Friday, June 17, 2005
RAG
A lot of friends have came up to me and wondered what the heck am i doing back in singapore during the three-month-long semester break and i have been having problems explaining my 'noble' intentions of forgoing months of serial shopping and travelling. I had to come back here simply because
I am doing Rag.
Rag? Yes, Rag : The epitome of singaporeanesque kiasuism in NUS. To cut to the chase, Rag is officially an annual celebration held to repay the kindness of the mass public for their donations to various charitable foundations during the NUS Flag Day. Unofficially, Rag is an intense intense competition held between halls and faculties to see who has the expertise and kiasuness to produce the best float, the best design and the best presentation. Four basic elements synonymous with Rag are the static displays, dance, costume design and the piece de resistance: the float.
So, basically, what happens is : the commitee will start work 3 months prior to the Rag day, coming up with ideas and themes for the year's Rag. For the first 3 weeks, the designers will go off cracking their brains to come up with a winning design while respective teams (tech, costume and static) will each set off with their training sessions. I can't say for the other teams, but me being a costume girl, had to declare the sewing machine as my new playmate, creating skimpy tubes and minis while the frequent cuts and pricks are just unavoidable occupational hazards. And true to our moto "We Rip What We Sew", our daily routine from 9am in the morning till 2am will be sew, rip, pick, curse and sew.
This will then go on for the one month till the crunch period sets in. And in true ragging style, this is the time where no one sleeps and when true NS men cry. I've seen it last year, during my orientation periods, where the raggers will slog and toil through each day will a constant daze plastered across their faces. We will work like zombies, rushing for deadlines like, making 40 tubes and pants f0r 40 dancers in 2 weeks or cutting 500 cans in 4 days for the cladding of the float. And the ultimate challenge is that we will have to incorporate recycled materials into our work as it carries credit. Putting all these into mere words just can't describe the sheer magnitude of our workload. It's madness i know, but i'm still in. It's about time i get my dose of adrenaline rush as i crave for the pride and satisfaction in my work and the comaderie between our fellow raggers. And mag, don't worry, i'll definitely be back to paint the malls red with you after this is all done and over with. You too, jin.
Two more months...
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Show me a guy who can say just this :
She's no you,
You give me more than I can ever want
She's no you,
I'm satisfied with the one I've got
Cause you're all the girl
That I ever dreamed
She's only a picture on a magazine (or a babe sitting by the bar/ sunbathing nude/ getting jiggy the dancefloor/whatever)
She's no you, she's no you
....and i'll show you a girl who really enjoys cucumber and tofu sandwiches.
(ok, i've realised that it's about time for me to move on from topics like these before i sound like a invertebrate. Anyway, let me clarify that i blame no one for the volatility and unpredictablity of Life and Love. Changes are inevitable and therefore, i shall move on.)
Next topic : "When is a grape not a grape, a prune not a prune?"
