2008 Beckons!

On this last day of 2007, I'd like to wish one and all a very blessed new year (in about 17 hrs and 15 mins!). May love, joy, hope and peace be with you throughout 2008!

Especially for all the students I've taught this year:

Form and Language Arts class 107

Language Arts class 108

Language Arts class 111 (1st semester)

FPS classes 105 & 110

EL Elective 'Hear me, hear me' with students drawn from 413, 414 & 415

PRC Scholars from 401 & 403

Playwriting sabbatical with students drawn from 101 & 102 (Term 1)

Playwriting sabbatical with students drawn from 110, 111, 112 & 113 (Term 2)

Everyone from NYGZ

My wish for all of you in 2008:

Give of your best in all that you do. Learn from the past, seize the present and plan well for the future.

Romeo and Juliet

Hello Sec 1 students of 2007! Many of you would have bought (and read) Romeo and Juliet by now. Here are some of my thoughts on the play.

a) Romeo and Juliet is probably the most famous love story in literature, or even in the entire world. I kid you not!

b) If you think Shakespeare's language is strange and hard to understand, use the footnotes to help you. Or get hold of an additional edition of the play that contains a parallel modern English version.

c) Shakespeares's lines are pure poetry. Notice the rich imageries he uses and the regular rhythm whenever the characters (usually the upper-class) speak in verse. His understanding of human nature and psychology is also second to none. He is not one the very greatest writers of the English language for nothing.

d) The Prologue in Romeo and Juliet is very important. It basically tells you what's going to happen in the rest of the play.

e) The theme of 'fate' which figures prominently in the play is immediately apparent right from the Prologue. The ill-fated lovers are called the 'star-crossed' lovers (ie. their tragic fate has been fortold in the stars). Also note the sense of premonition before Romeo meets Juliet.

f) Other themes in the play include 'love' - different characters' perception of this; 'light' - Juliet is often associated with light, what does this signify?; 'the old vs the young' - the different perception of love and marriage shown by Juliet's parents and herself etc.

g) Romeo's interest in Rosaline and Juliet are interesting points of comparison. With Rosaline, Romeo is "in love with the idea of being in love".

h) The character of Juliet is very well portrayed. While Romeo comes across as a rash young man, Juliet grows and develops from an innocent young girl at the start of the play, to a newly-wed young woman who is thrown into such dire circumstances and has nobody to depend on at the end.

l'orchestre

Done!

Began on 17th Dec

Completed on 25th Dec

2 days of non-activity.

So, it took me 7 days to complete my first jigsaw puzzle. Thoughts after the process? I had great fun piecing the bits together using hints such as the composers' hair, bow ties, coat colour, face colour, fiddles, bows etc. Somehow, the woodwinds section got done rather quickly. The trickiest parts were the bottom corners (Beethoven and Grieg). Hmm...I think I will not be attempting another puzzle in the near future. I realized I'm not really a jigsaw person and I did this one only because I like the picture. So, unless I find another picture I love just as much, then would I make myself repeat this arduous (but rewarding) process.

Oh, do check out the pictures from our Christmas carolling at Bukit Timah Plaza. http://pengmun.zenfolio.com/p79109084

Merry Christmas! :))

Merry Christmas & A Blessed New Year to all readers of my blog!



O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Mini Poetry Lesson 3

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

Today, we will not go into anything technical. We will just think about why this poem's so beautiful.

Isn't this such a lovely poem? It's one of my favourite.

Before we go any further, read the poem again, aloud. How do you feel as you listen to the words? Do you feel that it's so lyrical, musical, fluent but at the same time, filled with a sense of melancholy?

Can you guess whether it's written by a male or female poet?

If you guessed female, then you're right. The author of this poem is Christina Rossetti, one of the greatest female poets who ever lived.

