It's MY story, and it's nothing like yours.

nostalgia

i think i'll go start preparing x'mas cards... haha
time really flies huh?

four years at XM just like that... though at times it was living hell...there were some fond memories too...you've got to bear with me...the entries following are nostalgic ones....(skip this and go on to the next if you can't stand it)

year one (2001)
first day at skl was horror of horrors...the skl cpd looked creepy/old/cranky. Ms Ng(ex-vp) made it clear that XM pri and XM sec were NOT AFFILATED. she sorta screamed...all the time.
i cried when i got home....why did i ever step into this skl...i couldn't imagine living out four l-o-n-g years here! plus....i couldn't understand the timetable... :'( [apparently subs were listed out in short, eg. IS for interactive science....'chey'] didnt' know anyone in the class except for Selina, who was also a choir member at Punggol... Siew Kiang was my first new friend at XM...i didn't really choose a CCA...those on my list were well....ok...band...SJAB...and choir(which i already auditioned for but wasn't chosen)....i just threw that in to fill up the last of the 3 choices...then OMG! i got into band....haiz...i was the only girl besides 2 other guys in class? sobz...no company. someone else got into SJAB..cool...'can i change with you?'i asked. "sure...u got into percussion ah? e drums one izit...so cool~ let's go find the teachers la.." she was playing with the sticks i had to bring home to warm up and practise with. i nodded in agreement... then Tan PH explained about CCA pts and performances/concerts...my stand wavered.. 'ok,'i said, 'but after a month,if i still don't want band...can change hor?' he nodded. skl went on as usual, as more horrors unfolded...the no. of subs for sec edu was horrendous...with geog on top of hate-list. thanks heavens there was something i could be happy about---- being part of percussion was like the best thing ever that could have happen to me... as i got to know everyone better.... Steph, who auditioned me... made me feel that seniors in that sections were all nice and easy-going ppl (as i've found to be true, being a perc member) :D and she really taught me lots...along with the other seniors....all of whom really really took gd care of me (mebbe because i was the only recruit in the section)....thank you so much....i felt like i belong. it was a strong section..in terms of team-spirit/skills/everything! my frenz got quite envious actually of the nice nice seniors i got....but it was not easy to play the drums and mallets...as it first appeared to me as so... pity non-percussionists don't know that...and still cont' ranting on how blowing was so diff...and commented rather brainlessly on how hitting the drums were easier. then they would nudge and nudge for you to let them 'hit and hit' on the marimba/xylo/vibes. then came the pumpings whenever caught red-handed and the one who let them touch the sticks were also punished...we weren't supposed to touch other instruments other than your own weren't we? haha...oh well...then there was also the weekly drills on Sat...and the CCA cards at the pigeon hole....discovered later that most seniors acknowledge for themselves. there was also Brandoh Tan, who was the conductor for junior band then was so boring (clarinetists always said they needed to prepare umbrellas just in case he rained on them, which was not uncommon)....he was relatively new and didn't teach us much.... and there was no one with me then...Glenn quitted and Ismadi went to tuba...i was the only recruit in my section...seniors were always needed in the performing band...no one with me during junior band...sobx again... and i would just turn green with envy each time i see e others with seniors...haiz...finally...Ms Tan took over...and i got the xylo part in 'African Festival' and the wooden block part in another song. just those 2 songs for my very first concert ( e band's second) at Victoria concert hall...real eye-opener for me....i was exhilarated and couldn't wait for the numerous concerts that were to come my way. water bombing sessions and night practices during the band camp...i got to interact more with the seniors....whom i was closer to rather than my peers...oddly enough...i started to enjoy band-life. at skl, i made home-ec and dnt my fav subs...partly owing to the fact that i got to play with the pots and pans and the drills and sandpaper.whee!!! Mr Tan Y.S made those lessons particularly memorable...he's one of the few teachers i held high respect for. year-end...stupidly did not receive paper 2 for sci....we were supposed to have paper 2 and 3 with us....and till the end of e exam did i realise that i didn't get nor ask for paper 2....thank god Ms Pan gave me half an hour to at least complete the paper...and i broke down after completing the paper...and i passed?! wow~ miraculously survived first year!

posted by yz @ 8:02 AM