Oh, gosh. This will be quite long. Read only if you have the time.
It all started a few days before the 6th of June, probably at least two weeks before. The leaders and I had just tried in vain to find a decent cardigan to buy as an additional gift for I Reen (we decided to get her the book that she wanted to read). We were chilling outside a cafe in Bugis when we started talking about another important birthday that was coming up - Deaconess Tammie's. They asked me when it was and I kinda laughed because it was very weird having to say that her birthday was the same as mine.
However, the more important matter was figuring out what to get for Deaconess. They asked me straight what I wanted for my birthday to make the birthday preparation load easier. I did not mind as it made sure that I'll get something that I want (and I did). Sitting around in that table we suddenly had an idea, a far-fetched fancy, a long-stretched whim. With just two weeks left to the date we thought of the possibilities of making a birthday video. Someone explained that Deaconess' love language was time spent so bringing her out somewhere to chill would be good and we can show her a video as a present.
It was no normal birthday video where we would film ourselves and her friends speaking their birthday wishes and prayers over her, no, our idea was on a more ambitious scale. We were going to make a production - a production that will be forever kept in secret and only viewed internally and not even at a cluster level but only within the leadership. Personally, I have no qualms letting the cluster see it because much of my dignity and image would still be intact if it was ever circulated, plus we were disguised some-what so that helps. As a fuel to your imaginations there was a boy band imitation, a spoof of a popular TV show, a dazzling performance and self-made commercials.
Anyway, the project was completed within two separate days of filming and film editing that spanned two days (big thanks to Jimmy Boey and his amazing MacBook with iMovie) and plans were made to celebrate at Marina Barrage after Arrow Service on the 6th of June. I was used as a decoy to get Deaconess to come to Marina Barrage. They told her that it was to celebrate my birthday and they all pretended that they did not know that it was also her birthday. Also, in the planning, I was told that my birthday will be celebrated another time which I did not mind because that would mean that I would still get to celebrate even after the actual day - extended birthday celebrations.
On the 6th of June, during dinner with the CG, I had actually been secretly planning with the CG a belated birthday celebration for I Reen because the CG had not had the chance to celebrate with her. Two guys went away to get the cakes and during dinner, one of them came in with I Reen's cake. When the cake was brought in front of her, she was weirded out because she had actually been secretly planning with the CG to celebrate my birthday and she kept gesturing for the cake to be brought in front of me. It was at that point that I realized that they will be celebrating for me as well and I noticed that the other guy had not come back so I figured that there was another cake. After singing a birthday song for I Reen, a few moments later, my cake came. I really love the thought that went into it and it did not matter that I figured out what they were doing. Plus it was so cool that just that morning, I woke up to a dream that we were going to celebrate both I Reen's and my birthday. It was so cool because I dreamt that they brought a cake for I Reen and then another cake came for me just that I Reen's actual cake was white and mine was brown but in the dream I think I dreamt that I Reen's cake was brown and mine was white.
After dinner the rest of the leaders proceeded to Marina Barrage to set up while we waited for Deaconess Tammie. Her husband came to bring the few of us remaining to Marina Barrage. They had planned to celebrate at the top of the barrage and while we were walking there, Deaconess asked me when was the actual date of my birthday. It was weird because she did not know that we will be celebrating for her. I sheepishly replied that it was the 7th. When we reached the place where everyone else was, they started singing the happy birthday song for Deaconess Tammie and I think she was surprised. After they sang she asked, "What about John?" And they suddenly started singing for me as well. We each received giant cardboard birthday cards and I was a little shocked because I did not really expect to have my birthday celebrated as well...
Ok, I had a little idea because I did not think they would want to exclude my birthday and also while we were doing initial filming on the Sunday before that, I saw some of them writing on I Reen's notebook and I kinda overheard Sam asking Kelly, "Have you done John's..." she stopped herself because she did not realize that I was sitting in front of them. I just kept silent and pretended not to hear. Throughout that day I saw them taking turns to write on I Reen's notebook so I had to wonder what they were doing.
That was also the day that we surprised I Reen at Aston's. She was busily talking about something and was interrupted when we brought a cake in front of her. There was also a point when almost everyone went to the toilet and I there were just a few of us left so I asked someone to let me see I Reen's sketch on the notebook (I saw her sketching a picture of Deaconess Tammie) and the person kindly opened up the notebook directly to the sketch to prevent me from looking at the other pages. I must say the sketch is impressive and I was tempted to look back at the other pages but I did not. I did not really want to see the sketch but I wanted to see what was the reaction if I tried to see the notebook.
Also, on the way home I asked Alvin L what they were writing on I Reen's book and he just said it was some random stuff. I decided not to pursue the matter. Also, on one of the email threads, I wanted to test the response if I hinted something about what they were doing. I guessed that they were writing something but it could not be a card because there would be no need for it to be done on a sketchbook. So I sent an email saying something like it was so fun filming the video that maybe one day we all can make a video for fun where we write a story and each person will write one paragraph and another person will continue with another paragraph to come up with a totally random story. Haha.
But really, despite having an idea of it, reading the actual story that they came up with is priceless. I really love it that everyone was involved in making it. They made me read out their random story and guess who wrote which paragraph and all the nonsensical stuff I kept guessing that it was Alvin L. I should have known that he would come up with the most eloquent and bombastic paragraph which was used as the finisher.
After that it was the event that I was most excited for, the screening of our mini-production. It was 17 minutes of enjoyment and we ended off with prayers for the celebrants. Did not realize that midnight had passed and I spent the first few minutes of being 22 at Marina Barrage. Kind of magical especially with the sparklers... Of which is actually not allowed and if we want to play with them we should do it where the camera cannot see as advised by the friendly neighbourhood security guard. =D
The actual day was really awesome too but that's probably too much for one entry. Maybe next time.
DARE Adventure Camp, here I come! Get ready, kids, to be "taken care of". Muwahahahaha *choke* ahem *choke*
