Though to be more accurate, I have no energy. I've been feeling a lack of motivation and strength all day, in fact. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised, as yesterday was quite long. Well, not long in the literal sense, but it was busy.

At 12:30 I was to meet some friends in Gadong. Some of these (as I found out later, because I didn't know beforehand) were fast track year 13's, who I don't normally hang out with. It was good, therefore, to see these people again before we all left.

As soon as I arrived in Gadong, I found out that I'd forgotten the letter for my book choices. Damn. I hope it's not going to be like last year's award, where I was practically the last one to get my book choices in (late, very late). I seem to be like that regarding every administrative detail. Always last minute to hand in money for fees, procrastinating to the last degree, and so on. Anyway, I'm going to have to organise another trip by the 29th if I want to get my book choices in on time. Since I was early, I figured that no one was going to be at the meeting place (McDonalds). So I walked around Centrepoint for a bit, then gave up trying to find stuff to do to pass the time, and headed over to McDonalds anyway. Turns out there were a couple of people who were already there, and who thought the actual time was 12:00. Except for one, who thought it was at 11:30. Go figure.

Anyway, my apprehensions about arriving early were justified when the next person didn't show up until ten minutes to one. People began filtering in in twos and threes later on. By the time we were actually ready to do anything, it was almost two o'clock. Before then I had been amusing myself by composing ring tones for people's phones -- Naomi wanted me to transcribe the Axel F theme onto her phone; it was harder than it first seemed. Tried to (unsuccessfully) transcribe the theme from 2nd Reality into the phone, but it kept mysteriously locking up the phone when I had nearly used up all of the song melody space. In any case, at two we headed off to the pool centre for over an hour of one pool game after another (with a couple of 9-ball games thrown in for variety when it was clear that my will wouldn't last through yet another straight pool game). At around three o'clock, I rushed out to find out where Rod, Annie and my sister were, as I had told them that I was going to be at REG's snooker cafe. They weren't at that place, but I saw them walking towards it when I rushed out again. Perfect timing. Told them where the group actually was, and headed back to that place. However, it was clear that pool was starting to wear thin. As a group we discussed where to go next. However, the laws of physics apply to human nature as well to inaminate objects: if no force is applied, then, no matter how much time is given, it is likely to go nowhere. After about half an hour of discussion about heading off, with no obvious signs of actually moving, we had to stimulate the groupmind into moving by waving goodbye and heading off.

With no real destination in mind we headed over to Centrepoint and managed to find ourselves in Coffeezone.

I won't go into the details of the rest of our time there, but to cut a long story short, most of the group (having been reduced when the fast track people left just before we left the pool centre) went off to watch the Tomb Raider movie in town. I wasn't too enthusiastic about the prospect, and besides, I had to get back to get a lift to ISB that night. So it was left with me, Rod, Annie and Sophie. Having left Coffeezone we trooped around Centrepoint for Sophie to get some new shoes (which took an unimaginably long amount of time) before moving off to Coffeebean/Tea leaf. However, I was reminded of the time, and headed off back home. Sophie, in two minds whether or not to accompany Rod and Annie back to Rod's house or come home, had the decision made for her with a phone call home.

We got home, and I prepared for the ISB performance.

I had to arrive early, as my parents had to attend a function at someone's house, and they left at quarter past seven. However, there were a few people who were there early as well. I had also received a phone call earlier to inform me that there was a sound check at 8 o'clock. Very convenient. So the sound test happened (terribly, I might add) and the beginning stages of the disco was spent worrying about our upcoming performance. I had also found out soon after the sound test that our playlist had been whittled to four, and then three songs, after we found out that we had to censor "Jump tha F- up". The final list was "Rollin'", followed by "My Own Summer" and then finishing with "Bleed". Three songs. An unbelievable reduction of our initial ambitious playlist of six songs. Both Sevendust songs had been cut. "All in the Family" was a lost cause. And our grand finale song had to be censored, and eventually scrapped.

So at around 9.15 we were on-stage, ready to do Rollin'. We started off nicely. Better than I expected. However...it was not for much longer. I struck the crash cymbal too hard, and it toppled over, the cymbal landing in my lap. Arrgg! The frustration, of actually being able to do something right and then having to stop because of this! I spent a few minutes looking on the stage for the nut which connected the cymbal to the stand, and then got told there wasn't one in the first place. Great. So next time I should be careful not to hit the cymbal too hard. So, anyway, we started again. Same song. And, strangely enough, it ran smoothly all the way through. The crowd responded well to it. We didn't make any major errors. So, buoyed by our success, we went into "My Own Summer". Which also went rather well, being another crowd favourite.

Our finale in our playlist of three was Bleed. This was the trickier of our three songs, but it was the best and most appropriate finishing song. There were no major hitches in playing this one. In fact, it sounded pretty good from where I was (even though all I could hear was drums). So we finished off our three songs. Total playing time: just over ten minutes. So that was that. However, I wanted to stick around and see how the other band sounded. So I hung around. Didn't do much for the next hour or so. There were plans to do a street dancing maneuvre with me and two other people, but it was too complicated to explain it there and then. So the other band came on with their larger playlist of about six or seven songs. This band was pretty good actually. It was a formidable playlist as well. However, I think the younger kids in the audience were a little intimidated by the band's music. Sophie said later on that the kids thought the music was "disgusting". It's strange, to fathom the young mind.