Your reason for guessing that it's written by a woman is probably because it is so sensitive and gentle in tone and the poet is very aware and in touch with her innermost feelings. Women are usually better in such things than men. (Okay, this is a general statement)

Why is this poem so beautiful?

a) It is about sadness and parting. Things which strike a chord with most people.
b) The pair of loved ones are far apart. The poet is speaking of a time when she has 'gone far away into the silent land' (most likely implying death).
c) There is a sense of nostalgia and regret in the parting of the poet with her loved one. This is movingly described by the poet in that her loved one can no longer 'hold her by the hand', 'tell [her] of [their] future that [he] plann'd', and to 'counsel' and 'pray'.
d) The poet's desire to be remembered is quite moving, because we all hope that people whom we care for will never forget us.
e) The last 6 lines of the poem displays the poet's generosity towards her loved one. Read it again.

'Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.'

Although she has been asking (almost pleading) with her loved one to remember her, she is now telling the other person not to 'grieve' if he forgets her for a while. She assures her loved one that she would rather that he forgets her but remains happy rather than remember her and be grieved.

For those of you who enjoy a challenge, there's actually another way of interpreting the last six lines (in fact the whole poem). Do some research on Christina Rossetti's life. Find out her views on religion, and how this affects her ideas of romantic love. Does her religious convictions make her sort of ambivalent towards how she hopes the one she loves will remember her? Is it her puritan religious ideals that make her generous towards how her loved one will remember her?

If the above paragraph is too much for you, it's okay. Don't worry too much about it. Just read and enjoy this poem as a lyrical and beautiful piece.

That's all I have for you for poetry for now. I hope you are at least a little bit more interested in poetry now. I'm sure your teachers next year will tell you more.

Mini Poetry Lesson 2

Welcome to the 2nd installment of our 3-part poetry series! Take some time off from soaking up the festive mood and immerse yourself in the wonderful world of verse!

We are going to look at a poem by local poet Kenneth Wee entitled "Festival". This is in your very first handouts (Sec 1) given at the beginning of the year. We didn't have time to go through it then so I thought I'd discuss it with you now.

Festival

Kenneth Wee

1 We sit in a corner, my friends and I

2 In a house filled with the roaring of the

3 Docks and harbours of our ancestors, and the

4 Colours of the sun which burned their fields.

5 The old men talk at the tables,

6 Remembering old times. We know them

7 Not, nor the language that they speak,

8 Yet we are relatives, only two generations apart.

9 We watch the television, glued to its screen,

10 Not knowing the meaning of the lotus seed

11 We unseeingly eat.

12 They are just more candy to us.

13 When the dinner is brought on,

14 With special foods prepared by the elders,

15 We grimace at the "tasteless" stuff

16 And think longingly of cheesy pizzas.

17 Somewhere down the street

18 Lion dancers twirl to heart thumping music

19 In my room we, too, dance,

20 But to the latest rock hits.

21 On my door hang spring couplets:

22 Quotations from Shakespeare.

23 Door gods adorn our entrances

24 Posters of Schwarzenegger and Stallone.

25 We watch the organized festivities

26 And are reminded of our culture, our roots

27 And we think: "I'm proud to be Chinese,"

28 In English.

1. The title. The first thing you look out for in a poem is its title (obvious, isn't it?). However, a lot of poems do not have titles, so the first line of the poem becomes its title. In today's poem, the title "Festival" gives it a 'local' feel because in our multi-racial society, we experience a myriad of festivals all through the year.

2. What's the theme of this poem? A theme is an idea that keeps appearing in the poem (ie. the predominant idea). After the first read-through, keywords such as 'generation gap', 'old versus young' and 'changing customs' come to mind.

