Well “arigatou” means “thanks” while “to” (pronounced as “toh” not “two”) means “and” and “gomen nasai” means sorry. So the whole title means “thanks and sorry”.

This post is in regard to my screwed up debate last Saturday, 10th of December 2005.
The title for the debate was “America’s influence has brought global progress” and I was on the opposition team.

Sigh, this debate sucked big time; I only had like what? About 3 days preparation while the other side, which are the 1st years had at least 2-3 weeks, and I happened to know two of the speakers, they are people I know personally, and I knew that they would pull all the stops, and they did… So err.. The few days leading to the debate I was kind of stressed, couldn’t eat properly couldn’t sleep properly also, my god the horror.

Sob~ anyway here’s the horror story. I froze up and blacked out during my turn, I didn’t faint mind you, my mind just went blank, suddenly. For those who know me personally and remember, back in high school, I guess that’s its kind of a surprise? I mean hey I am the girl who sang, acted, danced, and did choral speaking, poetry recitals etc. to freeze up like that it’s unnatural, even my mum was surprised, cause I like did a story telling back in primary school when I was, I think in standard 3 or 4. (She claimed that she was so proud of me then, hehehe) I still remember that the story was bout bears haha (no, it wasn’t Goldilocks and the 3 bears.. but there were 3 bears in my story too hahaha) the point is, am I not considered something like a performer with all that I have done? Well, but a point to note was that most of those things were done in groups, well except MC-ing that one I did mostly alone…

Back to the debate… I was the third speaker, I was supposed to be the second and I was supposed to talk about the Iraq and Afghanistan war. And actually being the 3rd speaker, I was supposed to rebut everything else said by the proposition.

Well, I started okay, the opening I mean, but when it came time to rebut, I actually did a lot of research, so that I can rebut you know, I spotted the kind of things that they were most likely to mention so that I can look it up and rebut. Sigh, anyway, I still wasn’t really very well prepared despite all the help that I got, also the help that I asked for was a little last minute, cause I thought that I could handle it by myself, and found out I couldn’t at the err… 9th hour hahaha (well I didn’t wait till the eleventh hour, that’s kamikaze) .. So anyway, I froze up forgot everything, tired to say some stuff, and ended up concluding right there and then. Sigh it was like so lame..

Anyway, that’s beside the point. I have finished mourning my stupid embarrassment. (Well to be exact it took me about 2 hours to get over it.. So I finished whining about it and saying that I won’t enter another one, haha, but for those who know me well enough, I will be another one if there ‘s another chance hahaha)

This post is for me to thank all those that have helped me prepare for the Baka debate and sorry for wasting your effort and disappointing you guys. I’ll try harder next time, if any debate team still wants me after what happened haha.. So the people that have helped me and given me moral support, in no particular order.. I don’t care if this sounds like an Oscar speech hahaha

A big thanks to my parents for giving me moral support by turning up for the debate, and giving me some information on America.. Michelle (Lim Ai Ann- for giving me some ideas for the speech part, her support and well almost everything la, she was like my counsel, oh and she consoled me to..), Xian Ai (for giving me moral support, helping with my speech, consoling me, and almost everything else too), Rowan(for giving me information about the war led by the Americans), Eugene,(for counselling me, and helping me with the opening sentences…) Raymond (for moral support and consoling me), Melissa (for moral support as well), Gene (for some information regarding America) and to everyone else who has given me support and who consoled me (oh this includes Jiun Yu- don’t know whether I spelt correct, Michelle Lim Sok Yen, Ms Sujata.. ) after the debate.

Not forgetting to also thank the kind adjudicators,(they were Ms Sarah, Ms Jacky and Mr. Err, I don’t remember his name, he’s an American with a military background though hahaha) haha as Xian Ai was the one calculating the marks for the debate, she said that I got and overall score of 50 over 100,(I trust her word for it haha) haha that’s only 36 less then the best speaker’s points hahaha, for someone who froze up and forgot her stuff, well, those points I don’t know, maybe they meant to encourage me cause I did volunteer for this thing, the lecturers practically had to force people from the 2nd year to enter the debate, and I mean that literally.. Also, maybe it was because I know Sarah and Jacky personally too haha..

So anyway, that’s all regarding the debate.. One reason why I didn’t mull so much over it was well, besides it being my character to get over things fast and try harder next time, and also cause I got lots of comforting hugs hehe,( I am a touchy feely kind of person haha) my stress was all lifted and I actually felt like eating and sleeping, and on the same day as the debate I had a family dinner with my maternal side of the family. (I’m much closer to them, so its more fun for me hehehe) and there’s always good food there and wine and beer to drink hahaha

Well, during the dinner, as always when my Dai Yi (Cantonese direct translation would mean big aunty but it just literally means oldest aunt on my mum’s side) hosts a party. There is always good food - buffet style, so I ate and ate as if I haven’t eaten for 3 days haha, which come to think of it, is quite true, I was stressed and didn’t eat much the past few days hahaha. The salmon made by my cousin sister (Sue) was delicious, but when I went for seconds, it was like gone sob~ sigh never mind there’s next time hahaha and baby Aidan is so damn cute!! Suge Kawaii no akachan!! (A super cute baby!!) He’s always laughing and smiling, such a jolly baby.. And so cute…

Oh and as always on my maternal side gatherings there is always an almost free flow of alcohol hahaha.

Claiming that I was still depressed (you never know, maybe I secretly still am haha) I had a can of beer, and almost a quarter bottle of wine? Or was it half? I don’t know how much wine I drank, cause my cousin was the one pouring it for me, but my mum was scolding saying I drank too much, (cause my face was red, it always turns red after I drink alcohol regardless of the amount taken..) while my cousins, who are by the way, younger than I am telling me I drank too little. (I don’t usually drink, so my limit is kind of low) Anyway I know my limit: one can of beer and almost a quarter to half the bottle of wine is enough.. (God, how much did Ben pour for me?)

So anyway, I made full use of my camera on Saturday, Xian Ai and Michelle helped me take quite a number of pictures at the debate, and I took another ton of pictures at the dinner. And one with each cousin that I am close with, so five individual pictures with them, and two group ones with them, and some simply take here and there one la. Haha

Okay, I guess that’s all for now. I am actually quite sleepy, I still haven’t bayar balik hutang tidur (if you remember your biology it’s supposed to be hutang oksigen..) haha so I guess that I will post this, wait for the song that I am uploading to finish, change the blog’s song (see ccy I am changing the song hahaha, all because you requested for it hahaha, actually I was also a bit sian liao hahaha) and then go to bed.

This one is kind of long already, so till next time then people, matta ne.

-Oracl3-