My cousin.. Jeremy..aka Boy Boy..
the youngest cousin among us.. and the only male. heh.

oooh.. i still remember those days when we all grew up together.. all four of us.

And we would always bully him cos he was small and the outcast-- well he was a BOY.
haha.

Where we used lock him out of the room.. and there he was banging his fists on the door and screaming to let him in.. when we played " Buddha jump over the wall" while leaping from bed to bed... when I held his hand when he cried as we wandered through the seemingly huge supermarket, thinking we were lost. And the scar on my finger, as we were playing with scissors cutting up papaya leaves in the garden, arguing over whose turn it was to do the cutting.. and then me running wailing into the house when he accidently snipped my finger instead of the leaf.

Oh those days.. we were.. five, six??

and today... here's Jeremy.. Big.. and 2nd Lieutanant in the Officer Cadet Crops.

He's grown. Watching him commisioning from OCS today, looking so smart in his white uniform, marching faultlessly with extreme precision and clockwork, holding his rifle..
i'm proud of him. Like everyone else in the family.

Congratulations Ah Boy.

It's funny how things come round full circle.

Haven;t seen some of these faces since we left CHIJ.. never looking back as we skipped down those steps, free as a bird, with the naive demeanour of twelve year old school girls facing an uncertain future after the PSLE. The innocent laughter and endless chattering and bickering.It seemed so long ago.

It's been 8 years.
sometimes, it seems like yesterday.

And yet, this is us... now.

All grown up. Ready to face the world. Of the endless possiblilties before us. Of the different paths each of us have taken. Yet, some things never change. Even though we've grown apart over the years, the nostalgic reminiscing... and funny memories will always remain. A strange bond. It's an IJ thing.

.........

2 days later.. the the market...

Me.. (dressed in extremely ratty shirt and shorts...) afterall, who do u expect to bump into at the market of all places. Alas, murphy's law always works. Trust me.

Unknown woman sitting at table : Joy?? Joy right???

Me: ahhh... yes... *giving extremely who-in-the-world are u look*

"it's me.. Mrs Chung!"

My goodness.. my pri 3 teacher... she recognised me after all these years. ( Of course can recognise you what! still look the same!) *Bish* Really... since primary three i haven't changed.. was that a compliment or insult?? Maybe i shld undergo plastic surgery *comtemplative*

Which brings me to another topic entirely.. but i digress... is there something about women in their 20s that make them compare breast sizes like it's the new rage??

It has happened among two very different groups of my friends (girls.. naturally... ) who dont know each other. It some how crops up with someone going "So.. what SIZE are you?" and then aiming a X-ray-like killer gaze locked on your frontal assets (or lack of). And one of my poor friends.. ( an almost A.. haha.. ) was wailing about the need to get enhancements. Dear.. u are pretty enough... so stop the whinging already.

Erm.. back to my topic.. so anyway.. i had a really good chat with my ex-teacher.. with MORE reminiscings.... and yups. more meet ups planned.

Its sad.. they are demolishing my old pri school now. To be replaced by a spanking new building in a year's time. Totally changed. Yet in my mind's eye. I will always remember it as it was.

Somehow, the past never leaves you behind. The future is always intricately entwined with it.

In 5, 10, years time, where will we be?? I'll let you know... then.

It's the first leg of the finals of the Tiger Cup today. Singapore vs Indonesia
Conversation overheard.

Dad to Sis: So, who are you supporting tonight?

Sis (who hardly watches soccer anyway..): Indonesia

Dad: wah, so unpatriotic ah..

S (after a 3 sec pause): Well, who are you supporting then?

D: Indonesia la!

.....

Me to Mom: So who do you think will win?

Mom (who actually exhibited more enthusiasm over S'pore idol) : huh??I dunno lah.. i'm not interested.

well.. we'll see...

It feels strange to be free..
After the hectic-ness of the last two months...
Going on Hols to US in Nov..
then doing an entire month of hospital attachment in Dec.

I Miss Them
Well. many friends in the rat race seem to find work such a chore...
and i admit, it's not easy,
there are lots of things going on behind the scenes...
But i dare say i love the pple i was working with.

A bunch of such fun, irrelavent physios..
It;s amazing .. being able to communicate with a department made up of Hong Kongers... Filipinos..
malaysians and the usual Singaporeans... It was like one big family.

I miss the hellos i get from reception as i walk in... the dreary "good mornings!" as we put our bags away on the lockers.. the 2 second snatching of newspapers to read the headlines before having to head outside to treat patients.. the constant eating (thanks to the lovely patients!) the extremely funny elderly patients in their dialects... reminiscing about yesteryear... and the constant reminder to "TAKE OFF YOUR BADGE, JOY!!!" when leaving in the evenings..( i always forget.. leading to the embarrassing consequence of the absolute strangers knowing my name..)

These guys.. have the energy to talk and motivate patients enthusiastically and very empathically are but armed with the extremely nonsensical humour of teasing each other..falling asleep after lunch... ha..and the swearing when having to see all these endless stream of patients on christmas and new year's eve. Oh no.. you don't wanna know.

It's been good. Thanks guys, for the dinner treat. I was very touched. And for all the times we drove out for lunch (when lunch in hospital sucked)... and for inviting me for the departmental christmas gastronmical feast... and the "extremely unlucky" lucky draw... I'm touched.. by your warmness, friendliness and geniuene niceness. And the hospitalilty in welcoming me as one of u guys.

Ms L.. Keep the eating up... Please improve your hokkien/teochew.. and learn more meaningful words. KNS ain;t gonna get u very far with the patients.

I think i'm gonna love my job.