3. The way Kenneth Wee presents this poem is by showing the contrasts between the behaviour and activities of the younger and older generation. Let's look at the various contrasts in detail:

a) Distance: There is distance between the two generations. The younger ones 'sit in a corner' (line 1) while the 'old men talk at the tables' (line 5). We can gather that they're probably not close, and have nothing common to talk about, and thus do not sit together. The fact that the youngsters back themselves 'in a corner' in a house that is 'filled with the roaring of the docks and harbours of our ancestors' also suggests that they are uncomfortable being in an atmosphere that is filled with things of the past.

b) Customs/Activities: Although the youngsters are eating lotus seeds (a traditional food), they eat it 'not knowing the meaning' (line 10), they eat it 'unseeingly' and it is 'just more candy' to them. This suggests that they have lost touch or they simply do not care about the story behind traditional customs and foods. For dinner, the elders prepare 'special food', which we can assume to be traditional food. The youngsters openly 'grimace' and show their disdain for the 'tasteless' stuff and 'think longingly of cheesy pizzas', which is a Western food. The traditional activity of lion dancing is also contrasted with the dancing to the 'latest rock hits' enjoyed by the youngsters, though both are 'heart thumping music'. In the 6th stanza, we are given a humorous take on the shift of customs. The Chinese traditionally hang 'spring couplets' with words of blessing and good fortune on their doors. The younger generation still hang 'spring couplets', but replacing the words of blessing are more Westernized stuff - 'quotations from Shakespeare'. In the same manner, the door gods of these youngsters are the movie stars they worship - Schwarzenegger and Stallone.

4. The impact of the last stanza. A strong poem needs a punchline that ends it on a high note. Often, the poet leads us to think in a certain way and then breaks our expectation and when that happens, it has great power. This is what happens here. While the youngsters 'watch the organized festivities', they feel 'proud to be Chinese' (line 27). When we read to the end of this line, we are comforted, thinking that although the entire poem has been about how these youngsters are losing their traditional Chinese customs, there's still some consolation in the end, because they still feel proud about being Chinese. However, the powerful last line breaks this consolation when we realize the irony of it all - these youngsters are so entrenched in their 'Westernized values' that even when they think of their Chinese-ness, they think in English. This strikes a chord with many of us who speak English and embrace Western values so much that we are losing our 'Asianess'. The little pause that we take between line 27 and 28 also make the last 2 words 'In English' more impactful.

5. Share this poem with your grandparents, they might identify with the situation well. Perhaps you can feel for the situation too.

Seen at Parkway Parade.

Guess the ages of Mickey, Minnie and Donald right and you stand a chance to win these large stuffed toys (worth $888 each!).

Did a quick google and found that Mickey and Minnie were created in 1928 and Donald in 1934.

Which makes...

Mickey and Minnie Mouse: 79 years old (!!)

Donald Duck: 73 years old (!)

I wonder what an innocent kid will think if you tell them that. That these cute creatures are older than their grandaddies!

(on 20th December 2007) Finally did the borders, which should've been the first step to do. Didn't work on this yesterday & today. But think it should still be in time for the 31st dec target.

Mini Poetry Lesson 1

For those of you in sec 1 this year, you would have done unseen prose and learnt something about literary analysis.

Literary analysis is about a few things:

1) In-depth reading/reading 'in between the lines'

2) What's the SUBJECT, PURPOSE, EMOTION & TONE of the piece of writing? (Recall your SPEC & SLIM)

3) Reading beyond the literal meaning and going into the metaphorical/symbolic (hidden or abstract meanings)

4) Giving an individual response to the piece of writing

In sec2, your teacher will be doing unseen poetry with you. Many of you hate poetry. I know because I've asked you in class, remember? Here are a few things about poetry I'd like to share with you. I hope that you will be really open-minded about it and perhaps it will help you appreciate your poetry lessons more next year.

1. Don't expect to understand the entire poem in just one reading. That's impossible, unless what you have is a kid's poem or some soppy pop song lyric disguising as a poem. Always read a poem many times through (no excuses for not doing that, hey, most poems are so short ok!) and often, the meaning will become clearer to you like magic.

2. Always read a poem out loud. A poem is meant to be read aloud. When you do that, you can feel the rhythm, hear the sound of the words, the stresses, pauses etc. better. Go attend some poetry readings and see (and hear) for yourself. Having said that, in an exam, don't read so loudly that you distract your friends and invite unwanted attention from the invigilator. What you can do is to mouth the words under your breath. The idea is to feel the words in your mouth and as long as you can hear it yourself, that's good enough.

