Thursday, the 8th March... And I am feeling kinda like my engine's a bit clogged by the wretched flu... But that aside, I did manage a bong or four of goody goody greens yesterday... And I've got my range back... Good... Big Gig on Sunday, need to be in immaculate form.

Those of you unawares... Back here we have an annual clash of the schools... You know... The big monikers play each other based on tradition... We call it the big match... And as far as I am concerned the Royal Thomian Cricket Match is more than a 'once a year' competition for glory. It boils down to the fact that it is a celebration of our memories, of our past... Of good times and shit times... And you know... A lot of people say they hate their school years.

Honestly... I'd do anything to trade it back. Life is of little essence when its spiralled with the madness of both the corporate rat race and domestic turbulence. Ok... Life isn't that bad. But coming back to the 'Big Match'...

I was heading towards the Bank yesterday (Been seeing the Bank a lot lately 'cos we are off to watch MAIDEN!!! \m/) and in traditional style there were a myriad of trucks with legions of Thomians clinging on to whatever vehicle space they could find, flags in hand.

Fuck Me.

Miss those days. The tradition is that two days before the actual 'Match', all the batches (Those old enough to suffer a beating)... Hire a couple of trucks and busses and go 'Trucking'... It is a custom well known back here, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Imagine a legion of kids, draped in College Colors and emblems galore jump in to 'other' schools and raise merry hell.

Beautiful. I know being an outsider you might be scratching your head right now going... 'Right...'

But here's the deal. It's the first day of the match. The Match that is the foundation catalyst that bridges the chasm of BOTH schools. It's where the sacred colors of our Alma-Mater bleed into each other and we compete... converge... And share victory or defeat like gentlemen. Ok... Normally one side gets rather grumpy and starts beating the crap outta the other school if that side loses ;)

So I am at work... Recovering from the 'Bug' of illness... And the match will start anytime now... Not very far from office. I can feel the blood boil in my veins, not 'cos I like cricket. But because a certain 'spirit' of my youth still flickers and shimmers.

The yearning to be with your own... To be inebriated by the second day (It's a 3 day match by the way) beyond comprehension... And you gotta see the guys in my Band REALLY drunk outta their psycho nutz.

Awwwww... Guess I'll go for the match tommorrow... But I'd be damned for missing the first day.

See in life we evolve... We progress and regress... And through it all... Its the values and inherent virtues that make us who we are and help us face up to the challenges of social Hades. A lot in life changes... But whatever happens... We will always have a little fire burning inside... Raging inside...

And as the awesome Skidrow once sang:

'The Horse Stampedes and Rages...'

But this ain't in desperation. This is second nature.

Like it or hate it... Our youth is a big part of our now, our future... And what-may-never-ever-be.

Its virtue embracing instinct... What separates every calculating savage from every conventional madman.

\m/