Parties in the 80's

When I was a little girl with 2 ponytails on each side of the head, I was 12 when I went to a party, my very first. It was a birthday party and there weren't any boys or games. Just some food, but I was very happy.

Then shortly after, I was invited to another friend's birthday party again, and that time, it was very crowded, old and young all gathered for the special girl of the day. I remembered it was the first time I watched "Sound of Music" at her house, and it also opened my eyes as how some homes could be so different.

It was such a beautiful home, from the sky, I think it it shaped like a C, only not so rounded. One side was the living hall with the bedrooms while the other side holds the kitchen, dining and the maids' quarters, both sides connected by a long corridor, all aircon-ed up.

Right in the middle beside the corridor, is the beautiful garden with landscapes and shaded trees, and a gazebo to sip afternoon tea. I couldn't describe the beautiful picture I saw in better context, but it was so awesome that it remains inked in my memory all these years.

Some years later, into the sweet sixteens, the first parties of those with boys around. They were usually held in a friend's home (Pei Pei), her parents are really cool with that!

That brought me to remember my fond memories of my very first slow dance. It was such an awkward time but hilarious thinking about it right now.

Unsure why, up until this day, it's very natural that females would somehow stick together like glue at one side and the males on the other side. Then of course, the girls would feel lansi shy to ask the boy to dance, all waiting for the other to make the first move. Some friendly and good looking ones sure went for the prettier and safer bets to avoid being turned down. I, was one of those, left behind (mai jing jie or buy 1 free 1 that sort), but still lansi shy to ask.

Eventually this 4-eyed geek walked over to me and asked me for a dance. While he was walking over.. I was thinking "oh no, please not let it be me.. please please please..." Ish! See see I was really the chosen one. So, afraid of being seen as super duper lansi and not invited for any more dances in future, I relented.

And what happened was.. I put my hands on his shoulder, his on my waist, both our hands straight like a bamboo stick. After sometime, I could feel his hands were like putting fire on my waist (like X-men!) and it was the most awkward swaying of our hips! The people around started to notice our virgin dance and poke fun at us, pretending to be bees, flies, mosquitoes and aeroplanes that can fly between us. Why didn't we just stop, I can't fathom why, but wasn't that hilarious?

*sweats* That virgin dance ended when the music stopped and I was soooo relieved. Now, I can only laugh non-stop looking back at that time.

I guess the reward for that stupid dance came next. Seeing I wasn't very good in it, one of those handsome ones decided to give me some "tutorials" and asked me for the 2nd dance. (I vividly remembered thinking, wtf! I just went through one and now another so soon??) It wasn't clear why it was like an unwritten rule that we should not turn down invitations. I suppose if we kapsi have reached the level of lansiness high popularity, we shouldn't spoil our reputations yet.

And so, this 2nd dance happens to be the best I ever had.

Some of those parties, were those sleep-overs and we fought hard not to fall asleep. Into the night after the disco and slow dances, we would talk sumsi or play some card games, or cerita some creepy stories (guys who do that to make the girls put their arms around them, I suppose). Once, all of us went out for a walk in the ungodly hours, 2 by 2, 1 line of guys, the other of girls. Amazing how these youngsters thought of such ideas! (Not me, wokay?) But I had butterflies in my stomach when one of those I was eyeing came over and walked beside me.

So, these are some of the fond memories I had when I was 16-17. After which, I felt those parties were so boring and didn't bother to turn up much, but that part of my life remains a very special time of it.