3. Samuel Taylor Coleridge (who on earth is he? good question. aiyah, must be a famous poet lah! go google!) said "Prose is words in their best order, poetry is the best words in the best order". This means that the words in a poem are meticulously chosen by the poet and each word has great significance. That is also why we find it hard to comprehend a poem in our first reading. It is simply packed with so much meaning and imagery.

That's all I have for you now. Your teacher will no doubt tell you more next year.

Just remember:

-> Don't be afraid if you don't understand a poem after reading it once through. You're not alone.

-> Every word in a poem counts, and it is your task as literary detectives to find out how.

-> Poets often use symbols/metaphors/imageries in the poem. Find out what they represent and you are halfway to understanding the poem. Never take things too literally.

(on 18th December 2007)

(on 19th December 2007)

LOL

I hadn't intended to blog today, but I just saw this MTV that I simply must write about.

The Song: Luo4 Ye4 Gui1 Gen1 (loosely translated as 'Returning to your roots') by Wang Lee Hom

The Story:
1. Wang Lee Hom as a little boy playing his violin under a tree in a park.
2. A crowd of people listening to him.
3. Out of this crowd, a little girl emerges and hands the boy a green clover leaf shyly.
4. As the girl walks away, she keeps turning her head back to look at the boy.
5. Gradually, she disappears into the crowd...
6. Will they meet again?
7. Will their parting be forever?
8. Many years later...
9. Wang Lee Hom has grown up and is now quite the dashing young man.
10. He is still busking under the same tree in the same park with his fiddle (!)
11. He seems distracted as he plays.
12. Is he waiting for the little girl from so long ago?
13. Waiting....waiting....
14. And she appears!
15. Wang Lee Hom pulls out the (now brown-coloured) clover leaf that the girl gave to him many years ago.
16. They stroll in the park, they chat, he teaches her how to play the violin.
17. Eventually, they embrace--
18. But the girl pushes Wang Lee Hom away abruptly and dashes off.
19. The girl is back home.
20. We realize she has an ang moh husband. (a chorus of groans for Wang Lee Hom)
21. The girl has fallen asleep.
22. She is still clutching onto the clover leaf.
23. Her hand loosens.
24. The clover leaf is carried by the breeze out of the window.
25. The girl wakes and chases after the leaf.
25b. (Can you guess where the leaf's blown to?)
26. And you guessed right! It flies towards the familiar tree under the park.
27. And Wang Lee Hom is still playing his fiddle there!
28. The girl is totally engrossed in getting her beloved leaf back --
29. and she does not notice--
30. a car coming her way!!
31. She is knocked down and killed.
32. The clover leaf lands in her hand.

Do you find this touching? Do you feel like weeping now?

The song is quite nice though. But why the need for so much melodrama in the MTV? LOL

piecing up the pieces piece by piece

(on 17th December 2007)

started on a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle today. composers cartoon. they're playing in an orchestra. the conductor is berlioz. my. writing. is. rather. broken. up. today. in. the. spirit. of. jigsaw. puzzle. labour. :)

as of now, only dvorak's face is complete. mendelssohn's right eye's missing. so is chopin's. rossini's forehead and chin are missing. half of mussorgsky's forehead and a quarter of his beard's not there.

i'm currently using the classified ads (CATS) page as the base. that accounts for the multitudinous cats. am thinking of switching to mahjong paper tomorrow. or any huge cardboard piece i can lay my hands on.

aim to complete this puzzle by 31st dec. wish me luck!

Grinning Geckos and Maestros

This morning I caught a baby lizard crawling on my kitchen counter and all over my oranges. I secured it in a plastic bag and released it (to know why I did that, refer to point 3 below) outside my home later.

Here are some things I've heard about lizards over the years.

