'Outspokened'
Okay, so lately there haven't been happy things going on and I seem to ramble on and on about how sucky life is. Not really lah, but yeah, I think I've been putting on my sad/stressed/sky-is-falling face for way too long (I'm not removing it completely anytime soon.. wait till killer week comes next week), and it's about time I cheer up, at least for a while.
And there is good reason to. Because, well, say hello to the new Outspoken Desk Editor of The Ridge!
Hehe. I'm so thankful and pleased and happy and did I say thankful yet? Hehe. The elections were tonight at 6PM, and so I skipped a few hours of choir sound check/tech run for concert tomorrow to pop by LT15 for the elections, and I sure am glad I did.
The election of the editorial team was a bit of a tense affair, and for a while I was just sitting there waiting for the higher-ups' slots to be filled (or not filled.. interesting case for this one particular position), and then it was time for the desk editors, and I began to feel a bit fidgety. The temperature in the LT was frrrrrrreezing cold too, so I didn't know if I was just nervous or what. Anyway, no soul (at least from those in the Ridge) had learned I was remotely thinking of running for desk editor up until then, so I was just keeping it to myself. The other positions before the Outspoken Editor had only one nominee each, so basically it was a for/against vote, and it was usually for votes anyway, unless one had a complicated case.
So Chief Ed Nurul announced that the Outspoken desk editor position was up for grabs, and I looked around and hesitated. To my left, a sincere-looking pretty girl from the existing Outspoken desk stepped up (or down to the front area), and to my right, a Indian-looking Singaporean girl moved forward as well. They had reached the front seats where the nominees were supposed to sit, and, mustering enough courage and murmuring "what the heck" to myself, I stood up and made my way down too.
I didn't look behind me, but I could tell that my editor Asraf was surprised I presented myself as a nominee at all. Haha. I received what I thought was some peculiar applause marked by surprise and incredulity perhaps? Haha.. or maybe it was just because the just-elected editors were mostly girls? Dunno le. Haha, I didn't dare look back and read their faces.
I've been silent about this thing, and although Nurul invited members who were interested to run for some position to join the outgoing editorial team's meetings for some exposure, I didn't have the balls to volunteer myself. Frankly, I wasn't confident my writing was good enough for them because I've been published only once this year so far, but then I took comfort in that many others, including my fellow nominees, also had one article published too. Haha. And I've been in the Outspoken desk for two years anyway, so that should give me a slight edge.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, after a round of self-intro and some grilling, votes were cast through slips of paper. After a few moments was a shocker: there was a tie between me and the Indian-looking girl Kamala. Gasp. Haha a tie seemed unlikely in a crowd of 30-40 people, so I was caught off-guard. We needed 60% of total votes cast, too, to be elected.
A more intensive grilling ensued, and lookee the girl beside me turned out to be a Year 3 Sociology major.. Oooh and you know Soci majors, they're sharp and witty and essay-loving and always have some smart critique or insight about society or what. Haha stereotypes again, my favorite topic. Hehe, so yeah I was a bit intimidated and I would not have been surprised if I didn't get elected, and knew she would be a good editor anyway. Final vote came and I breathed a sigh of relief when it was my name that was called.
I was so thankful to those who voted, although I didn't want to seem as if I was desperate for the job. Haha. So yep, all my good vibes to all of you, I really really appreciate it. And to Nurul, too, for calling me up after the choir rehearsal to say that she was very happy for me, THANKS LOADS. I've secretly admired Nurul for the longest time 'cos she's cool and funky and witty and writes kick-ass well and perennially cheerful and artsy/poetic/bimbotic but still professional and smart and respectable. Means a lot. I was worried the editors thought I pulled a fast one on them by giving them a shocker on election night, but yep thanks a lot for believing in me.
The Outspoken Desk is one of the more popular among the desks, if not the most popular, based on the manpower of the desk and the number of applicants it receives. Haha the lure of it perhaps is that writers have the freedom to write and rant and rave about most anything, but of course standards are kept so the pieces are controversial and substantial and argumentative and of course sensible. Asraf did a mighty good job with Outspoken this year, in terms of article quality and deadlines, and filling in his shoes will be no small feat. (Haha FEAT and SHOES.. haha get it? Get it?! Haha cheap thrill sorry)
Anyway, NUS Choir's Varsity Voices is tomorrow (or later) already! Haha I'm not absolutely ready just yet, but it's gonna be great! I'm a bit sad there wouldn't be choir sessions soon after tomorrow except for the election and maybe some choir outing, but yeah, it's time to get mugging for the exams! I have a good feeling about tomorrow's Varsity Voices concert, let's just see what happens. Good night! :)
