Unraveling The 'Mysterious' AJCO Alumni Gal...

Background Information:

Recently, our AJCAACO blog is stalked by two unknowns... (unknown to the older 'aunties' and 'uncles' AJCAACO members). They are very much attracted by Jianjie's 'not-so-freakish' accident (or incident). One is benny (who still remains a mystery) while the other is sp (Siew Ping). Jianjie, who was injured with a punctured lung and has since recovered due to intensive practices on his new lung-exercising 'musical instrument', claimed that "at least sp n benny has seen [his] face from this blog. but [he] dunno who u r". Basically, they are in the light while we are in the dark. Thus, it is my duty to unravel who these mysterious ppl are... Benny is still a mystery figure but muahahaha... I have found SP (hiding in London)....

"ahah no worries tags are welcome yea i studying in london...
AJCO was the most beautiful thing that happened in my JC life...
i really miss it! hahah i'm actually very happy that theres such a
blog.. and i go there like 10 times a day heheheh". - Siew Ping

Oh... This is such a LOVELY comment to receive from an AJCO alumni. I guess for the efforts that AJCAACO (EXCO and members) have put in, the best things that we hope to receive are expressions of emotional attachments to AJCO even after they have 'graduated' from there or words of encouragement for AJCAACO to move on - to continue as the bridge that binds 'graduates' of AJCO and the ongoing 'new' AJCOs' progress.

So Siew Ping... Glad to know that you treasure the memories you had with AJCO and thank you so much for just the few words you have mentioned (which mean an awful lot to the AJCAACO and the current AJCO people). Do let us know when you are back in Singapore so we can organize a trip back to AJCO room and watch them practice and pay Huang Sheng a visit.

Anyway, its time to unravel the mystery of Siew Ping (who suddenly appears in our AJCAACO blog)... So who is this 'stalker'? (I meant it in a good way as the way you stalk our blog helps to increase the Blog Counter hits and show how much you still feel for AJCO)

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Not this squirrel!!! The mysterious alumni gal is the photographer
of this picture in London. (Wow! London!)She is good with camera wor!

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Mystery Unraveled!!! HARLOW SIEW PING!!! Hee

AJCAACO - Euphony of Bonds Across Time AND SPACE

~Ah Liang~

AJCO 'Website' and Words of Encouragement by Sylvia

The current 23rd Batch AJCO has come up with their own website to facilitate interactions among the members. Since it is their website, I guess we should not sign up as a member (I assume they will want some autonomy for themselves rather than having the Alumni as surveillance camera). However, the website offers messages that the AJCO EXCO convey to their members and 'outsiders' are able to access to these messages. To save the readers from going to read so many blogs and webbies, I will copy and paste insights from the messages posted in the AJCO website. For those who are interested in exploring their website, this is the address:

http://groups.msn.com/AJCO

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NOTE: The main text is written by Sylvia (The 23rd AJCO Zhongruan Player) whereas the photos are uploaded and the captions written by NONE OTHER THAN AH~LIANG!

hEy everyone..

i know that the rehearsal at SCH wasn't was gd as we expect it to be. some of you might heard the comments given by TJCO. BUT.. i hope that this will not affect our mood and morale ok?

Perspiring at the SCH's concourse. It's HOT! No Air-Con!

Ok! I am a bad photographer. Taking pictures of
people's backsides rather than their beautiful faces.

Notice the 'shine' on their faces? YES... THOSE ARE DROPLETS OF
SWEAT. WTH... Just simply because we booked the SCH concert hall
only, all places outside the concert hall were NON-AIRCONDITIONED.
Yar... Save the Earth... I Shall Just Shut Up!!! Anyway, look at those
new pipas. AJCO members are so fortunate nowadays.

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.

The comments given to us only serve to spur us for the better. it is the obstacles we will forever be seeing if we give up on our goal. so, lets us fight to the very end. show others our potential, show them what we are truely make of. prove to them we'll be able to get GOLD.

Well... As long as the AJCO costume remains the same, this photo will
always look the same like any other AJCO batches performing in SCH.
Believe me! Maybe I shall post a photo of their actual SYF photo and
you can try spotting the difference (Won't be an easy task). Anyway,
I don't think anyone will know it if I have used instead the last
batch's SYF or the last last batch's photo rather than last Sunday's
SYF rehearsal photo. Haha! Cos they all look the same!!!

i know many of us are tired of the late practices and other stuffs. but everyone is in the same situation together. we are together as one and we will support each other to the very end. it really requires the commitment from everyone of us. it's not just the effort of each individual, the conductor or even the exco members. everyone in CO is together as one.

Comeon, it's already the last lap.
lets put in our very best, don't let yourself live in regret.
i believe in our hearts we have a common goal.
so where's the drive towards it?
ask yourself, what do you really want out of this SYF?
it's now the time to really give all our efforts to ajco.
at the end of the day, the efforts put in will be paid off.

So what are you waiting for?
make the difference now!

It's 18 days to SYF!

It's 33 days to concert!

JIAYOU EVERYONE!