1. Ms Sarah Birchwood said lizards like nibbling on the tails of aquarium fish.

2. A friend of mine told me how her grandpa used to feed lizards, and the geckos would tap their claws on the table as a sign of gratitude (or so she claimed)!

3. You can see a lizard's heart pounding hard against its chest when it's caught. So poor thing!

4. Lizards have a forked kind of tongue and are supposed to eat mosquitoes.

This is a comic I saw in today's newspapers.

It's making fun of the ongoing global debate on climate change, where you get plenty of differing voices and opinions from the international community.

It's just like in the comic, with so many conductors trying to direct the poor solo cellist.

Speaking of conductors, here are some thoughts.

1. Some people think that a conductor is just a human metronome who beats time. How wrong that is! The conductor is one who trains the orchestra/ensemble and is responsible for the overall conception of the music.

2. The conductor is a very powerful person in the orchestra. S/he has to be charismatic, a leader, a communicator and must know the technical and musical capabilities of all the instruments intimately (s/he doesn't need to be able to play all of them though).

3. Most conductors are male. However, there are also some great international women conductors, such as JoAnn Falletta (music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra), Marin Alsop (music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orch) and Wang Ya Hui (music director of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory orchestra at NUS), just to name a few.

4. A lot of players in student orchestras are buried in their scores/instruments most of the time and do not look at the conductor. This is very wrong because they will miss all their cues, won't know when the conductor's going to take more time/accelerate at certain places in the score and when to cut off. So don't be surprised if a conductor loses his temper when you are so preoccupied with your playing and fail to look up.

Random pictures

Piano Competition. The kids had the best seats in the house!

The poor piano required some tuning during the breaks, after all those banging.

(From L-R): Mr James Tan, Mr Joseph Conrad & Mr Jack Tan

Goofy seems to be drilling something into the poor blue creature's(whatever its name is) head.

Come join us in song, amidst the silver snowflakes.


Wonderful photography skills. I had intended it to turn out all fuzzy & artsy. Really. I kid you not!

Tinkling the ivories for a prize

I sat in at the biennial National Piano competition at Alliance Francais today.

Piano Artist category quarter finals. This is how it works. The participants will play a first work and then the adjudicators will pick one or more pieces from their repertoire list. I heard 10 participants today. Out of 15 participants, 5 withdrew. That's a third! Here's the lowdown.

Kwon Cheo Yong
played Chopin's Polonaise in A flat major Op.53 'Heroic', Scriabin's Etude in C sharp minor and Prokofiev's Suggestion Diabolique
The Chopin Polonaise started off a bit stiff. The use of pedal was rather sparing and the approach quite metronomic. I thought the logic between the sections could be better worked out too. Powerful playing though with good left hand technique. But having fully warmed-up, the Scriabin and Prokofiev came across much stronger than the Chopin. He really was suited to late-romantic pieces and the Prokofiev was really effectively done - excellent wrist technique and incisive rhythmic approach.

Huang Xuhua
played Granados' Goyescas No. 5 'El Amor y la Muerte' and Mozart's Rondo in A minor K.511
The Granados is such a difficult work to play, not only in terms of technique, but chiefly because it is so meandering and I think you really need to understand the Spanish idiom to evoke the mood effectively. I think she was quite drained after playing this, for when the adjudicators asked her to play her Kabalevsky, she was dazed and unable to carry on. They then settled on the Mozart Rondo - her right hand melody really needed more projection.

Zhang Xiaowei
played Bach's Italian Concerto
Kudos for not using pedal at all, this started off rather clean and neat, though the left hand became rather stodgy as the music progressed. A faster tempo would make it more buoyant, I think. Then something very unfortunate happened. She had a series of rather serious memory lapses and her confidence was quite destroyed, to the point that she couldn't continue at all. I really empathize with her. You really need nerves of steel to play in a competition.

