Naional Day Parade - the real thing

Hi all,

The National Day Parade.

A total screw-up.

Here's the video for your "reference":

March-in:


I felt a little nervous at the start, felt a slight stomachache. The march-in was acceptable, though our arm-swing, etc. wasn't really what you'd call synchronize.

Anyway, our sedia and our dressing turned out to be quite fine - better than our previous rehearsals. That was comforting. Our baton drills, however, weren't very well finished - they weren't swift enough. There were stumbles in our contingent, but overall, it turned out to be average.

However, my fellow squadmate standing beside me - Chiran, felt unwell, and squatted down, as some of you might have observed. He later told me that he had felt a little 'giddy'. Dun know why the medics from St. John's, who were supposed to attend to Chiran, didn't do so.

We had to stand still for a long long long time while listening to the National Day Message. Fortunately, I hadn't had any flies or insects coming to me. The consequences would have been disastrous. The exact same thing happened during my earlier rehearsals.

Finally, the really screw-up part - the march-past:
March-past:


The starting of the march-past was ok. But I THOUGHT I heard the band playing at a different pace. Then I began to screw-up. I desperately tried to adjust to the pace, with my arms bent (I'm not supposed to bend my arms) I screwed up totally, causing the people behind me to screw-up too.

I remembered hearing the laughter and jeering from the rest of the school. Sigh. I felt really really bad.

Just hope that I won't screw up for future parades. It's a really bad experience. But it teaches me to remain steady in criticial situations, and to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, AND PRACTICE.

Cheers (ironic)
Zhu Cheng

NDP Rehearsal 3 - Wednesday 2

Hi all,

Finally,

Our final rehearsal.

PHEW.

THE SAME THING. LOLOLOLOL.

Our first two rounds were better than our last two rounds, as commented by Mr. Tan Chee Wee.



Our arm swing was getting worst and worst. We were really unsynchronized. However, our baton drills, turning, etc. I think, were significantly better.

Somehow I began to feel a measure of pride and honour during the reharsal, standing there and experiencing the full glamour of it all. The previous two rehearsals were 'screw-ups' (not really), but now, I sort of began to look forward to every round of the rehearsal. I felt really great when you face the terraces, the clock tower and the statue of Mr. Tan Kah Kee. The clock tower really looked resplendent under the shower of sunlight. Really wonderful. One of the first times I had such a splendid view of the school.

I sort of have a habit - a bad one during the parade rehearsals. I always fidget my facial features unknowningly, though very little noticed. I am trying to get this habit under control, to maximize and perfect my performance on the day itself.

The overall parade was ok, as Mr. Tan Chee Wee put it. I don't feel the anxiety now, and I certainly hope I don't on the day itself. I hope I don't screw up my armswing during the march-past, which was exactly what happened during our last rehearsals. We still haven't eradicated this problem entirely as a contingent, and hopefully,we will succeed in doing so on the day itself.

I'm wishing myself good luck. I really want to make the school proud (though I am still a cadet, not a lance corporal, sergeant, or sorts.)

Thanks.

Cheers,
Zhu Cheng

NDP Rehearsal 2 - Friday

Hi all,

Our second rehearsal - Friday.

Surprisingly, this training was lesstaxing than the Wednesday one.

We were comparatively more well-versed with our drills and the parade procedures. I remembered that Wednesday was an utter mess.

There is less to talk about. We were in our full school uniform. Ah yes! We needed to have our formation signs on for the training. Aware that I didn't have any, due to earlier screw-ups, delays, procrastinations, and utter ignorance, I had to buy them on the day itself during lunch-time, and had already prepared my sewing 'apparatus' - the needle and the thread. I then started sowing the signs on. They were supposed tobe three fingers down our chevron. I sewed the formation sign up quickly, fortunately with the help of Cheng Yao and Darrel. They helped me to pack my stuff, hold my uniform, tie the thread onto the needle, etc. Anyway, I managed to get them up before training. My seniors were surprised. But it turned out that one of my formation signs came loose and I had to do some patchwork upon return, with the professional, experienced aid of my mum, of course.

The drills were the same as those of Wednesday, obviously, but at least we performed them with considerably better synchronization and 'smoothness'. We marched better, we did everything better.

In the end, I didn't feel as tired as I did on Wednesday. I was entirely, wholly mobile the next day.

That's all(there's really not much to write about) for the training on Friday.

Thanks. And thanks especially to Cheng Yao and Darrel for their help with the formation sign.

Anyway, my officers commended that my beret was too big, and I had to buy a new one at Beach Road (the area around Kampong Glam CC), store 02-68. The new beret was size 7 1/4. As it was new, I had to bring it to school everyday to season it (by sitting on it during lessons. Luckily I didn't fart) Here's a picture of me 'drowning in my beret':



Cheers,
Zhu Cheng

NDP Rehearsal 1 - Wednesday

Hi all,

This is my first post for term 3.

The Parade Rehearsal.

Anyway, 6 of us, out of I think 42 people in our squad are supposed to come:
1) Aloy Oh
2) Zhu Hua Ying 1A1
3) Leon (1P2 I think)
4) Foo Guo Wei 1P2
5) Boptiyah Chiran (I think his name is spelt like that)
6) MMMMMMEEEEEE

Anyway, we learnt this new thing - the baton drill.

These were the commands:
1) police salute - Hormat Polis, HOR...MAT
2) Turun Senja... Ta
3) Rusok Senja... Ta

Anyway, we were supposed to place the 'front end' of the baton in our armpit while grasping the baton handle when in SEDIA position.

We learnt the basic procedures of the parade - The march in of the right marker, the formal march-in, the saluting, etc. the march-in for the flag bearers, the-flag-raising, the inspection, the reading of the national day message, and the march-pass.

We then started practicing. There were a lot of delays, as we tried to master (though not possible) the individual drills. The march-in was especially terrible. We had to do the marching again and again and again. Phew.

I remembered making a lot of mistakes, especially in my baton saluting. My cadet inspector remarked that my drills were 'too messy', for our drills were supposed to be SHARP AND SWIFT, and we should be taking 'the shortest route' when we move our arms from one position to another. I almost got replaced.

Anyway, saluting while trying to get the baton intact in my armpit was quite difficult initially. At least I managed to in the end.

I think I had marched well. My armswing and leg movement were both rather insinct with the rest of the contingent. Weirdly, I somehow feel out of rhythm at times, when I will start to confuse myself (neurotics)and screw up the marching. I wasn't alone though.

Drills, and drills, and drills. We finally got over with the training, with sore armpits, sore arms, sore shoulders, sore legs, a sore neck, and sore feet. The next day was terrible. The 'aftermath' or 'aftershock' or 'tremors' left behind by the training were vitally impacting. I was partially immobile with my sore body. Sigh. Fortunately, I was able to get over with the pain fast enough.

I hope that I will do better for the next training.

At least I learnt something.

Cheers,
Zhu Cheng

How to kick a free kick C. Ronaldo style

Though he's no longer in Man U, I still respect him as a great footballer.

Here's a tutorial on how to kick a superb free kick using Cristiano Ronaldo's method.

Brazil vs USA 3-2 Confederations Cup Final

I am a strong supporter of Brazil.

I was quite stunned by USA's first 2 goals.

Enjoy.

Brazil vs Italy 3-0 Confederations Cup

This is funny

Italy's own goal (last goal)