fantastic people.

I will never forget...

R e w a r d e d ! ! !

1. The last batch of NYHO got a SILVER for yesterday's SYF! *applause* Good job guys! All the hard work and effort really paid off!

2. I received a letter. A letter. I'm going to study communcation studies at NTU! Wooohoooo!!! I couldn't believe it when I knew... Ecstatic! More of that later!

I'm going to go to Sunset Bay with Fukang today, so hope it'll be a lot of fun! Be back to update more on tonnes of stuff later. Live for the moment!

Last Parade

This'll be my last parade to represent yet the end of another book out (I'm looking forward to the next one already which is a LONG ONE, silly me). 0229!

I've done some things this week that made me real proud of myself. Running 7 km. Going through the interview and the written test (although I'm going to flunk the 10 MCQs on current affairs) for admission to NTU SCI. I really hope I get in, because there's nothing else I can see myself doing. Ooh, also, the EOD people have left 39 SCE to go back to 36. I had a hell lot of fun with them, especially Shao Hao. I'll miss them a lot. Sigh. Life's going to be different in camp.

This weekend has been fruitful because of that interview. I also attended the last practice of harmonica yesterday. I can't even begin to explain how I feel. For every beginning there's an end. And that happened yesterday. I didn't get to hear anything startlingly good from them, because apparently they were busy with other things and the mood was just not there. I didn't leave in a tremendously... "glamarous" way but well time was against me.

From the beginning to the end

Two years on, about there

Suffered from it all

Yet learnt even more

Music's what I enjoy

Harmonica's my toy

The chance to lead

The chance to experience

The opportunity of a lifetime

5 weeks

5 book-outs

5 Saturdays

The goal seems so clear

Even the most exciting Game must come to an end

Because no matter how strong the bond might be

There is never enough "fate" to hold it together

The satisfaction that could've last a lifetime

As I walked out from college

As I walked past the gates

As I took the bus

As I tried to keep my emotions in check

For the last time

One dream

One desire

One goal

All hearts on fire

This Friday...

My NYJC class, 03S10A. A class I'm proud to be in. Academically skilled and cool all the way... amazing stuff. When I booked in last week I brought along the small book where we'd write about each other. It was really meaningful and reading through each entry, I could hear the individual voices talking to me in my head. I know that sounds kind of insane, but if any of you guys are reading this, go back and read that small book... you'll know what I mean. Sometimes I wish we could have a class gathering but things won't be the same again. But if we don't try, we won't know. Maybe sometime in the near future...

During last year's finale of the super glamorous biannual Synergy concert. That's me, my VP Pei Huan and P & VP of Gu Zhen. We rock!!! It was one of the most unforgettable events in my stay at NYJC! Signing off for this week, and I'll be updating like crazy when I come back again. Take care, stay safe, ROCK ON! 0184!

XH's present from HO, sitting innocently on a sofa at SL! I think it's quite cute.

Packed - S c h e d u l e

FRIDAY

When I booked out relatively early on Friday, I came back home and changed and took I shower before going out to meet Si Hua at 2030. It was insane as both of us were early and we were bloody happy to see each other as well. We had a deep chat about lots of stuff and went walking around Sun Plaza. I went to return a library book as well as went to take a look at VCDs, facial cleansers and magazines, but I didn't buy anything! We then went to Mcdonalds to have a meal. It was just for fun actually. Sitting there to talk was great, because the place was familiar and all that. The atmosphere was right for a talk between a 2 fantastic friends! :P Anyway, I think I saw Angeline and her boyfriend walk past. I think.

SATURDAY

On Saturday morning, I went to NY. This time the practice was in the Student's Lounge and well, the sound was rather different as well. The instructor came and I really learnt a lot just sitting there and watching him conduct. I really hope that my juniors do well in the upcoming SYF. They've reached a stage where they need to find the magic in the music and they've gone beyond what I can teach them, so basically I'm just there to guide when needed and to have fun with them as well.

Went out at about 1110 to buy the fruit cake for Xing Hui's birthday. Had to go all the way to Serangoon Central (which I discovered was near because I have become used to walking in NS) and got the cake. It looked fab really. After that when I returned, they continued their practice while Wai Kit passed the cake to me from the outside to hide it. Anyway, they forgot the lighter and in the end Ho Kong ran out to buy one because we didn't manage to borrow one.

Celebrated XH's birthday and it was quite fun. Haha, it's really been a long time since I've actually celebrated someone's birthday with a nice cake, card and present. It was really cool.