Xie Xinying
played Chopin's Fantasy in F minor Op.49
This was played with quite a lot of colour, and she's obviously well-taught and the piece was well-prepared. There were some obvious wrong notes, and I don't know how this would affect how the adjudicators judge her. (the cruel fact is that competitors are often expected to have 'bullet-proof' technique)

Irene Margarete Setiawan
played Rachmaninov's Variations on a Theme by Corelli Op.42 and Mozart's Sonata in A Minor K.310
Indonesian pianists usually play with great spirit and freedom. The Rachmaninov was very well built up and she seemed totally comfortable on stage. The Mozart was not really to my taste. It was over-pedalled. There were some wrong notes but she overcame that very quickly - a plus point.

Koh Min Yu
played Copland's El Salon Mexico and Bach's Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue
The Copland was a very nice jazzy work, and a good choice too, because not many people play this and thus it definitely left an impression. The Bach started off really well, the improvisatory feel was very natural and this 'modern' piece had lots of colour and shaping. However, she broke down after some very unfortunate memory slips towards the end. I really hope she can stay on, as she's really talented.

Midorie Tjiawi
played Schubert's Sonata in A major D.664 and Debussy's Suite Bergamasque
I know Midorie because we have the same teacher. Her Schubert was very delicate, very feminine, but her right hand notes were sometimes missing. The Debussy was lovely, very characterful, sensitive with attention to detail. (Not surprising, as my teacher's a specialist in French music)

Chan Siang Lin Kelvin
played Ravel's 'Ondine' from Gaspard de la Nuit and Prokofiev's Sonata No.7 in B flat major Op.83
The stylo guy of the day. Dressed in tails and all. He was also totally immersed in the music, often looking up into space and shaking his head during the emotional bits. He looked like he really enjoyed performing, had flawless technique and a keen sense of the drama in the music.

Gao Chao
played Chopin's Scherzo No. 4 in E major and Mozart's Variations in D major K.573
Another very assured player. Very natural on stage and well prepared programme. Chopin was very good, but I felt that the Mozart, though very clean, could have been more nuanced.

Winnie Santia Soekojo
played Chopin's Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor and Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy
A very strong girl, she played the Chopin Scherzo (one of my fav pieces, the slow bits can make you cry) with such energy, but she was quite drained after that, and her energy level clearly waned during the very taxing Schubert. A pity, because of all the pianists, I like her stage persona the most, which was humble and not exaggerated.

Okay, many more participants to go, and I don't know how many they are selecting to enter the semis, but from the 10 that I've heard, I think Kwon Cheo Yong, Irene Margarete Setiawan and Chan Siang Lin Kelvin stand a chance. If the later participants are so so, then Midorie Tjiawi and Gao Chao should make it too.

An early post

I'm online early today.

Need to check on the schedule for something. Going for something later. Will update on that something later. I'm very elusive today, but it's just that time of the morning!

Time check: 7.10am. During school term, this will be the time when I'm in the staffroom doing the finishing touches to a lesson to be conducted that day, and getting ready to go down to the quandrangle for assembly cum flag raising.

During holidays, I usually sleep till about 7 or 8am. Yeah, I don't wake up late even during holis, because morning is such a beautiful time. Tranquil, peaceful, the air is fresh blah blah. I don't understand why some of my former classmates prefer to sleep at 3am and wake up at 12 noon.

I was browsing through my former online diary, and I've copied an entry I made back in 2003. It sounds quite moody...sheesh!

07/01/2003 -- ........
I don't know why I feel sad so easily......
Especially during the parting with someone i care for,
thinking that i may not see that person again,
or leaving a place where i have spent a part of my life at,
knowing that i will never go to it everyday again, like how i had used to.

You would say that there's always memories to keep that past alive,
but isn't it a fact that the person whom you have parted with
will inevitably move on to another person,
and you become just another person whom s/he has met and left behind
because everyone must move on in life?

But God is very fair to everyone.
i feel happy just as easily as i feel sad.
i remember being happy just to go for morning assembly
during the sec sch and jc days.
just to see everyone lining up in rows,
to see the huge patch of field infront of us,
the blue sky over us.
that's joy for me...

perhaps i should try to make myself feel sad less....how?