I know the route is tough and there are times when you really want to give up. but always look beside you, we'll forever be there to walk this route with you.

let the music touch our hearts. =D

Posted by Sylvia (23rd AJCO Zhongruan Player) on the AJCO Website

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~ Zhiliang ~

AJCO 2007 - THE JOURNEY BEGINS...

AJCO 23rd (JC2) and 24th (JC1) batch has been practicing very hard for their SYF (On 10th May). I guess I shall start to 'narrate' their progress since it is already so near to their SYF. With Siew Ping's comment on how our blog serves to connect AJCO 'graduates' with the current juniors, I shall blog more about the situation of our current AJCO juniors. (Anyway, I will try to help them set up a blog as well so we can have better insights on the juniors' activities and hope this will go on as a tradition).

Anyway, here are some photos of their practices. This practice was held in the AJCO hall 10th Feb 2007. When the juniors were playing, the music sounds very 壮观. I guess it is the sound effect of our hall. =P When I took the 2nd photo, I notice the light behind them was quite glaring. As if, AJCO is glowing. So... I kind of associate these this photo as a representation of hope in getting a GOLD AWARD!!!

I see light (hope for a SYF Gold Award)!!!

Another occasion is their CNY performance (16th Feb) where they simply use two weeks to master the song. Xiuhua and I were there to support them. We were quite impressed with their standard given the number of inexperienced junior intakes we had. Here are some photos:

Damn HOT at the backstage (Top)

Esther (Student Conductor) with a 'V' sign at the backstage (Top)

I dunno how many of you know the experience of performing in AJCO hall (excluding aircon). Probably, those who have performed with my batch AJCO (16th) will understand. We had an entire concert held in AJC hall (before the renovated version) when we played 迎春锣鼓，东海渔歌，昭君怨 etc. AND... The guys were wearing 中山装 (the very thick cheena coat for guys) on the outside and a white long sleeves shirt inside. WTH... UNBEARABLE!!! Haiz... So i guess the juniors are much luckier nowadays. I think we can organize one day to ask interested juniors to watch the video of our past performances. =D (WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT EARLIER) Anyway, AJCO's performance (龙腾虎跃) is the finale AGAIN... Yeah... We must be proud of that! And the response was great from the audiences... Students were screaming and screaming as if their idols were performing on stage. Here are the pictures:

Miss Chua (Bihe) commented that the backdrop made by the students look ugly (cos its white in colour). Frankly, I feel that it looks like those white cloth people used during Chinese funeral. YUCKS!!!

If I manage to bring my camera to AJCO during their practices again, let me show you how our juniors engaged in various strategies to inspire them to practice harder. Some of them are quite hilarious. Will continue the journey of AJCO (23rd and 24th) batch when I get more photos. I hope the journey will 'end' with a GOLD AWARD in SYF on the 10th of May 2007. For those who wanna go back to AJCO and encourage them, give me a call at 94387151. I can help you all check out their practice schedule (basically their schedule is everyday now).

Just an update: I went to their practice yesterday evening, they played their 自选曲 splendidly. YEAH!!!

BEST WISHES,

Ah Liang. =D

Genting anyone?

Hey guys/gals,

Interested in going for a small getaway after your exams? Or just to escape from your work to overseas at an affordable price?

We’re organizing a small trip to Genting/KL(free & easy) from 5-8 may. It’ll be a 4d3n trip, 2 days in genting, 2 days in KL. The price will be less than 200 per pax. The people who are going so far are chun ming, lilian, huiling, ruijie, baohe and me. Anybody interested?

Please feel free to contact me@96823047.

~Erik

Jianjie and His Freak Accident!!!

It all started with an sms to Jianjie*** (kk)...

"Hi kk... Are you coming to support the juniors tomorrow morning?" - Ah Liang

"Sorry. I can't. Actually, I'm hospitalized. Got a punctured hole in my left lung aft diving last wk. Recovering, discharging tmr aft'nn". - KK

OH MY GOD... What happen? Is he ok? Was he stung by a sting ray like Steve Irwin? Did he fought with a shark? I don't know. So I asked some of the closer friends of KK to visit him on Sunday (15th April). They are Lijia, Xiuhua, Shuwei, Wenyin, Jianwei and SIQIANG. I was pondering whether to ask Siqiang to tag along. Because I am afraid his jokes will enlarge the hole in KK's left lung and puncture his right lungs as well. So I warned KK first that the jester will be going.

When we reached his house, Siqiang started with all his craps. There were times KK laughed till his wound hurt. OUCH! Imagine you have a pipe poked into your body for 4 days and someone made you laughed like crazy. You think the wound will hurt? OF COURSE.

Anyway, here's the story of KK's freak accident (I might not be very accurate):

KK went to Tioman for diving lessons. When he came out from his last dive, he realised he had difficulty in breathing. He ignored the symptoms and went ahead went back to Singapore and even worked for a day. However, he felt very uncomfortable so he went to see a General Practitioner (GP). His experience with the GP was funny. The GP told him to go take an X-Ray IMMEDIATELY. Wah!!! KK was quite intimidated by the GP's reaction. After showing the X-Ray to the GP, he ironically said that it is nothing life-threatening but yet 'suggest' that he should immediately go to Tan Tock Seng (instead of going back to change clothes). So in his shorts and T-Shirt, he went to TTSH.

