过了就过了

I wrote on the whiteboard last night, "Wake me up at 7.30am!" And I set an alarm for myself which usually got no use. Then when I woke up at 0730, I..uh..fell asleep again. And the next time I woke up was at 0920 or so, when my dad called me on my handphone and asked me why I needed to wake up early. I was like, I got competition today! (The reason why my family will never know when my competitions and concerts are is that they can't be bothered to remember.) When I hung up and saw the time I was like, shit. Then SMSed Candice to inform her. I had to reach school at 0930 actually.

I'm just not the wake-up-early kind of person. Yet.

Then I crept to the kitchen and my brother was there. He saw me and gave me a shocked look. He thought I left the house already.

My mum even bought breakfast for me. She thought the scribbling on the board was just me asking my family to help me record TV shows.

T_T

So, ya I was late. So I missed some storytelling session and tuning.

I realised I forgot to bring my collar pin upon reaching school. Called Felix for help but it slipped out of his mind. Took from Sabrina, luckily she had an extra pin.

Took some photos before we left for VCH.

Joel, me, Wee Kiat
Benny, me, Joel

Jie Ying and Hong Wei were trying to imitate how I pose in photos.

You could try harder
My eyes are not soooooo small lo, Jie Ying
Ju Ling and me
The tuba section

Me, Kai Ling

And so on so forth, and we met Felix and Kai Yan at VCH. Since I needed to leave straight after NBC I needed someone to help me hold on to my bag and return it to me immediately after MJ's turn in the limelight. And that person was Felix. Hahaha........and he carried my bag and waH so chio.

Anyway, I thought we played not up to expectations as well as our usual standard during practices. It's quite sad la, actually. We didn't put in our best! I cocked up a lot too.

When I first stepped onto the stage the rest of the band was more or less settling down already. Then Ms Sia came in, I didn't have time to adjust my file and it wasn't opened fully and the previous pockets were blocking my view from the Colonel Bogey score. I relied on memory as well as prediction. How to concentrate?

On Jericho, I didn't notice the playing of the other sections since I was rather engrossed and distracted at the same time. I don't know why such things always happen during competitions! Then I played wrong notes, I can't focus on my own music, and I can't remember what I was hearing during playing the piece. Shit me. Ever since the first competition that I went for, I had never ever played my best. Never.

I always conclude the competitions by blaming myself, 一直不停地责怪自己。I really hope that I can take part in a competition that I go up the stage with a breeze and feel extremely confident of myself! But in all, it seemed too late. This may be the last time I take part in a competition with a school.

The bell of my tuba faces outwards, and I was rather bothered by it. Nerve played a part too. I was afraid that I may be blaring too much towards the audience, judges included. My fingers got tangled around the pistons. This tuba model gave me some problems also la.

But still, I should have more confidence! I'm always regretting after competitions. So sick of myself. Pissed. I keep shuddering and wonder if I was the one who brought down the band..heard the recording and I dunno if I'm right but I thought the bass wasn't steady enough to support the band. Dunno la! 烦死了。

After the competition I returned stuff that I needed to, and took a cab over to SCH.

When I reached I took out my tuba (make that an affair to the MJ one) but I didn't join them for rehearsals, since Mr Shuichi was taking them for Rhapsody in Blue which is quite a long piece. After that they did Petite Suite, which I wasn't playing, and finally went up after sitting in the audience for 45 minutes. I was chatting with Mrs Chua for a while though.

I think Mrs Chua is happy with the kids la, since they're just Sec 2s and 3s and they can get an impressive 79% plus for the NBC. They're just decimals away from a Gold medal, but it doesn't matter!

I am proud of my kids.

During dinner time I was a bit more frantic regarding the results. Called Hong Wei and he said RGS was good. Sigh.

When I finished eating I was just sitting there staring into space and grabbing my phone tightly waiting for a sign of vibration.

In the end how did I know the results?

Wei Jie told me. Like irrelevant right?

What happened was Wysen SMSed him immediately after the results were announced. And with all the hype and vibe at VCH I was forgotten for a moment! It was only minutes minutes minutes later that Felix SMSed me. A bit disappointed why things were that way, like I was waiting and waiting and waiting. But ya, whatever. Shan't be too sensitive.

I felt numb about the results la..like wondering if we deserved it. We didn't come out as the top 3. It was Maris Stella, TKGS and RGS that made up the top 3. It's a bit...devastating would be overstating it, but we're the only college there. Excuses: MJ team included alumni, but we didn't have a lot of time to consistently practice like the secondary schools can. The students have their mid-year exams at the end of the holidays. Secondary schools have more time. And I heard that Maris Stella included alumni as well as outsiders, people with no roots to Maris Stella at all taking part. Competed in the name of Maris Stella for the sake of music.

So...I got nothing to say la. Just that I was quite happy when I got to know this band I really disliked didn't do well. Shall not name which. You know yourself la. If you don't know, it doesn't matter at all.

In conclusion, MJ got gold and fifth in the 1st division. Give yourselves a pat on the back!