31 March 2010 Wednesday | 31.03.1996

14 years ago, I did my first solo shift on Y.E.S. 93.3FM. And I never looked back. Literally.
The studio was at the basement of Radio Building on Caldecott Hill. The place is haunted. I’ve never had any supernatural encounters *choy*, but yes, the place is haunted. Don’t argue. Period.
I was a timid 16 year old who didn’t dare to pee during my first 4 hour shift from 2am- 6am on 31.03.1996. Now, I pee as often as I want to. Hahaha. Whenever I hear or sense something funny, I smile and mumble, “Haiyoh, you see me for so many years already. You know who I am already, right? You know I’m here to work and not disturb you, right? Please don’t disturb me. Please let me finish my stuff, ok? Pretty? Thanks.” Really.
Digressed. Sorry.
It’s my anniversary, folks!

Life has never been the same for me (and perhaps you, the unsuspecting listener who has to put up with a mad man shouting WOOHOO! and xx DAYS TO FRIDAY! and IT’S FRIDAY!) since then.
After six years of weekend shifts, it seemed that everyone (me inclusive) took it for granted that I would certainly turn full time after National Service. I might sound a little arrogant, but I honestly never doubted for a second back then, that I would score a position in Singapore’s No. 1 Radio Station.

You know, Virgos are very irritating people. When they like something, they will put in all their heart and soul and make sure they do a good job. Things they don’t like, or don’t do well, they’ll pull a hasty retreat and pretend everything never happened. Virgos don’t like to fail. I never thought of how far I would go in the industry, but I was very sure that I don’t want to be remembered as someone who sucked behind the microphones.
My heartfelt gratitude to the people who made this possible. 是933把我養大的。*cue dramatic overture/ a single tear in the right eye/ right palm to chest

Some asked what I would be doing, if I wasn’t in Radio.
Because there are certain things I can’t do, as Cruz Teng, the Radio Personality, there are days when I wondered if I would be much happier as Cruz Teng, the Whatever.
If I didn’t find out that I only needed ‘A’ levels or a poly diploma to enter the station, I might have worked doubly hard and entered some prestigious JC, and went on to some Ivy League institution… Or I might have gotten a PhD, and people taking my restaurant reservations would have to call me Dr. Teng, instead of Mr. Teng… Or I could be an inconspicuous figure in the army of suits and ties in Shenton Way… Or I could have saved the world by coming up with a vaccine for AIDS… Or I might be sitting in a huge ass office with a hot babe secretary in my lap…
Hahahahahaha.
The many possibilities.

Well, I’m still glad I chose this route- Cruz Teng, the Radio Personality.
The people who are responsible for this include,
-the millions who have tuned in the last 14 years. (我是DJ,又不是審計師。報大數又怎樣?)
-the tens of thousands who love me. (腦袋太小了,你逼死我,我也不可能記得你們每一位。但我也愛你們!)
-the other tens of thousands who still hate me.(嗯。你好。祝你開心)
-the dozens who were by my side all this while.(就是你們啦,不要左看右看)
- the handful who crafted my portfolio (我知道,早期有些“大宗”的案子,是因為沒有別的人選,你們迫於無奈才派我去的。無所謂,只要沒有讓任何人失望就可以了。)
- the individuals who taught me in my foundation years. ZY, ZG, DK, BB- You were the best mentors one could ever have.
It’s been a wonderful journey.
謝謝全宇宙。












