the blood flows in us.

yesterday, zero amount of work was accomplished. i am covering one module per day now. wth. but not like i am very concerned anyway.

to quote zander, "studies is not everything."

(for people who don't know TKBand, you probably won't be interested in reading on.)

i have been blog surfing a lot recently and stumbled upon quite some tkband mates' blogs. those were the days. these are the memories that never left us. reading Su's blog, it reminded me of our recent visit to the band. (that's like Feb? not too recent. heh.)

nostalgia.

still the same old compound. the same old rotunda. the days we trained hard at the field. the mighty french horn section. drinking from taps. sectionals and punishments round the square. marking attendance. the stairs leading up to the bandroom. people clogging up the bridges. disappointment. glee. i suddenly thought of the times i was at my desk doing the regular secretarial work and Mr Siao, with a lyrics book in hand, was singing aloud in the background. kind of funny when you think back.

that saturday, the school was unusually quiet. no loud NCC land boys, no girl guides, no NCC sea, no scouts setting up funny structures. silence 'cept from music drifting from the rotunda.

signalling to us, perhaps, how everything has changed.

history repeats itself.

entering the music room, i missed that familar face i am so used to seeing conducting in front of the band. somehow i feel i don't belong. this batch of people are going through an experience quite different from mine.

staring at the stranger (or perhaps not so "strange") in front, i asked Su, "must we called him Mr Chia? or can we just call him James?" then we decided a simple hi will suffice since either way, it just seems wrong.

the last time the alumni performed, was it last xmas or the one before, Su and i wrote Mr Siao a card. i forgot how it was phrased but it's something in the line of:

no matter how things have changed, in our hearts,
we only have ONE band instructor.

it is not the lack of respect i have for the present. maybe there are just some things in life i don't believe will changed and it did. maybe i am just not adaptable to changes.

it doesn't matter anymore. we left a legacy behind, and the memories we get from creating this legacy is for us to keep forever.

the friendships forged. the battles won and lost. his wise words.

Mr Siao said at the 2000 farewell party,

just remember the TK Band blood flows in you even after you leave.

some things never changed.