~light of the world~

Friday, July 31, 2009

So today was our NJChorale - the NJChoir Alumni concert, a culmination of the weeks of practice we had.

Well, it's not like we practiced as hard or as often as we did when we were in the school choir. It's not easy to get the same level of commitment among people who have really different schedules and aren't forced to attend.

Anyway, today for the first half we sang Lux Aurumque, Crown of Roses, Bogoroditse Devo, Burung Kakaktua, Paruparong Bukid. Then the first two acapella groups were the Chinese Yi Bi Yi group and my Lollipop group.

The first group had Lay Wang (who arranged the song), Shermaine, Bi Fang, Gabriel, Hua Cheng and Jia Hao. My group had Xiang Ting, Priscilla, Jia Yun, Ann and me.

We practiced for acapella quite often, though spending quite a lot of time on things like movement, the intro, what we were going to wear etc. At first we were going to just wear the choral gowns, but then decided that the song was too cute for it and wore colourful clothes in the end :D

The funny part backstage was how we all rushed to change. Straight after going back in (after Paruparong) the Yi Bi Yi girls just chionged into the toilet to change, while the guys just stripped the shirts off behind the curtain! Jia Hao was stalling for them

And then Lollipop while waiting for the toilet to have space quickly changed the shoes and tried to do the hair first. And then we rushed to change our clothes, and then rushed back out to tie on the red ribbons, and the guys backstage probably thought we looked hilarious.

After the intermission it was Oh No John, which was hilarious everytime I saw the acting by Thomas and Priscilla. The people singing were Xiang, Shermaine, Cheryl, Jia, Chee Jun, Gabriel, Xingqun and Linus. They probably went sharper and sharper :)

Then it was Fire (Cheryl, Jia, Xiang, Zhirui, Linus, Jiahao) and In The Still Of The Night (Cheej, Linus, Zhirui, Thomas, Gabriel). Based on the cheers we heard they must have done well! (The backstage curtain kind of muffles some of the sound, and we can't see the performance, pity.)

Then we went back to the chorale performances, singing Humpty Dumpty, Vincent (Starry Starry Night), Moon River, Song (composed by Pris) and Shima E. And the encore piece was Ye Lai Xiang.

I'm really thankful to all the people who came to see us, whether it's our choir juniors, people from other choirs or our families, including my two younger sisters!

Labels: choir

xuan blogged at 11:30 PM

May your light shine...
in the darkness...

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Firstly, today's my brother's birthday! Happy Birthday!! You're now a quarter of a century old!!

So today was my last day officially working at Graduate Programmes and Research Office [Teachers' Professional Development] in NIE, but not my last day in NIE.

For the past two weeks, I've been kind of like a regular worker - I would wait for the chartered NIE staff bus for the Holland - Farrer - Bukit Timah area, along with Dr Joan Fry (and for a few days, Mark as well) at the small side road beneath the train railway.

The people on the bus are Auntie Kok Mui, Auntie Lek Cher (both of whom know my mum), Joy, Shih Fen, Dr Fry, Mark and Mary. The two of us would always sit in the back with Mary. Mark was there for the first few days, but wasn't there when he went to Japan.

And then I'd reach NIE at about 8:05am and go to Block 3, hoping that someone would be there to let me in, because I have no pass-card.

I'd be working/slacking from 8.20 - 5.40 or thereabouts, with an hour-long lunch in between. Before my mum went to NZ, I'd just stay in office until about 6.15 to wait for her to be done, and then meet her at the carpark. But for the last two weeks, I had to remember to close everything at about 5.37pm or so, and leave before 5.40pm so as to get to the bus by 5.45pm.

Jun Qiang from the other side of GPR left on 29 June, I think, because the person he was relieving came back from maternal leave or something, and Amos was complaining about all the baby talk, haha.

They also shifted my seat, swapping places with Radha, so that she now sat beside Charles, and I sat in front of Jiahui. At first I wasn't too happy, because I liked being tucked away in my old corner, but at least in this new place I could talk to Jiahui! Madeline also got shifted to one of those tables near the pantry/toilet. (The computer guy, who's Grace's husband! shifted the computers around.)

Sitting at the new place was quite different. The aircon was less cold (made my old corner feel like the North Pole), and I occasionally directed people who came in to the right people to ask their questions to. Also, my desk was right outside the meeting room, where the people inside could be noisy despite the closed door! And once, Mavis came in, I wonder if it was on behalf of my mum?

Then Jiahui's last day was on 3rd July, because she was going to Taiwan on the following Tuesday, and the manager had been officially hired already, so Chris 'terminated her employment', lol. We had Canadian pizza on her last day - good stuff!

After that I was the only one left in my column, the three people in the other column belonging to the other side of GPR (Emma, Asmidah, Mazian). I think it's called GAP or something.

The new manager's name is Wei Ling, I think. She's pretty tall! But then Chris had to go eat with her and the higher-ups, and Su-Ming and Madeline would go by themselves, so I ate by myself once or twice, and once with Amos (we boycott Broadway!).

