Ok, so with ample preparation, we headed out to practise. Each and every time. Closer to band comp we worked harder. And then, finally it came.
Today happens to be the 3rd anniversary of Band Comp. '06! On this day, the A-Team gave our very best. And for that, we received a Gold! Upon hearing that good news, the happiness in me is unimaginable! I felt glad that all our hard work has paid off, to say the least.
Follow the link below for the band's performance on that day, 22 April 2006: (I'm sorry I can't embed it here. My apologies.)
OK, so where were we? Oh yes, this: 1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n 5 n 6 n 7 n 8 n 1 n
This was my position among the rest of the A Team. The "1 n 2 n ..." must have been repeated countless times, because I remember them with crystal clarity.
Continuing on, I thought for today, I shall blog about our A Team instructor, Anthony. Here's what I remember:
"Run to that tree there, touch the tree, and run back ... Run to that gate, touch it, and run back, Run to that fence there, touch it, and run back ..." He made this a staple for us A Team members. (As a punishment or for fun, I don't know.) Tired, yes, but this was also a memorable part of the band comp. training.
He is a nice guy, off the field that is. On the field he is one strict fellow. I remember once the A Team had to hold up our flashcards for like what, 10 million years? (Just exaggerating here) My hands were aching like hell after that! But it was also a lesson learnt.
In this way, we built resilience, teamwork, and a whole lot of other positive qualities. Here's my kudos to you, Anthony!
To complement my public speaking speech, of which the topic was "random", here I am going to post some random stuff here.
First, look at the advertisements below: From the first ad, we can get: Your mind = The ultimate weapon
Substitute this into the second ad: "Put your mind to the ultimate test" becomes Put the ultimate weapon to the ultimate test
Wow, by joining the SPF, we can put atomic bombs to the most crazy of tests!
Ok, next. The commercial may be in Chinese, but there is an English variant. It goes like "Good News Singapore! Miracles can happen on yourself.". OK, so what? Singaporeans will all get a million dollars in the next few days? LOL. Anyway, enjoy the advertisement!
Oh, crap. Since I'm introducing Chinese songs, I might as well use Chinese to intro them.
(Non-Chinese readers please use translation tools if you want to somehow understand the following text. One such site I recommend is Yahoo! Babelfish.)
看得懂吧！今天，我要介绍的歌曲是林宥嘉的伯乐：
Lyrics to 伯乐 [林宥嘉] 爱你的那一个 伤你的那一个 谁才是你爱情中的伯乐 放弃了这一个 然后等待著下一个 最后哪一个最让你舍不得
Today may be E-Learning Day, but it's also my birthday today! Yes, the 9th of April!
One nice point about today's date. Today's date, if you write it out, goes like 09/04/09, or simply 9/4/9, a very nice (and neat) palindrome! Cool! Something that only happens once-in-a-lifetime (or rather, my lifetime (do I get to live that long?) ?) !
And yay, I can finally watch some NC16 movies! Woot!
Now, lets go on. Readers, if you may want to wish me Happy Birthday, there are many avenues for you to do so:
FedEx/mail me your presents
Email me your answers for the E-Learning assignments
Call me to wish me "Happy Birthday" personally
SMS me your well-wishes
Convey your greetings through MSN
Tag here (or comment) on this blog
Write your "Happy Birthday"s on my Facebook wall
Next, I found a funny "Happy Birthday" song on Youtube, so I'm putting it up here. Enjoy the song (and sing along if you like!) !
Lyrics to Funny Happy Birthday Song [Adam Sandler] Once a year we celebrate with stupid hats and plastic plates the fact that you were able to make another trip around the Sun *Gasp* And the whole plan gathers round' gifts and laughter do will bound we let out a joyful sound and sing that stupid song
Happy Birthday, now you're one year older Happy Birthday, your life still isn't over Happy Birthday, you did not accomplish much But you didn't die this year I guess that's good enough
So let's drink to your fading health, and hope you don't remind yourself your chance of finding fame and wealth decrease with every year *Gasp* Dose it feel like you're doing laps, and eating food and taking naps and hoping that some day, perhaps, your life will hold some cheer
Happy Birthday, what have you done that matters? Happy Birthday, you're starting to get fatter Happy Birthday, it's downhill from now on Try not to remind yourself your best years are all gone
If cryogenics were all free then you could live like Walt Disney and live for all eternity inside a block of ice *Gasp* But instead your time is set this is the only life you get and though it hasn't ended yet some times you wish it might!
