ludicrously speaking

At first I was afraid,
I was petrified.
Kept thinking I could never do the work
and completed it in time.
But then I spend so many nights
working my butt off to proof me wrong.
Then I grew strong,
and I learned how to get along.

So now I’m back!
From a big project!
I’ve done the deed and excelled the tasks
with a smirk on my face.
Did I think I’d crumble,
did you think I’d lay down and die?

Oh no not I, I will survive
Oh, as long I keep my faith and cool
I know I’ll stay alive.
& I’ve got all my life to live
& I’ve got all my love to give
I’ll survive, I will survive
Hey, Hey!!!

The wall clock has stopped moving. An undelivered package reminded on a slip of advice. My niece drew me a card filled with hearts without me able to reciprocate it. It feels like I’ve been a coma for the longest time, on the contrary I’ve never been so conscious … so long.

The past weeks were spent pushing boundaries like never before. 25 sets of 200+ page book and 15 presentation boards that encapsulates the creative processes of architects, landscape artists, economic analysts and strategist, mechical engineers, lighting specialist, botanist and more. The extend of this project is the worldwide competition to create Gardens by The Bay – the Marina coastal areas that would see our garden city living up to its name and complementing the new Integrated Resort in 2015.

I began collating all the relevant information two weeks back and right till the last moment, more were added, amended, improved and stripped in. For the whole of the last 3 days, we went on without any sleep and churned out pages after pages of layout for submission of the document. All the key players stuck with us throughout the nights and even slept on the carpeted floor of the studio as we worked through the days and nights. I didn’t even realised i missed two meals trying to meet datelines…wait a minute, make that DEADline. The situation was so manic we only had the last 2 days to get everything done and printed – at every 3 hour interval, the printer would show up and we had to give him completed file pdf-ed and ready with printed samples, if we missed it, the printer will be stuck with an overload at the next interval and we would not have made the submission.

It was a race to the finish as we worked till the last hour before the presentation printing CDs and waited for the last batch of things to be delivered to the spot for submission. There was no sign the intensity ever came close to ending. My heart was just burning with anxiety till we reached the competition grounds and saw our work of labour arrive in trucks and vans. There was a triumphant moment in air (I could almost hear the soaring trumpets) as we brought our materials into the competition grounds and saw everything in its place.

I clocked a 12-hour sleep after all the frenzy came to a halt. It was a phenomenal experience. I’ve never seen a more drastic leaning curve during the course of this project. I am sure I impressed the shit out of everyone involved after hearing praises from all sides. I’m happy and proud but more importantly I feel empowered by my achievements.

I can’t wait to take on a new project.