Wednesday, April 27
Woke up at 12.40pm (yes, PM) because my body just won't compromise a little that morning. Intended to go to school for lesson that day because I didn't want to miss physics lecture and GP video sessions; but even when I managed to make it up to ironing my uniform in the morning, I collapsed straightaway on my bed once I reached the room. Hmm. Perhaps even with a "bom" sound... Went to school for guitar, though, that being the very last day before SYF itself. After about two hours of practice, Meng dismissed us home, hoping that we would have a good rest and that we wouldn't be bothered by any tutorials to do. Haha. For the first time in dunno-how-many-wednesdays, we could reach home when sky was still bright and the dining hall was still buzzing with people. Haha. Ironically, though, I couldn't sleep early. Did a bit of Astro project here and there, and go sleep at about 12.30am. On days I should't sleep early, I sleep early. On days I should sleep early, I don't. Hah.

Thursday, April 28
Happily ironing my shirt and pants right in the morning (about 5.40am), and then proceeded to iron my ugly-cheapo blue tie which is half-crumpled already. Right before I pressed the iron on to the tie, I felt a tinge of fear, "what if I burn this?" but I quickly dismissed it as I thought crumpled tie would be equally as bad as burnt tie. My, how I should have trusted my intuition more than my logic! I pressed the iron on the mid-point of the tie and tried to move the iron along the tie when I realised.. it wouldn't move! I then attempted to lift the iron, and after a bit of addition of pulling force, I managed to lift it.. To my horror, a white patch was resulted right in the middle of the tie, because the blue fibre had all shrinked to the edge of the tie!!! DAMNIT. Of all unlucky day, why should it be that day?? So I quickly turned off the iron, grab my costume and ran to the room, with a surprisingly calm voice asking Fungus, "Do you think Meng is up? Do you think Meng is up?", grabbed my phone, started smsing, then only showed signs of franticness and started screaming. Hahaha. Was a really terrible morning!
The atmosphere was equally tense throughout the morning-afternoon practice session, especially with Mr.Leow asking us not to rush when playing. And it was still equally as tense in the bus, especially more tense in the SCH itself. But somehow, I wasn't nervous.. I was looking at other schools' costumes and admiring RJC guitar club's elegant and well-dressed members.. was admiring the features of SCH, too (there was this ethnic 'instrument' in the foyer just before we entered the concert hall) and the percussion instruments brought by other schools (their bongo was obviously VERY big and tall).
We then entered the concert hall, which wasn't very big actually, and played our pieces. I could feel (every one of us could feel) that we were playing at an extremely high speed. The best part, though, was the fact that Dance of Yao People was a combination of a high speed and low speed movements. We played the low speed at the speed we normally practice, but we played the high speed movements in a faster rate, so audience (and judges) could really see the contrast between the two! And the effect was "fantastic", as quoted by Jejes, who happened to be one of SAJC guitar club's member. Another thing was the ending of the song, which Mr.Leow had said as "always very good" which involved a lot of chord-tremolo, strumming, compounded by Ming Xiu's percussion, and of course, Mr.Leow's well-thought-of dynamics... it resulted in a "thunderous" ending, said Gina. The second song, Besame Mucho (Spanish, meaning I Want to Kiss You So Much) was very expressive.. as in, I could see all of us enjoying ourselves, immersing our souls into the song. Even "my son", Zhong Yi smiled all the way and shoke heads and was not, for once, a wooden block. THERE, I see how Mr.Leow's pick of songs had worked perfectly well.. one seemingly high-technique song (playing songs with a lot of varying tempo was not easy!), and one expressive, jazzy song.
But of course, I didn't realise all this at that point of time... all I could think of was that we were rushing, rushing, rushing.. can't we slow down, coz I saw Mr.Leow's face and hand begging us to slow down, but we couldn't do it.. and the comments he gave us right after the performance! "Dance of Yao was okay.. but Besame was a bit too rushed". Personally, I thought that we could do better.. I mean, we DID IT in Audi during rehearsals, why couldn't we do it in SCH?
The most nerve-wrecking part was, of course, when the result was announced. The emcee went by order of performance, which means that TJC, being the last performer, had to go through all the joys screamed by all other schools when their results were announced.. Then it started.. VJ..gold.. NJ..gold.. Hwa Chong..gold.. Tampines..gold ("shittt! how could tampines got a gold???" was the majority response among us).. Meridien.. gold.. ("whoaaaa! Mr.Leow's other guitar club got a gold!").. and then... RJC.. gold.. there, I realized, gold has been awarded to six junior colleges. And there were only fourteen or fifteen junior colleges performing in the competition.. is there a slot still??? Or damnit will we get silver instead?? SAJC.. silver.. GT hundred something (our register no).. (I was leaning my head on Pat's shoulder, fearing anything that coming out from the emcee's mouth).. TJC.. gold.. (a pause) with honours..
*SCREAM OF JOY AND SATISFACTION*
*TJ Cheerr*
*handshake and hugging session..*
Oh man, remembering all these, I could just CRY. It was too much. Gold, with honours! The only school (secondary and JC) in Singapore who got gold with honours! MUAHAHAHAHHAHAHA.
The bus ride back to school was super happy, everybody was gay and there were smiles and laughters and photo-snappings and all.. so FUN. Imagine the feeling of being the best in Singapore.

Me, Pat, Eng Hooi and Choong Yoon then proceeded to celebrate our victory by having dinner at Swensen's..... YUM.. and all paid by CY... I mean, we all borrow his money hahaha.

and here goes the thank-you list...
for all the people who have helped me to pack dinner for me throughout the past four months,
for those who have put up with the craziness i experienced after guitar practices,
for hui lin the best CI ever who patiently teaches us besame chords and tremolo
for the well-wishers,
for eng hooi, pat and choong yoon for always being such a joy,
for the besame mucho session in visitor's lounge,
for my section members (pat, clara, hui lin, meng-minus-scolding, zhong yi, marcus),
of course for my roommate who always (1) attempts to prevent me from sleeping right after guitar prac (2) never trusts me when i say "i'm not sleepy" (3) push me to do homework (4) buy maggie mee for me when i want, but (5) prevents me from eating more than two maggies per week,
and to my loving parents who have bought me Firsty for my fourteenth birthday gift
THANK YOU THANK YOU WON'T MADE IT WITHOUT YOU.

That's all folks. I've been in front of the comp for one hour plus! I shall mug this weekend. The success of the guitar club was not without the sacrifice of my studies, you know..