Anyway, KK's freak accident led to the shrinking of his left lung. Let me explain: Because his left lung has a punctured hole, the air will leak out of the lung into the enclosed lung cavity. As the air volume increases, his left lung needs to be shrunk to give way to the air. Thus, it gets smaller and smaller. So KK's operation involved a procedure to poke a tube into his lung cavity to release the air. So basically, he was sleeping in TTSH with that pipe for 4 days.

Huiling (Our dear missy) will be interested in this part. There is a box which connect the tube to KK's body. A senior nurse told one male trainee nurse that it is IMPORTANT to keep the box upright. The moment the senior nurse left, the trainee accidentally kicked the box and knocked it over. Another incident happened when a senior nurse suggested to put KK on drip (and that injection is very PAINFUL de). After he got poked again, the doctor told him that it was not necessary. DIAOZ!!! What the hell!!! Finally, when he was on the operation bed, the doctor brought in all the trainee doctors from NUS to see KK's condition. Wah Liew! HOW UNETHICAL!!! The doctor didn't even ask for his permission.

Anyway, now KK needs to live with a 'life-supporting device'!!! (See Picture below) SOB!!! HOW SAD!!! HAHAHA. Just joking. That is a device used for exercising KK's lungs (I don't think there is a need for him to exercise for days because of the laughters we had with Siqiang around.) Anyway, When Siqiang saw that 'device', his first question was "Is that a new 乐器？" (DIAOZ) With Siqiang's jokes, KK was even grapping his wound when he laughed too hard and we had to stop Siqiang from continuing. :

KK's 'Life Saving' Device (Top)

KK holding on to his wound. It hurts to laugh! (Top)

NOOOO! Jianwei forcing KK to play his new 'musical instrument' (Top)

Anyway, with 14 bottles of Brands Essence of Chicken, I believe KK will have a speedy recovery. =)

Take Care KK,

AH LIANG

*** Kian Kiat is our first president of AJCAACO. He plays the double bass in the 14th Batch AJCO.

SUPPORT THE AJCO SYF PROJECT!

Saturday 14th April is the 'execution' of the "SUPPORT - THE - AJCO - SYF - PROJECT". With an initial concept of a hamper gift, Yongxue and his team (Qi Ling and Zhaoyan) embarked on their quest to make a BIG PRESENT for the AJCO juniors. The main idea is to give our juniors the utmost moral and material supports when they are barely surviving after tons of academic assignments and countless practices. We were thinking of carrying this big 'hamper' into AJCO room to give juniors a surprise. Well... 'thinking' is just a form of idealistic imagination. I will explain why...

(Yongxue packaging the food)

(FOOD with a nicely done card)

(Qi Ling's cute design and sweet words)

The few of us met in AJC around 9.30am in the morning with the big 'hamper' ready (Above). Inside the hamper are packets of food (sweets, chocolates, biscuits) and boxes of CO-related stuff (Song1 Xiang1, Pipa Fingernails, Bo1 Pian4). Still living with our idealistic imagination (how we might be received with cheers and screams and thanks), the atmosphere in AJCO room was glum and sad and... Just very negative atmosphere...

Huang Sheng was blatantly scolding the juniors and expressing his dissatisfaction with the current standard of AJCO (HS was really serious!!!). After HS left, Benjamin (the wind-section SL) gave a very emotional speech to 'wake' everybody up. Some juniors cried. Others stressed. However, I am utterly impressed with Benjamin leadership quality and his 'wake up' speech. Initially, I brought my camera and prepared to take photos. With everybody's faces black and glum, I refrained from doing so.

Anyway, we gave them the BIG HAMPER and said a few encouraging words (prior to Benjamin's 'wake-up' call). I guess they really do appreciate our contributions. They will need these finger food during their breaks after long hours of practices.

Haiz! Yongxue blamed me for choosing this day to give them the surprise. In the end, it wasn't a surprise as the juniors were more preoccupied with the 'scoldings'. But its ok! Our aim is to help them and I believe it's fulfilled to a certain extent. Miss Chua (Bihe) apologised to us as she didn't expect the "SUPPORT-THE-AJCO-SYF-PROJECT" to turn out this way (no cheers and no thanks... only tears of despair and glum faces).

Dear AJCAACO Alumni!!! Give our juniors support. They don't need more 'wake-up' calls or 'scoldings' or 'preachings' or 'pressuring' from the seniors. They need moral encouragements from more people. I have been to their practices. Most of them have practised really hard. Let's hope that a "GOLD AWARD" will be bestowed to them on the 10th of May (2007).

Jiayou AJCO,
Zhiliang

*** Thank you Yongxue, Zhaoyan and Qi Ling for doing the hamper and buying the gifts.
*** Thank you the Weilin and Juan juan who have contributed to the content of the 'hamper'.
*** Thank you the rest who have contributed in monetary terms (Jianjie, Wenyin etc)
*** Thank you those who came down to support the juniors by being present at their practice.