Basket.

I today had the good fortune to scrounge a copy of the latest News From RI; the May 2004 issue. I have just finished reading it, and apparently things have not changed much: our Headmaster is, comfortingly, still full of shit (THINK.RI: NEW DAY NEW DISCOVERY OHHH YEAH, plus the latest tale about Alexander Fleming which I have no doubt this current Sec 1 batch will remember forever like we do the Napoleon story), the usual events are still in place (very pleasantly surprised to discover Morrison finished 2nd in Inter-House Track and Field) and the GEP writers still write incredibly grandiloquently but poorly nonetheless.

I was also amazed to discover an extremely positive piece on the Sec 1 Orientation Camp. The way the author described it, you would be fooled into thinking it is not three days and two nights of mud, mosquitoes and physical abuse. I wonder how in the heck he could speak of the Walk of Initiation (did he even know the name? He never named it, but I inferred from the description) in such glowing terms, saying that he and his compatriots were, I paraphrase, surprised and amused by "their own gullibility". I don't remember being so; I only remember having to dash back to shelter without a shirt or shoes on in driving rain. Fun, fun indeed.

And the JRIC, even. It was described (rather poorly by the author of the piece) as some big and important event of great historical significance. I remember being only saved from boredom during mine by the feeling of wide-eyed wonder that comes from being in a new uniform, that had not yet worn off then but would soon do so. By rights, I should remember what John (yes, Nehemiah Samuel, we knew right from then he had great things before him) said in his speech that day, but I don't. Oops.

But it was interesting seeing all the Sec 1s in their clean white uniforms and shorts. It did make me think back to my own days in such dressing, and how fast time just zips by. Or how, some things just never change.

But what does, is not necessarily for the better. I do think News From RI used to be much better written. Now the articles are disjointed and the language is actually quite poor. The JRIC article, in particular, lacked structure, continuity and good English. And why are all the writers from the GEP? I think we need a good mix in a publication like this, being as it is for the entire school population. We cannot only have one perspective; that is simply too narrow.

It did help me catch up with happenings back there though, and it was a good read nonetheless. Brought back quite a few memories, like that large THINK.RI poster we had in our classroom. Damn, I should have stolen it on the last day.