SUNDAY

Woke up rather early in the morning and met JY at the bus stop outside his house! And he was late again. We had breakfast at the McDonalds at the Serangoon Central. It was nice to just sit down and have a chat about everything under the sun. We then went to the CC and watched a bit of Lion Dance and then went into the hall where I was surprised (when in fact I've already heard that) the HO people were participating in the SMS game. Then we went off to play photo hunt. The highest we got to was about Lvl 13 I think!

After that the guys carried the instruments and stuff in and then they went to change. I went with them as an assistant. Quite weird. Anyway, they had quite cool ties and their costume was all black. Not bad, it looked classy. When we came down from the 5th floor toilet it was quite late already and then there was a bit of drama and confusion.

Anyway, the performance was not bad. I didn't hear anything going out of tune, or increase in tempo or anything like that. They were still a tad solemn while performing, but music-wise it was not bad. I took a few photos here and there with my lousy camera (which I am so GOING TO MURDER). They packed everything up and we went to bring all the equipment to James' house. Sat there and watched James and his reverse bungee thingie and a bit of I Not Stupid serial, which was hilarious and nice.

Left and the few of us took the train to Somerset. We played weird games again like Fuzzy Wuzzy, This Is A Game Of Recall (which I finally understood when Wai Kit explained to me) and other stuff. It was quite funny as well. Then we went to the food court to have lunch. As usual the guys and girls ( Wan Ping, Delphine and Hui Juan) split. HK, ZY and me at one table. Hmm, had quite an entertaining chat with them about harmonica (the times last year... how I'd get to know them, put them through interviews etc.) and how their posts were chosen as well as choosing interesting combinations of fruit juices. Also shared ice kacang with WK. Now I'm so full I think I can skip dinner.

Really had a hell lot of fun with them. I wonder if wishing that it will last is asking for too much...

Me during NYJC's prom last year!

Harmonica...

I'm so stoned because I've been online since 9 AM and it's like 4:30pm. I've got nothing better to do, that's basically why I'm here. In addition to that, I ain't got much money left, so what better way than to stone at home?

Yesterday I went for harmonica practice again in the morning. It was great fun as usual, but the practices are getting more serious because there isn't much time left till SYF. Anyway, I reached there at about 8:40 which was when they'd usually finish their sectionals and commence on practising together.

There was improvement from last week. Minuet on the whole sounds like a smooth piece already. The problem now is maximising the potential of the piece and bringing out all the minor details. For Blue Tango, it has reached a stage where I can no longer think of how to improve on it. I am not of sufficient expertise to push the piece up to another level. So I guess, it was FANTASTIC, all 3 times I heard it. Well, there was a time when it felt a bit solemn and no one was laughing and all so I had one person from each section to play one line and that was havoc! Some people missed their parts, there was laughing... it was hilarious.

After that we all went to Toa Payoh to have lunch. Wai Kit went to do his braces. We went to the underground foodcourt at the bus interchange. Me and HK ate this BBQ Chicken with fried rice and it was the biggest piece of meat I ever saw. Almost. ZY went to buy 3 pepsi twists for us. WK came back with blue braces...(which looked like green under the yellow light).

Anyway, all of us went to This Fashion to find the clothes that they were going to buy for the performance. The guys ended up outside stoning and talking about this and that. Enjoyed myself quite a lot talking to them. We had ice cream which tasted damn good as the weather was hot and then I went off to meet Mak at JP.

I fell asleep on the train travelling there and felt super groggy. Mak had already bought tickets for The Pacifier at 17:15. Normally, it was a show that I wouldn't watch because it IS a Disney production and I thought I'd grown out of it already. We walked around, looking at CDs and a other movies at TS and Sembawang Music.

We ran down to 7-11 to buy a huge bottle of root beer before rushing to the cinema. The commercials lasted bloody long.

Well, The Pacifier is really not bad. Despite being inconsistent at parts; the pacing of the movie rather irregular and us not knowing what to expect from the movie, it has the most hilarious punchlines. It was something I could relate to. It was about growing up, about kids, about following your dreams and of course, Vin Diesel acting as a military personnel (because I'm serving NS now), all turned out to be something that touched the heart and inspiring and funny all at the same time.

We went to KFC to eat dinner and chatted about NS stuff. After that we took the train to Marsiling where he alighted. On the way, we looked at each other's phone books and discussed the people in there. One of our oldest pasttimes! LOL!

Then I went to Bugis to wait for Vanessa and sent her home after that. While walking home, my contacts were super blur and I had to rip out one of them before continuing my walk home.

