MAY you live long and prosper

'Leaving on a jet plane'

John Denver

all my bags are packed and i'm ready to go
i'm standin here outside your door
i hate to wake you up to say goodbye
but the dawn is breakin it's early morn
the taxi's waitin he's blowin his horn
already i'm so lonesome i could die

so kiss me and smile for me
tell me that you'll wait for me
hold me like you'll never let me go
cause i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know if i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go

ther's so many times i let you down
so many times i've played around
but i tell you now they don't mean a thing
every place i go i'll think of you
every song i'll sing i'll sing for you
and when i come back i'll wear your wedding ring

so kiss me and smile for me
tell me that you'll wait for me
hold me like you'll never let me go
cause i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go

now the time has come to leave you
one more time now let me kiss you
close your eyes and i'll be on my way
dream about the days to come
when i won't have to leave alone
about the times that i won't have to say....

oh kiss me and smile for me
tell me that you'll wait for me
hold me like you'll never let me
cause i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go

i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go

i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go

but i'm leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane

Sob, sob... I dreaded that this day might come, WM's last day. On Friday, she packed her handbag and left the Orange for good, never to return. Well, maybe she didn't leave on a jet plane, I mean, Tiong Bahru ain't that far away, but she sure as heck left on a blue kawasaki motorbike. No prizes for guessing whose it was either. There's gonna be one lonely Ah Beng in the Orange now, I can tell you...

Why did she have to go? Why did the captain have to go? Er, why did I mention the captain? Hmm, strange... heheh.

I'll always remember WM as being extremely demure, cute as a button, petite le fleur, dainty and wistful little gal who always seemed to bring the sunshine with her wherever she tottered about in the Orange. Many an ardent male suitor have fallen for her doe-eyed 'sayang sayang' demeanour.

It's interesting, when we observe human relations, how different people seem to bring out different qualities and aspects of our ownselves, as we interact with them. With WM, she always tended to bring out the protective instincts in all of us. Perhaps, ironically, it was she who was protecting us all the time (the pri sci team), from the dark forces that tend to inhabit the Orange.

Yet, WM was also someone who was a super powderful editor who had a razor sharp eye for detail, a vociferous appetite for sliced fish soup (which she seldom finished, by the way), a weather-tested tenacity for overtime and weekend work, and a steely determination to see a project through to success.

She was an inspiration to the Pri Sci team and also the most experienced member that we had. How will we cope after her departure?

Sigh... "gather ye rosebuds while ye MAY."

MV's farewell speech

After the last teardrop has fallen

It's been one week since NT left the Orange ...


Artiste: Barenaked Ladies
Song: One Week

It's been one week since you looked at me
Cocked your head to one side and said I'm angry
Five days since you laughed at me saying
Get that together, come back and see me
Three days since the living room
I realized it's all my fault, but couldn't tell you
Yesterday you'd forgiven me
But it'll still be two days till I say I'm sorry

How can I help if I think you're funny when you're mad
Tryin' hard not to smile though I feel bad
I'm the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral
Can't understand what I mean? Well, you soon will
I have the tendancy to wear my mind on my sleeve
I have a history of taking off my shirt

It's been one week since you looked at me
Threw your arms in the air and said you're crazy
Five days since you tackled me,
I've still got the rug burns on both my knees
It's been three days since the afternoon
You realized its not my fault, not a moment too soon
Yesterday you'd forgiven me,
And now I sit back and wait till you say you're sorry

How can I help if I think you're funny when you're mad
Tryin' hard not to smile though I feel bad
I'm the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral
Can't understand what I mean?
Well, you soon will
I have the tendancy to wear my mind on my sleeve
I have a history of losing my shirt

He got them k(Nick)ers off!

NTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNTNT.

That statement was to prove a point of how important that young lad, NT, was to the Orange.

He was the sun, the moon, the stars, and he filled our days with magic, wonder and amusement beyond comparison.

Now, he is gone.

But rather than mourn in misery and anguish, let us instead celebrate NT’s life as an editor in the Orange.

