Down Memory Lane (Again)

[vampyrichamster]

We went to Wangsa Baiduri today, a little housing estate I used to call home back when I was 9. It's a nice little neighborhood, with kids playing badminton on the road, and terrace houses in full bloom. I have never seen such vibrant flowers in so many gardens across blocks before. Or I have, and forgot that I did. I used to walk from my house to the clubhouse directly behind us for piano lessons. When I was done, I'd sit in the clubhouse theatrette to watch Disney cartoons. My tenth birthday was in the clubhouse's kids' room, and I remember I used to beg Mom for change so I could play Bubble Bobble there.

Note to Self: Find downloadable copy of Bubble Bobble.

I even remember how the sidewalk all around the estate used to be smothered in dog poop, because vile neighbors were unhygienic about their dogs. I once sat out on our lawn on the grass, just when the sun went into a cloud, and the grass was still warm, and I could go back inside to my attic where all my toys were, or play games on Dad's ancient Apple 2. And Mom still baked cakes, and I could still eat chocolates (because I never got migraines back then), and I drowned the giant red ants that lived behind the exora bushes with the garden hose.

We passed by my old school, Sri Kuala Lumpur. I wondered if Mrs. Siew and Ms. Tan, the two old ladies who ran the primary school were still alive. I was at Sri KL from ages 9-13, four whole years, easily the longest time I'd spent in any one school. The secondary school had courtyards with big droopy trees I used to sit and read under. The primary school had a bird cage, and the Subang Jaya township was home to some native yellow birds whose names I never knew. I remember Sri KL's trees most, how calm it was. By the time I left primary school for secondary school, I'd already cleared out that school's library's English section, full of yellowed children's classics like the Wombles, and the Borrowers, and What Katy Did. I didn't really have time to clear out the secondary school's library too before I left. I even miss playing scrabble (and winning often) on Wednesdays, when the Board Game Club met.

Comments

[desertwolf.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, I remember programming on my Apple IIe computer -- and Commodore 64 too. The project I worked on the most was a basic CAD-type proggy. Very limited, allowing a variety of 3D shapes but no CSG manipulation (addition, subtraction, intersection, etc...)

Hmm.

[vampyrichamster.livejournal.com]

This reminds me of a simple language we used to program in back when I was 9. I forgot the name though. We'd define a path for this little cursor on screen, and it would draw, in I think 16 colors, with fills too. That was fun. :)