Netball & Basketball

Finally! A weekend where I didn't skate at all!

Saturday morning, I went to my ex-secondary school Tanjong Katong Secondary to meet up with some alumni netball players and the current team.  

It was nice to get to meet the current team members, most of whom aren't even sixteen years old yet. 

Man I feel old...

Got to see some faces that I haven't seen since I left TK.

Thankfully, unlike my primary school, TK hasn't changed much over the years. The campus grounds still look the same as when we left it about eight years ago.

It was a surreal experience to be back here again with the same people that I used to see everyday. It was as if we never left.

How I miss those days!

The current teacher in charge of the netball team is Ms. Syikin. She's really sweet and actually organised this entire event for the current team of champions and for us (alumni).

I couldn't believe the amount of work that went into preparing the library for the celebratory lunch.

Someone had painted the lanterns into paper netballs!

We watched a video about the current TK team.

So this year, TK netball made history by winning the C Div championships against long-time giants Nanyang Girls' High, 32-25. Not only that, but they won the finals without losing a single game before that!

I'll just say that the team has come SUCH a loonnggg way and I am very proud to have been included in a small part of the history and tradition. Great job girls!

The principal even came to give away prizes for the girls who won this years championship. 

Back then, we'd never experience this kind of support for the netball team. Apparently this principal had been to several games to support the girls. Years ago, our principal never did that. I was pleasantly surprised at this change. It really means a lot when parents, administrators and teachers show that they care in the welfare of the team. 

 The alumni that showed up.

Current champs.

Met Mr. Anwar who is a familiar face.

Our made-up team of alumnis, "Powderful", won third place out of four teams that morning against the current TK netball girls. Not too bad considering that we're old and crickety eh? Our prize was a small packet of chocolates and snacks. As you can see, Ruth is very excited about it.

We were blessed with beautiful sunny weather all morning and afternoon. 

After the games and lunch, Fat, Nurul, Ain and I went to Bedok Central to chill.

Just like the good ol' days of carefree secondary school...

In the evening, met up with Benedict, his booboo and Kat for dinner at Mana Mana Beach Club.

Talia and I were dog tired.

All day Sunday I was in church and Enkoosh (who is visiting from Jersey) came with me to House of Bread as well. 

After House of Bread, I rushed down to Sakae Sushi in West Mall to hang out with the girls from Davidians (group in church). I was about an hour late and they had started eating sushi before me. Check out the crazy pile of plates they created!

After getting bubble tea at Gong Cha, we walked to the basketball court area next to the community centre to chill.

It's been even longer since I've been in the Bukit Batok area. I consider this neighbourhood as the place where I spent most of my childhood. Since about twelve years ago, things have changed a lot. Even the basketball court looks unrecognisable.

I guess if there was a word to sum up this entire weekend, it'd be "nostalgia".

I revisited lots of old haunts and reconnected with friends that I used to see daily or weekly. In a way, it's nice to see each other again and to talk as if time never passed. But on the other hand, it's bittersweet to know that those times can never return and we are getting further away from them with each second that passes.

I just want to be a kid again...

BBQs & Meetups

Wow I finally found some time to blog!

Well, not really. I'm kinda multitasking right now at my dad's place, waiting for my brother to finish his dinner so we can cut his birthday cake. In the meantime, I'm trying to finish some Excel sheet for work, watching TV, talking to my family and reading some article on the Internet. 

I feel so busy yet unproductive. 

Anyway, I've got some pictures up today. 

Two weeks ago, we had three birthdays in the office, two of which were on the same day! Jeff was nice to invite us to his place for his birthday BBQ. I really enjoyed the fact that he actually hired chefs to come and barbecue so we that didn't have to work at the grill. 

Then on Saturday, 15th Feb, I finally got to hang out with Chayana who used to play netball in TK. The cool thing about this meetup is that we actually see each other everyday since she works in the same building where I live, however I didn't recognise her at first. It was only until she told me on Facebook that I realised who she was! 

What can I say, she looks so pretty and grown-up now that she's virtually unrecognisable!

After watching The Iron Lady at I12 Katong, we had Katong laksa.

I'm sad that this stall is completely renovated and looks different from what it used to, but at least it's still here. A lot of the older shops are gone now- replaced by swanky restaurants that look nice but don't taste that good.

I had a blast with Chayana and hope we get to hang out again soon. I love that she hasn't changed personality-wise since TK days. Still the same sweet girl I know :)

That Sunday, we celebrated dear Joyjoy's birthday at the Hane's Bible study.
I'm gonna start calling it House of Bread from now on 'cause that's what it's called :P

I love Joyjoy. She's such a cutie and she's one of my inspirations to lead by example. 

We had a great discussion that Sunday. I don't even remember what Bible verses we talked about, but thoughts were popping in my head like popcorn on a heated pan. 

Many exciting/fun things happened all throughout last week, but I either kept forgetting to bring my camera out or to charge it. 

For one, Talia and I went to KBox to spend the free vouchers I'd gotten from a flea that past weekend. I had SO MUCH FUN! And it was Talia's first time- yayyyyyyyy!!! I really hope we can go again soon, maybe when we get a larger group so it won't cost as much per pax. There's just something liberating about singing nonsense songs out loud, knowing that you sound horrible but no one cares. Hah!

Ok so this past Saturday, I finally got to eat the mee soto I've been craving since I came back to Singapore. Since October 2011, I kept wanting to eat mee soto. Yet every time I tried to order it, they either didn't have it anymore, or they just didn't sell it. 

:(

Then on Saturday, I met up with Fatimah (also ex TK netballer and my former ex-classmate) and we ate awesome mee soto at Bedok Food Centre!

Can't believe it's been so many years since we've seen each other. Eight years, maybe? Yet when I saw her face at the MRT station, it was like old times again. It wasn't long before we started laughing and cracking up at stupid lame jokes like we used to in secondary school. 

We went to the arcade where I made her get on the DDR machine after shooting hoops. Looks like she hasn't lost her netball skills even without practice!

Walked around Bedok Point and sat here drinking bubble tea while chatting. All the time I kept feeling like i was back in my white and green uniform, loitering in random places after netball practice. The sun shone in just the right amount to jolt my memory all the way back. For those few moments, I felt like I was fourteen again. 

When I snapped out of it, I felt kinda sad. Why do people have to change? Why do we have to grow up?

Sigh...

But then I thought about the book I just reread, Tuck Everlasting. Man, it stinks to never grow older. It stinks to watch life move on without you. People grow up, get married, have children, die and meet the Creator. It would be even sadder to always remain the same. It's not natural. What is life when there is no death?

Alright, enough of that!

Later that night, we had a little family BBQ to celebrate my two brothers' birthdays. They're only days apart. How convenient right? 

Talia, Manda and Andrew came as well and we went swimming after dinner. I did a lot of terrorising- chasing Talia into the icy cold pool, and poor sunburnt Andrew into the hot tub. 

A rare shot of myself by myself. Can't believe I'm gonna be 23 this year... Nooooooo!!!!!!!! 

Okay the real reason why I took this picture is because I'm gonna appreciate it when I'm 25 and wrinkly. 

Sigh. 

What's the point right?  

Also, Qiuqiu put this picture of us up on her blog! 

=O

I feel like I just appeared on some major news channel and instead of taking a video of it, I'm screen-capping it. Wooo!!! 

Note to self: don't pose like a dork next time.