So, when the band had finished, it was around 11 o'clock, and I walked over to the house where the function was at to ren-dez-vous with my parents. I had thought Sophie had left before me, but it turned out she was still there, and left a few minutes after I did. In the light drizzle I headed off, my head still ringing from the noise.

If you had asked me whether the disco was successful, I would probably have answered "No." The night had potential. The equipment was excellent, as was the lighting. However, a combination of unnecessarily strict rules, grim overseers with a seeming grudge against any guest who was there, and an overall atmosphere of confinement and restriction made the night impossible to enjoy and relax in. However, if a good DJ who was skilled in and understanding of the nuances of mixing and combining music was employed, being savvy in the allowances of the age discrepancies present and subsequently choose a song mixlist to accomodate, then the night would probably have been more enjoyable for all people present. Also, if the event was longer by about 90 minutes, then it could have been good. Unfortunately, all this was not present, and it ultimately worked against it.

Still, our performance went well, I thought. Despite the comical cymbal incident.

The kids who live next door are screaming their heads off. Bloody hell. It's one thing for young children to display childish enthusiasm, but this is positively too much. It's with an almost bestial abandon that they must emphasise each action with a loud vocal interjection. Their parents must feed them on red cordial (or its Bruneian equivalent) continuously.

"WILL YOU KIDS JUST SHUT UP?!" Ah, the luxury of uttering such words.

My last exam is on tomorrow. It's an afternoon one. That's good. It shouldn't matter what I get in this one really. I think my higher grade is going to be for last Friday's exam, which is the one they'll take out of the two. I only hope that I managed to score high enough in my 20th Century writing paper to get me that English 'A' grade.

Mind you, even if I don't, how's it to matter? I've already got an award for English, and the higher grade will only really matter if the course I'm doing is very popular, and the entrance grades have shot up as a result.

I leave two weeks on Tuesday. The ISB graduation is in five days. The KK trip is in six.

Now, as with every other layout change, there's bound to be some missing files, and errors and whatnot. It's ok. That's normal. I'll have them fixed as soon as possible.

Now. News. I had my English Comment and Appreciation exam today. The night previously, I was over Rod's house like I normally do, discussing philosophical matters about human behaviour (as well as our own), relationships, latest news in Brunei etc. That was half the night. The other half was spent playing over 60 matches of Dead or Alive 2 (which I won overall 37-26 wins). Just that one game. The competition was so intense, that we couldn't stop until we were physically sore from all the controller bashing. Afterwards Rod stuck on Fools and Horses and we watched a couple of episodes of those.

Anyway, I managed to get to sleep around 4 in the morning. I woke up around 9 o'clock and actually got out of bed (sofa bed, tablecloth as a cover, two large cushions to cover me) at 10.00 to have a huge cooked breakfast. I left Rod's house around 12 noon, as I needed to be at school by 2.30 for my 3.15 exam. Got to town around quarter to one, and spent the next bloody half an hour waiting for my bus to arrive. I gave up waiting and got a taxi instead back to my place. Along the way home, I saw my bus parked on the side of the road. The driver was having a nap at the wheel. Typical.

So I got home on time, went to school, and did the exam. Amazing. The exam was actually quite decent. The most important English exam that I had, and it turns out to be not bad at all. Add this to the fact that my brain was pretty much focused and concentrated on the task at hand, and I managed to write in excess of 1200 words. All those times I had tried to achieve a state of clear-headedness, and it happens when I needed it most. I was quite happy with that exam when I was finished in the end.

Also, importantly, I had heard from Sam yesterday before going to Rod's that they had managed to find someone to drum instead of me, as he knew all the songs by heart, and the lead guitarist of the band felt comfortable playing with this drummer. So I took this to mean I wasn't in the band anymore. Fair enough. I'm not going to the disco then. So I make plans for Saturday night to go to the cinemas with Rod, Sophie and Annie. But, I heard from Sam at school today that I'm still playing, and that they've decided to ditch the idea of getting the performances perfect. I obliged: I could have refused, but that would have been pride defining my actions. They were pretty insistent, so I took that to mean that the band needed me there. Ok then. So I'll go. Now I need to buy a ticket.

I've decided to delay my flight a couple of days to the 12th, to fit in the Awards Ceremony and the giving of the leaving certificate. I thought that my $50 book prize was too valuable to not pick up, so the decision was made. Tomorrow I'm off to Gadong with some people and teachers in the biology classes at school (even though I don't do biology) at noon, so I'll be checking out and choosing the books there.

That's three of my links dead now. Aeny/Misty has decided to quit her site Haven, and so her site has been duly removed from my links section. These sites are dropping like flies. I need people to link. If you've got me linked, and I haven't linked you, sign my guestbook, or email me, and I'll put your link up. This also applies if you want to start a reciprocal link exchange.

Welcome to Deadlock of Reality v3.0. Enjoy the change.