Happy Birthday, you wish you had more money Happy Birthday, your life's so sad it's funny Happy Birthday, how much more can you take? But your friends are hungry so just cut the stupid cake
For the month of April, why not a change in taste? So for the month of April, I am putting up some of my favourite Chinese songs for you Chinese readers.
For today, the song is 记得爱, by 阿沁 & 李玖哲. Enjoy the MV (with the lyrics) !
Just recently, I was reminded of the A Team of '06; I saw some NCC cadets moving in synchronised patterns (BTW, their movements are sui) . When I saw them in a straight line saluting in a synchronised manner, I can't help but think about the same way the A Team also did so (with the flashcards) . Right there and there, memories of the A Team in 2006 came flooding back to me. Over the course of April, I shall share with you readers some of these memories. For today, let's rewind all the way back ...
I remember my first few practices in the Military Band. In one of them (a Friday) , the Sec 1's (includes me!) were given a crash course on marching (SYF '06 was near) . Then, some of us were selected to take part in the show; the rest (including me) were put on reserve. The word I heard was that those selected had to come for Saturday practice - apparently, few came. So anyway, the rest of us reserves came for the next Saturday practice, and we were split up into two auxiliary teams - the Flag group and Flashcard group. The instructor (Sir) simply called the flashcard group the flashcards or the A Team. That Saturday, the A Team of '06 (with 18 of us) , was formed!
Since we were the flashcards, in the show we synchronise our flashcard movements so that we can create nice rippling effects. Until later when we got our flashcards, we trained with minimature strawboards. And then we would train like crazy under the hot sun (and occassionally under the shade of big trees at the side of the field) . We sweated a lot, we "suntanned" a lot, we drank a lot (of water) , we ran about a lot, we moved our arms a lot (and of course we rested a lot) .
A last titbit for today: who knows what this is? 1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n 5 n 6 n 7 n 8 n 1 n
My birthday is coming soon! For the interested, my birthday falls on E-Learning Day! And another clue for the unsure, the day is a perfect square. (A third clue so you can't say you don't know my birthday: the date is a palindrome.) So don't say I didn't give advance notice!
And back to my agenda, I want presents! And material (read: real) presents! Here's what I would like:
Something Orange
Something Sincere
Something Useful
Something Interesting
Something Fun
Conditions 1 and 2 should be fulfilled by your gift. (It's all right - you don't have to kill yourself - if your gift doesn't meet conditions 3 or 4 or 5.) Anyway, watch this blog for a special post on my Birthday!
To end off March's series of songs from the '90s, I have for you readers a song that was released in 1993! Woot! That's my birth year! Wow! When I first heard this song, I fell in love with it (especially the chorus section) ! Basically, the feelings I had are all embodied in this song.
Without furthur ado, today's song is Dying Inside To Hold You, by Timmy Thomas:
Lyrics to Dying Inside To Hold You [Timmy Thomas] It's turning out just another day I took a shower and I went on my way I stopped there as usual Had a coffee and pie When I turned to leave I couldn't believe my eyes
Standing there I didn't know what to say Without one touch We stood there face to face
And I was dying inside to hold you I couldn't believe what I felt for you Dying inside I was dying inside But I couldn't bring myself to touch you
You said hello then you asked my name I didn't know if I should go on in vain Inside I felt my life had really changed I knew that it would never be the same
Standing there I didn't know what to say First time looked away when I whispered your name
And I was dying inside to hold you I couldn't believe what I felt for you Dying inside I was dying inside But I couldn't bring myself to touch you
I was dying inside to hold you I couldn't believe what I felt for you Dying inside I was dying inside But I couldn't bring myself to touch you
One hello changed my life I didn't believe in love at first sight But you have shown me what is life And now I know my love (I know it's coming right)
And I was dying inside to hold you I couldn't believe what I felt for you Dying inside I was dying inside But I couldn't bring myself to touch you