Those were the days

Feeling nostalgic today, so I 'you-tubed' for songs I used to listen to when I was a pimply-faced secondary school boy in khaki shorts (haha). Yeah, I was a big Chinese pop fan back then, go ahead and laugh!


Bet you didn't know Jackie Chan can actually sing!


I used to be quite crazy over this song. Sigh...I was a corny teenager :/

Ok, I shall quit reminiscing here. It only makes me feel old!

And as promised, my next post will be something beneficial for students (aka academic stuff). But I promise it won't be boring. I hope. Check back soon.

(Added on 7th Dec: Looks like my next post isn't academic yet...hehe...check back in mid December. I will be writing about poetry and Romeo and Juliet)

William Tell & Islamey!

Be patient when watching this, and you will be rewarded!


The following is for drum enthusiasts (Xichen and Joy!)



The next one is reportedly the most horrendously/nightmarishly/excruciatingly difficult piece ever written for the piano!

We're marching to Zion!

Come, we that love the Lord,
and let our joys be known;
join in a song with sweet accord,
join in a song with sweet accord
and thus surround the throne,
and thus surround the throne.

Refrain:
We're marching to Zion,
beautiful, beautiful Zion;
we're marching upward to Zion,
the beautiful city of God.

This is the hymn that I played in church on Sunday. You know what's so special about it? It shares the same tune as the Pei Hwa (Presbyterian) Primary School song. I sang that song for 7 years during my time there and I still remember the lyrics. It's been 14 years (!!) since I left that school, I think my former teachers have all retired. And my ex-classmate is teaching Chinese there now!

On another note, here's one of my favourite hymns. The lyrics are simply awesome. The entire thing is about us coming 'out of' our wants and 'into' God's abundance. All the opposites, you know? And see how it rhymes.

Out of my bondage, sorrow, and night,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee;

Out of my sickness, into Thy health,
Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy blessèd will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward for aye on wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the joy and light of Thy throne,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

christmas songs with a twist

i bot sarah mclachlan's wintersong album 2dae n i totally don't enjoy it :( mayb only silent night iz ok. e rest r all heavily jazzed up versions of originally-nice christmas songs and some of the more popular songs r patched 2gether with strange tunes which i can't recognize.

somehow wheneva i buy pop albums, they tend to screw up :(

tmr, i will be play9 for my church svc as the orig pianist sprained her fingers. i'm not realli gd at play9 for svc bcos u've got to play with all 10 fingers at once, and u've oso got to bang and bang on e keys so that u r loud enuf to lead the congregation in their sing9. i prefer a more intimate style of play9, like what i do when i play for e choir. but well, i will just follow God's lead9.

and after church, i will be rush9 to nygh 2 be with the guzheng for their evening performance at s'pore conf hall.

it's funny tt i'm do9 all this forecast9 for tmr here, cos ppl usually do more recount9 of past events when they blog.

anyway, hav u noticed dat my style of writing 2dae iz rather diff fr my usual?

hehe, juz experiment9 and hav9 some fun!

i've realized dat i've been post9 a lot of personal stuff (which wud bore ppl to death), n lotsa non-academic stuff here lately.

dis defeats e purpose of my blog. my orginal intention when i created dis was to share eng stuff.

okie, so i'll be put9 more academic stuff here in time to come. howeva, i won't do away with non-academic things, but it'll be more of a balance. i hope.

got to go now to study the words of the hymns i'm play9 tmr, so dat i can play with more understand9.

~gdnite
~ciao
~wan (3) an(1)
~bon soir (does dis mean gd evening or gd nite? me and my pathetic 6 mths study of french way way back in sec 1!)

Somewhere Out There X 3

Here are 3 versions of the song 'Somewhere Out There' from the 1987 animated film An American Tail. This song is rather poignant for people with loved ones far away from them.


The original movie version sung by the mice. Cute, because the mice were slightly out of tune on the high notes!