And they had this TPD lunch-meeting thing on Friday where they ordered KFC. I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to go, but it turns out, I was! Apparently the lunch time was like the manager getting to know everyone's family, work history etc. Hers is really colourful, even more than Charles, but no one can beat Radha: working at NIE all her life! And she looks way too young to be the mother of a 20-year old! Then they had their meeting while I did my work outside.

Yesterday I took a half-day off to go to school to get my SGC, so I only spent the morning in office. Because I took the cough medicine, I was literally falling asleep at my desk! And then the LP people (Audrey and Ros) came in with lots of leftover samosas and fruit tarts, which I admit I stuffed my face with. Kept me awake!

Today I went in (with Cindi) and it took a while to realise that my computer was missing! Rather, they moved it to two desks in front of Madeline, so that the entire column was now empty, and anyone looking for TPD would have to walk to the right, my desk being the first in line.

The good thing about this desk is that I could eat my pau without being seen! But a lot more people walk by it, and I feel a bit paiseh if they see me playing games - not because I'm a slacker but because Chris didn't give me work!

Today at least TPD remembered it's my last day, so Madeline, Charles, Imelda and Su-Ming kind of wished me well with my future endeavours. They're so cute, they all like to shake hands or something. Even Dr Tan!

It's currently the teacher investiture going on, so Charles and Madeline got volunteered to be ushers or something, so my last lunch was at the Cafe by the Quad (teri & yaki chicken!).

Anyway, despite it being my last day, I just realised that I left my earphones there, so I'll pop by tomorrow to get them. I'm going to start my new work at CRPP (thanks to Shih Fen :D), so it's still NIE!

I think NIE is so fun. I don't know why. It's like everything works together. Like how the Foundation Programmes people are all involved in the TIC these 3 days, where teachers previously trained under the various AGs are now released into the schools, and they'll later come back to GPR for other courses! Cool.

Labels: family, work

xuan blogged at 10:50 PM

May your light shine...
in the darkness...

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Haha, this post is like three days late.

Sheena organised a dinner for the 07-08 NJChoir Committee, and we were to meet at City Hall MRT. I came from Toa Payoh MRT (after tution) and reached at about 6.15, but only Jing An was already there.

We were speculating on who would come next, but before I could give my final answer, Sheena showed up. We took a long time deliberating where to eat, meanwhile being joined by Ek Ping, Wanyun, Yun Tian, Yong Jian, Conan, Xuemin and Eugenia. (Eugene was already at the Esplanade area.)

In the end, according to Yun Tian's suggestion (trust the veteran, as JA says) we went to Marina Square, and finally settled on this place whose name escapes me right now, but it was that typical western food kind of place. With good dessert.

I don't really remember exactly what we talked about over dinner. I think it probably revolved around topics of school, army, food, work, choir, alumni concert etc.

Sixuan: I got my driving licence, see?
Eugenia & Xuemin: Ohhhh.
Jing An: What's that? Your student card?
Sixuan: No, it's my driving licence! (expression of glee)
Yong Jian: Haha, so what. I also can drive! Some more the one I drive is like 10 times bigger than yours.
Sixuan: Oh, so like some big tank thing? (expression of wonder)
Conan: You never tell her you can only drive at like 30km/h. *snigger*

There were also the NDP rehearsal fireworks, though from where we sat, unable to see the sky, thought it looked a lot like lightning in the sense that they lit up the buildings in flashes. After dinner, we went to take a picture outside the place.

Wanyun: Okay, let's take a picture!
[Yun Tian takes out a comb and combs her hair.]
Some of us: Aiyo!
Sixuan: Do you NEED to comb your hair?
Yun Tian: Hey, it's important, okay?
Wanyun: Let's be thankful she didn't take her mirror out like she usually does.
Sixuan: That's true!
Wanyun: If she were a more bimbo person, she'd take out perfume and spray it. You know, even though it doesn't actually show on the photo!

Afterwards we went back up and walked around, Ek Ping and Yun Tian went to the Puma shop to see if the bags EP got on sale were really going for that price. Xuemin and I got our cheaper ice-cream from this Japanese shop, and we sat down at a Starbucks table (Conan and YJ got drinks) while Eugene described the present choir situation to Eugenia, JA and me. It sounded frightening.

Then Sheena and I went home together right after, and I only got home at about 10.30pm. Though this is because she pushed back the original meeting time of 6pm to 6.30, and then we waited until 7pm for everyone to come before going to Marina Square.

I realise that I didn't know how much I wanted to see them again after so long until I actually saw them. These are people I used to see thrice a week, about 40 weeks a year, and for 2-3 years depending on which of them.

Well, at least I've tried to wrangle an assurance that when I organise another meeting at the end of the year(with those in my year since the rest will be having A levels/prom/holiday), they'll set aside the date if possible.

I miss them already!

Labels: choir, friends

xuan blogged at 8:05 PM

May your light shine...
in the darkness...