EyeLog: When We Were 17...

Loon left for KL yesterday - now stuck in Dubai (failed to appear in time for his connecting flight to KL due to the delay in Heathrow) for more than 15 hours - I'm certain he's enjoying himself in a comfy hotel room and FOOD, and watching house of flying daggers! Monday will be a big day for Loon as it will be his first day of work as a civilian. I'm excited for him as well - do well, Loon!

Anyway, was looking through old pictures especially old school pictures and laughing like a lunatic by myself. We were 17 years old 10 years ago. Gosh, guess we're old now! But life has been very exciting and I'm sure we've achieved a lot in 10 years. I have been talking more regularly with 2 old friends lately, Lillian and Cheryl. Cheryl was my best friend in school but now her best friend is the RPM bicycle in California Fitness. If all of us are individual programs from a satelite TV, Lillian is MEASAT 3. She told me off about my anti-social behaviour about keeping in touch with old classmates... my usual excuse since last time... busy. Thinking about it, it was my fault really, should have kept in touch with many classmates...

Like my grandmother and my mother, I went to St Mary's Primary and Secondary School in Kuching for girls.

Pearly, Jesmine & I (Pearly & Jesmine were Greenians - Pembelot)

I believe this was in primary school where we all sang Tropika! ... I found the song in youtube sung by some indonesian maid in a belukar.

We even had plays like Sang Serigala... I think I was penduduk kampung

School was filled with interesting incidents like when we were in primary school, Catalina Rembuyan tried to stab Lillian's eye with a 2B pencil. Catalina later joined Malaysian Idol and sang her version of Zombie, she was dubbed the Malaysian William Hung (gosh, I'm mean!). I really admire her courage and guts though.

My birthday party with friends - mum, I believe Lillian almost puke out the yoghurt you made everyone eat...

In primary school too, a group of us were so convinced a cave behind our school was haunted we established 'Kumpulan Penyiasat'. Even created logo and song for our club! It was hilarious... how we conducted our hypothesis on certain made up incidences and ate maggi mee in the canteen with a good view of the haunted cave to evaluate our findings! Those were the crazy days. Oh, we even thought the primary school toilet was haunted. Some teachers even fuelled the crazy allegations of japanese soldiers hanged in the spot where the toilet stands. Cis!

Kumpulan Penyiasat (Nasa, Sabrina, me, Catalina)

And then came secondary school - it was quite fun despite the rebellious antics everybody seemed to develop but oh well, it was quite fun. Maybe I was the worst - I wasn't too popular due to my anti-social behaviour, my best friend, Cheryl. I think she's the only one who could understand me - maybe she's the only one whom I gave a chance to understand me. There was also Yong Syn, who clicked with me due to our interested in music, piano specifically. More to rivalry sometimes as we had the same piano teacher, my dad's cousin, Aunt Constance. And then there was Alice - she was the new girl whom I grew quite close with until she grew closer to Yong Syn... Alice used to make the loveliest chocolate muffins/cookies. She's quite musical as well. I believe both are doing very well now in their own fields... Yong Syn will be married soon... my heartiest congratulations to one of my closest childhood friend!

Alice, me, Lillian and Yong Syn - Reservoir Park Kuching

I was also quite close to Yi Yann, we go to/fro school together almost everyday. Yi Yann was the school editor and she's a very hardworking girl. I believe our friend is a mother to be soon... again, congratulations my friend! Lillian, bila lagi?

I don't know why they didn't let us drink in class - eat, I understand but why can't I drink if I'm thirsty. Well, no rules applied to me as I drank and ate as I liked - worst part, I was sitting right in front. My neighbour was of course my best friend Cheryl and behind me was Lillian. The 3 of us - contributed 80% of the noise pollution of the whole school. Ironically, Cheryl was assistant class monitor... I think her appointment was a strategy, to elect one of the noisiest girl in school so she has a sense of responsibility ie shut up and encourage her other 2 friends to shut up as well... clearly, the teacher's strategy back-fired. With more power, Cheryl recruited more chatterboxes. The head monitor, Ina went berserk. Oh I must mention, Cheryl, although she's very lovable, but she has this bad attitude of laughing at people... like if you fell, don't count on sympathy from her, she'll be laughing the hardest. Maybe she can't control it... well there's this one day when she fell and she didn't dare tell anybody. I only noticed it when I saw blood on her pinafore and saw her bleeding knees... muahahahaha...

I must say our class, was quite divided, everyone had their own agendas. My class accounted 70% school prefects, school editors, club presidents and sports captains, you name it we had it - we could even change the clock to go back earlier and no one would notice it if we wanted to (Coz Yi Yann was in charged of ringing the bell). We had immunities wherever we went/whatever we did. It was very fun.

And then, I also had fond memories of peeping over to St Thomas' with Vero. Vero is this unusual native girl who speaks Hokkien... so we clicked quite well. And because her laughters are very contagious, she clicked well with Lillian and Cheryl too. I also remember Sharon Nani quite well... because she's easily the prettiest girl in school... and Angelina Bong. Angel and I had our share of catfights if you would call it, but all's good now that we're older - truth is I've never seen her since Sunway, so I don't know whether all's good or just we forgot about each other's existence. haha.

And then there was Diana Jinap who's one hell of a girl... I really like her no-pretence attitude but made headlines in the teacher's room everyday maybe. And her close friend was Delilah. Delilah was all-smiles. Be it in trouble or not, she's always smiling, so sometimes a bit misleading you won't know the real situation. Serina was the youngest. I remembered her quite well because she lives near school and sometimes we go over to her house. And Vasantha, our Mariah Carey. She's the prettiest Chindian girl I know...

In school, we witnessed countless cultural dances and performances unique to Sarawakians (Puteri Santubong). Before, I thought it was boring considering having to sit through them like more than 50 times in my primary and secondary school career. But now, I quite miss them. I used to witness good Iban Ngajat at some relative's house during Hari Gawai - hope I can see them again soon. Oh, Sharon Nani was (maybe still is) always very good at them... I think most of us are not as lembut... quite cho lo so can't do ngajat.

My last year of high school was really fun. I think the most memorable one was the whole class representing the school for the choral speaking competition against the likes of St Joseph, St Teresa and St Thomas. I think that was the first time when we were really united. Even then, we learnt what politics were. Our CM aka Pek Mo and most of his konco-konco graduated from St Joseph's, so they hardly lose any competitions - LOSERS! hahahaha... I have many good Josephian friends, no offence. In fact, Loon and I were matchmade by the a Josephian who owned the oldest door (Ellis Rd house) or the oldest tribe statue/carvings in Sarawak - he deals in antiques. And another good friend, also a Josephian who most likely will be the sole supplier of best quality mattress in Borneo - maybe you are already sleeping on 1.

Us during Choral Speaking

(I know it was quite childish - but that was the time I happily vented my anger on some friends I didn't favour muahahahaha how fun!)

Then it was graduation time - 5 Science 1 with Ms Thilaka (background YB Block - the oldest block in the school, a bit more than a hundred years old)

Well, it's more than 10 years today, all have our own lives and all have our own achievements. I truly believe what I am today is somewhat contributed and affected by each of my classmates - good or bad. I know I've MIAed for the last 10 years (damn!) but wishing all a GREAT 2010.

I've taken the following illegally from everyone's FB for my greater benefit hiaks... thanks in advance. :P

Adeline (right) and I met again in Southport. She's now engaged to Mostyn, erm... a Josephian. Met Mostyn, a really nice guy - more and more Josephians are nice lately :)