Not bad for a Saturday.

Yesterday!

I went back for Harmonica again and the feeling is simply... indescribible!

Anyway, after practice, I went to have lunch with the lot of them. Ho Kong, Wai Kit, Zheng Yu and I were sitting at one table and the girls at the other. The food was great. I shared curry chicken and another chicken dish with HK. Was bloody full after that. We all trooped back to J8 and they wanted to watch a movie. I actually wanted to go back home to surf the net but gave in after that. The 8 of us, including Hui Juan, Delphine, Xing Hui and this other new junior went to watch House of Fury. We went down to Giordano and had a hilarious time looking at the pink stuff which I think they are going to wear for their SYF!

We went back to the cinema after that. 3/4 during the adverts later, Ho Kong and I decided to go buy drinks! Luckily we made it just in time back for the movie!

House of Fury is a rather impressive film. Very fast paced and 1.5 hours seemed like a 2 hour film. Good stuff. Met Bing Xiang along the way too.

Went to HMV at City Link to take a look at CDs. After that I met Vanessa and we had a great time walking around Suntec. We had dinner at KFC where we shared a 2 piece chicken meal.

Watched another movie which was Miss Congeniality 2! It was really fantastic. The first one was good and the sequel is EVEN BETTER! I'm really impressed and at awe with Sandra Bullock. I think it's one of my favourite movies ever!

Van and I then went to Esplanade and enjoyed the night atmosphere at the roof. We talked about a lot of stuff, especially about music, volleyball and NYJC.

Today I met up with Zhi Wei and we went to for KLunch at AMK! I had a hell lot of fun, it was really amazing. I might start having the habbit of doing this every week! Time to pack up for book in though. Yuck.

26th March

I woke up late on Saturday morning. I reached NYJC at about 8:40 and was actually quite nervous about going back because I didn't have permission but at the same time I was excited to see my HO juniors again. I haven't been to a HO practice since Dec and was just lucky (&SMART,FRIENDLY) enough to say hi to Xing Hui online.

Anyway, I had little trouble finding their new air-conditioned classroom (spoilt!). When I stepped in, they made quite a commotion.

They were still having their sectional practice and I saw that some changes had been made to Blue Tango and they had learnt Minuet. I went around to check on each standard and I think that they played OK.

I had a lot of fun 'targetting' my juniors. There are plenty of new people as well. To be honest (and as usual) if I was given a harmonica to play and demonstrate right there and then, I wouldn't have been able to.

Anyway, the DELIVERY of the pieces was pretty good. It was quite solid for Blue Tango, and minuet was learny rather easily and they had just got their act together. They've begun to bring out more dynamics and mood of the piece and they have achieved realisation that performing a piece well is not just playing the notes perfectly. Impressively, they've got DEPTH, something which was lacking in and I was never able to get my batch to appreciate.

Also, what impressed me was that they are able to comment and judge their own playing. It used to be that only a person with musical background would be qualified to judge (and it took me like 8 years to gain the skill). However, now they've got SLs for each section who are constantly pushing for higher standards and aiming to improve their playing with each practice.

I'm impressed as not only have they been able to learn to appreciate the finer side of music given this short amount of time, they've also managed to learn to work together, accept and give each other opinions and the ability to lead. Delphine, who was always giggly and talkative, now turned serious and critical of Chrom 1's playing after she became SL. The unique sound of octave has been brought out too. As for Wai Kit, he's more outspoken and is firmer and precise and analytical when commenting on their playing.

Attending the practice gave me the opportunity to make music come alive. Also, seeing my juniors develope and learn new skills through the CCA gives me much fulfillment and satisfaction. And it does wonders for my ego! Oops, I can't believe I said that!

They are my pride and joy, they really are.

NYHO

Ooh, I've received a morning call! Now, I've got to rush out and go back to school! So exciting! More on it later!

This is me and my Juniors from the Harmonica Orchestra. They're the committee members I had a hand in choosing. It feels kinda strange. I've enjoyed teaching them so much, and they've been very enthusiastic as well. They made it all the more worthwile. I've been invited for this Saturday's practice and I'm bloody excited! Really can't wait to go back again!

This is one of the most beautiful photos I've ever taken. It won some competition in NYJC (courtesy of my gf), and it made the picture all the more meaningful to me. I get a lot of feelings looking at this photo. The smiles... the youthfulness... I think we've all aged. This was taken late 2003 I think, or early 2004. So much has changed in a year. I think this photo deserves 8R status and a frame!