| 0050h [290501]
Feeling... nostalgic Happiness of the day: meeting more of my old friends that I expected Event of the week: going back to malaysia this weekend I get really nostalgic about a lot of things these days. Maybe it started with that class gathering yesterday. My hwachong class gathered at my place yesterday, cos our former civics tutor Mrs Lee wanted to meet us. Of course, there were the little little details that we could have done better, like having someone else bring the paper plates, cups and cutlery. Or having more fruit sparkling juice rather than champagne and red wine. Or more food. But generally, I think everyone had a good time. As we sat at the table, chatting, I felt so blessed, that this bunch of friends is still around. That we could chat like before. There was a feeling of deja vu, the way we were teasing each other, around that round dining table I have, picking at the food before us. Not particularly surprising, since this isn't the first time we had a gathering at my place. And really, I felt so happy. Of course, it might just be an effect of the champagne and red wine I had, but nah, I think my alcohol tolerance is better than that. We didn't really talk about the old times, but I can't help thinking about them. About the unique class dynamics we had, the way we bullied our tutors, the class outings we had then, the crazy things we did then. Of course, we've all changed since we left jc, but the funny thing is, once we all come back together again as one group of friends, we behave just like before. And we tease the same people, about the same things, with the same words, and we still get the same laughter. Maybe that's what we call old friends old jokes. As stupid as it sounds, this is one security blanket I don't ever want to lose - the ability to laugh at the same stupid things as my old friends. It makes one feel like some things don't have to change. very reassuring. Today, I went out with an old primary school friend, who also happened to be a comrade of my drama production times. Unexpectedly, she invited all of our old drama friends to come, and we had dinner together. Initially, it was quite weird, that my knowledge of them is stagnated at 1998, but it turns out that it didn't matter, as we chatted like before. I was bullied like before. As masochistic as it sounds, I actually enjoyed being bullied. HAhaha....it was almost like if they didn't tease me so mercilessly, they wouldn't be who I remember them to be. They talked about some other theatre production they also worked at, after I left for the states, and I felt so jealous. and so proud, that we were still all so involved, or at least concerned with the arts production scene. Those huangcheng days, I will always remember, and always treasure. I remember that towards the end of my second year there, there were some frustrations, and actual irritation with the whole production. But I also remember that the final night of the performance, both me and Jiali cried. I can't speak for her, but I know that those were tears of both relief and sadness that night. Relief that we pulled through after all. And sadness that everything is actually over and that I have to leave huangcheng forever. Remember I went to do some production work with the opera at uiuc too. But that was totally different. And I guess any future work I do with any production will be different, and will never inspire the same pride in me as huangcheng. I guess it is a coincidence, that in two days, I meet up with the two groups of people who defined a big part of my jc experience. Nostalgia - that mixture of feelings inspired by happy memories...i have no more words to describe how I feel now. Sigh, those days...I was so happy, so proud, so young. | |