blog/enigma

Sunday, April 13, 2008

9:55 AM

Thoughts Before The March

with bated breath and quickened heart
I stared around me
the wind shakes free,
a field of red and strips of gold
the grass is only our stage

my eyes trained on
the furry upright sticks of yellow
the sharp glint of brass and metal
keys rattle
on the deep black wood
of clarinets

stomach knotting
chest pounding
thoughts of uncertainty and mistakes
and failure,
thoughts,
of slow afternoons with sweat, ego melts
of raining cold days and echoing sounds
of pinpricks and berets and swinging belts
of sleepless nights and lanyards to count
of anxiety, worry, crisis and confidence maim
of efforts not paying their results due on time
of glory, dreams, and broken causes
of friendships and leaders lost to losses

the wind blows

and tells me it's okay.
drop, check, play.

***

I have a lot of people to thank.

From up to down, in no order of merit, though some people deserve much more gratitude than I can offer:

1) The teachers really have done EVERYTHING. Nothing would have worked without them. The uniforms and instruments wouldn't be so neat and systematic if not because of Mrs. Chan. Mrs Lai was always running around to make things work, and you can be sure the band won't if not because of her. Ms Quah must be thanked for her catering and meticulous attention of Edwin's macework x) and Mr Tan is responsible for making us go back to class for reading period on time.

2) The instrutors: without them, there is no competition. I think Mr. Siao has mellowed. I believe without the musical repertoire, we wouldn't stand a chance. Jon Lee made our erratic band see the result of discipline.

3) Edwin really threw in everything he had. Did you people know he injured his hand and didn't even dare to tell the teachers? When he was throwing that mace, how much is the stress? And through all our practices, who spent the most effort? Who worried, cared and bounced back the most?

Your DM is a very special person (though I must add, oftentimes crazy and irritating.)

4) C'mon, you have to admit, Zong Xian isn't your outdoor person. Size aside (he's going to kill me) he fares best in indoors. Yet he kept all his inhibitions and just went with it. He shed his less-than-sufficient confidence and spent the most effort settling and solving conflicts in the band. With Edwin, they make the best majors I've seen as UM.

5) QMs: Without them where are your instruments? Especially Huiyao, who has to face Mrs. Chan's rantings.

6) SLs: I don't know any post more important than the Section Leaders. I can do NOTHING without them. I can't give out uniforms stuff, I can't give announcements and make sure they work, and I WILL GO CRAZY without their help. They've been amazingly co-operative and understanding people, especially when the UMs are often lunatic, inexperienced and stupid (that applies only to me).

7) The Uniform Managers (though Master sounds cooler): Qifannn and Teezhuo (newly instated). They're just angels in disguise. Kudos to Tee Zhuo for making himself so busy with berets and belts and crazy UM stuff until he becomes an irritated french bitch (really, he can become realllllly bitchy). But he's just gold. He didn't even had to do it, and I'm really touched. Qifannn just did all the things that I draconianly threw on him, and whatever I had to get off my chest I just unload it on him, even then he has his own thoughts and commitments to worry about. Like Huiyao says, "You put the U in BAND." We've really worked very hard, and I'm glad it paid off.

8) The Alumnus: thanks for supporting us and giving pep talks. I know I've been more than disagreeable to most of you. But it doesn't matter now. Thanks to Jiehan still sticking to his promise, and offering his help with UM stuff. To Bangky, who helped Hongseng find glue to stick Hongseng's shoe. To all the people who were in the band and cared. Thank you.

9) To the general band populous: and by that I mean everyone. I know this period I had been bitchy and irritable because I was just so overwhelmed by everything. If I've snapped at you or made you unhappy, I apologize here. And I really need to thank everyone who made me feel that what I do has worth, and I really feel that. I feel joy when people say, "If not for uniforms, we won't have won," even though that's so lol and untrue but I appreciate all your gratitude. You people make me feel worthy of the pride. Plus, some of you really look good in the uniform. Erm, that's a lie x)

***

Oh, btw, for people who don't know: TOP BAND FOR ASSESSMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!

signed, jiasheng

19th Sept
hci
band/euphonium
doodler
blogger

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