Yay for tonight !

Everything was ready, but we still had to search for an LCD projector. I begged Cikgu Bester to find one ! And finally, just minutes before the arrival of the commandant, we plugged it in and we were ready to go.


We were all dressed in traditional wear. I took Ariff's place by making all the necessary announcements for that night. Dressed in a black Punjabi suit, I was emcee for the night, alongside Jelly Peter.


This was the sequence of events for the Patriots' Night :
- Arrival of the commandant
- Officialisation
- Two Iban songs from the Admin team
- An old poem, "Seloka Pak Pandir", which talks about a certain Pak Pandir and his stupidity. The performance was hilarious !
- A song-poem, "Anak Jiran Tionghua" (by Usman Awang).
- I sang "Jalur Gemilang", a patriotic song.
- Three other patriotic songs - Bahtera Merdeka, Perajurit Tanah Air and 31.8.
- A theatrical Keranamu Malaysia.
- Remember all of us had to write at least three lines to express our love for the country ? The winners, Juliane, Lue and Kartika (from Camp Princess Haliza) had to present their lines on stage.

And during the three days of preparation I slogged like a bull. I downloaded images, I was in charge of the slideshow and invitation card design, I was emcee, and I sang.

Oh yes - I sang.


It was Cikgu Safarudin from the DBP team who got me into this. He asked for background music yesterday afternoon. Frantic, I asked Cikgu Ref, who asked Cikgu Rahmat, and I finally received the discs today. I let Cikgu Safarudin listen, and naturally, I sang. And he told his father, Cikgu Narudin, "Listen to that voice." I sang to my recording of Jalur Gemilang, and at the end of it all...


SAFARUDIN : Annette, we're putting you in tonight's agenda.
TROISNYX* : WHAT ???!!!


But before I could protest, he had already called the singers for Anak Jiran Tionghua and instructed them to use the changes. Jalur Gemilang wasn't originally there. And when I was on stage, the choir supported me. The stage, the hall, the audience - it was all mine. And by God's grace, I sang without even losing my breath !


Towards the end, Cikgu Safarudin and Cikgu Narudin left me their e-mail and said, "That's one good voice ! Train harder, and who knows ? one day, you'll make us all proud."


I thank you, Jesus, for guiding me whilst I was singing, and whilst I was emcee - all my talent comes from you. =) I also thank Cikgu Paul, Cikgu Safarudin, Cikgu Narudin and Cikgu Liz for all the advice. Thanks also to N for your PC wizardry, to Jelly Peter for your wonderful way of working through the script, and to all of you - my friends, my teachers, members of the floor - for being a part of this fairytale. I LOVE YOU ALL ! G'night !