Let us remember:

his brazen boldness for showing off his well toned and rippling bodice,
his artistic flair with the pencil,
his astute appreciation of the female form,
his uber fitness as a soccer player and runner,
his friendly and gay disposition to everyone, irregardless of their race, language or religion,
his unwavering and spirited dedication to his fellow Six Packers,
his witty writings and musings about this crazy life and screwed up world that we live in,
his fantabulously excellent and engaging Friday Fazes (MN would be so proud)

… and most of all, his triumvirate achievements of becoming a transvestite on Valentine’s Day and a male stripper for BH’s farewell.

NT, you are one of a kind and we will miss you always.

See you in Blacktopia …

His royal botak-ness arrives

CK gives him his farewell package

Que pasa, hombre?

"Bye bye, NT, mommy has packed your sandwich for you in your new backpack."

Reading all the touching farewell messages

The card cover, courtesy of AAR

Gimme an N, gimme a T, whaddaya get? Love profusion!

ZJ gets in on the paparrazzing too, actually, I hired her.

Markarazzi alert!

CK prepares to whack BB in the face, go get him girrl!
Wah, she damn fierce boy! I wouldn't want to step on her toes while dancing
the salsa with her ...

Sitcom here we come!

Earlier that fateful farewell friday the 13th day ...

Get Your K(Nick)ers off!

NT's farewell vids ...

O.R.D. loh! - The vid

Captain Haddock's farewell address -

O.R.D. loh!

For those of you who didn't have the pleasure of giving up two and a half years of your life to do National Service, and who therefore aren't acquainted with O.R.D., let me explain ...

O.R.D. stands for Official Run out of Date - it's when a soldier has come to the end of his military service or NS, and is free to become a civilian again i.e. return to the REAL world.

Last Friday, the long serving Captain Haddock ORD'd from Orange Armed Forces. He's now enjoying some well deserved R & R - soaking up the sunshine on a white sandy beach in Bintan, enjoying a rejuvenating Javanese massage and delicious cocktails, all with the pleasurable company of his MAY lady, to whisper sweet nothings in his auditory canal.

Captain Haddock has been an excellent soldier who, in his one and a half year tour of duty, has become a hard-boiled veteran of many an ardous and toilsome editorial campaign into the harsh and wicked jungles of VieILtnam. Weaker soldiers and mere mortals would not have been able to persevere and endure the enormous mental, physical and emotional strain that the VieILtnam War would have placed on them. But Captain Haddock was no ordinary soldier, oh no, some say he even had the strength of 5 lions and a cannon that was ... never mind.

Captain Haddock also ORD's with distinction and honour - 2 purple hearts for injuries sustained in battle, and a cross of bravery, for courage shown in the line of fire.

We salute you, Captain!

Captain Haddock receiving his farewell present from My May lady

The troops listening to the captain's farewell address

Orange Armed Forces, 1st Editorial Division, New Industrial Road Camp

With General II, a 4 star general, mind you

With Private SW, who is still blur like sotong, as all privates should be

With CK, the MDC 's (music and drama company) star singer and host. FYI, MDC is the "morale boosting" arm of Orange Armed Forces, it's purpose is specifically for that, boosting the morale of the troops when they go into battle

With AL, the captain's private secretary

With the captain's football mates, all hailing from different editorial sections. Some more campy than others, but all elite subject specialists in their own minds

With the irrepressible Colonel BB

The Primary Science squad -
Sergeant ML, NUOAFs (Non uniformed Orange Armed Forces personnel): WM, JK, LL and UN, Captain Haddock

Save the last dance

"1,2,3,4 come on baby let's do that Conga!"

OR

"When a hero comes along, with the strength to carry on ..."

In other words, when you think of MV, does she remind you of Gloria Estefan or Mariah Carey?

Who it is, doesn't matter, cos she's the Queen of Bollywood. And she's earned every right to that royal title - especially since she was the brilliant choreographer behind MN's farewell dance, last year.

It's also been almost two months since MV packed up her dancing shoes and took her fancy footwork and sexy sashaying to a black ballroom.

What gives with black all of a sudden? Is it in vogue again? Is black the 'New Black' once more?

Goodbye MV, will you please save a dance for me?