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Saturday, April 17, 2004

Trip Down Memory Lane 

Was supposed to be studying today. Afterall, I am due to start my final lap round the institution called academia on Thursday. But somehow, inertia set in and I found myself doing anything but study - re-reading The Lord of the Rings' The Fellowship of the Ring, playing games on my baby and sorting out my old photographs taken long before digital cameras were popular.

Discovered some old albums whose existence I had forgotten about.

Some elicited smiles and chuckles, like those taken during 1999's Symphony of Voices, 1999 Singapore Youth Festival's Grand Finals (where we were defeated rather unfairly by Singapore's elite students), 1999's trip to Germany, TSD's public performances (both prelims and A'Levels pieces) also in 1999.

I remember the day of the SYF competition. After the results were made known, I was in shock and could not stem the flow of tears down my cheeks. Perf and I went mad during the walk to supper, we were yelling and laughing madly along the way. Some genius took a photo of that.

I remember our trip to Germany. It had been cold and someone was there to warm my hands. We used to joke about getting married at the age of 30 if we were still single by then. At 18, the thought sounded preposterous - afterall, 30 was still a long way to go. And now, we are already approaching the wrong end of the glorious 20s.

I remember my A'levels piece for TSD. Everyone was against us going to Germany in early June when our practical exams were in late June. But we did anyway and went on to produce the best piece of our lives. The detractors had to eat their words when we became the only group where everyone had an A for A'Levels and where the examiner had nothing to criticise about. That remains the achievement that I am singularly most proud of.

And now I am 23. What have I done for myself thus far?

As a product of a single-parent and financially-challenged family, I am proud of myself. I have come this far on my own two feet. I have weathered through storms that most of my peers aren't even aware of.

And I am glad.

PS Apparently our performance in SOV 99 is on the web, with our songs available for download in MP3 or ASF format.

yAnn at 4/17/2004 07:15:00 PM