This one's by Taiwanese singer Evonne Hsu on a variety show. Many people think she's very princess-like but I think she's a bit too tall and fair. She speaks and sings in perfect English cos she grew up in the States.


The original 'proper' version by Linda Ronstadt (really powerful vocals and wacky hairdo!) and James Ingram.

So which version do you like best? I think those that are young at heart will prefer 1, most guys will favour 2 and the connoiseurs/hard core music fans will like 3.

Cherish your Childhood! It'll be gone before you know it.

Haley Joel Osment



Macaulay Culkin

A certain JT

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Ng Man Tat. I don't have (and won't care to see) his childhood photo.

Here's a song on childhood. What happens when someone grows up.

When she loved me by Sarah Mclachlan

This has all the hallmark of a great song.

One. The minimalist accompaniment and Sarah Mclachlan's poise and purity of voice is infinitely natural and touching.

Two. The shifts in harmony is so haunting/beautiful/unexpected. Unlike most pop songs, which have rather predictable harmonies.

Three. The utterly simple yet deep/meaningful lyrics.

Four. The universal theme - growing up, becoming hardened and losing one's childhood dreams.

Oh, if I only knew the road back,

The dear road to childhood's land!

Oh, why did I search for happiness

And leave my mother's hand?

Oh, how I long to be at rest,

Not to be awakened by anything,

To shut my weary eyes,

With love gently surrounding!

And nothing to search for, nothing to beware of,

Only dreams, sweet and mild;

Not to notice the changes of time,

To be once more a child!

Oh, do show me the road back,

The dear road to childhood's land!

In vain I search for happiness,

Around me naught but deserted beach and sand!

Klaus Groth

PSLE results

The PSLE results were released yesterday.

Those who've scored well, congrats. But remember that's no guarantee to success in life. Those who've not done so well, take heart. I've seen so many cases of people who, despite of not-so-fantastic PSLE scores, go on to ace their O and A Levels, and vice versa, of course. So continue to enjoy learning, and be humble.

My only recollection of my own PSLE release of results and subsequent school posting was this silly classmate of mine who danced around the room shouting at us in glee, 'I'm going to RI, you are all not fit to talk to me!' :/

Here's a rather humorous (and slightly irreverent, especially to Rafflesians) spoof on the 'Founding of Singapore' featuring 'Sir Stamford Raffles' and 'William Farquhar'. Have a good laugh!

MDA Rap and all the Flak

This is the infamous rap from the top brass at the Media Development Authority (MDA).

This has drawn a lot of flak since it's release a few days ago. Comments like 'they are so stiff', 'they shouldn't be in suits', 'pretending to be hip', 'humiliating' etc have been made by netizens and articles in the press.

But my question is, why be so hard on them? They aren't professional rappers. What do you expect? I think it's already quite brave for them to attempt to do something like that. I bet it's the first time most of them are actually rapping. So are the critics expecting them to rap like Snoop Dogg or Eminem?

It's true that the title of the rap 'MDA Senior Management Rap' is a bit of a put-off, and the lyrics are also pretty awkward, because they try to squeeze so many words into each line, but I think it's overall a very commendable effort. The message that the MDA is forward looking and creative is more effectively conveyed through a rap rather than via a standard, boring speech.

If you think that rapping is only reserved for the 'young and cool' and it's so 'high-brow' that it's only open to a select group who 'knows how to do it', I think that's rather unfair. We have seen memorable and funny moments where politicians such as former Russian President Boris Yeltsin and ex-Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi letting their hair down and dancing. So are we going to criticize them if their dance moves are inelegant ?

It boils down to the fact that people enjoy rebelling against authority. People have this mentality, that the more you tell them not to do something, the more they want to do it. Parents, teachers, the government and the law are all figures of authority who set rules and tell you what not to do. So people like to rebel against such figures. And the MDA is the authority who sets the policy for the local media, regulates media content, and tells us what we can and cannot watch. No wonder some disgruntled media players enjoy poking fun at them for their rap.

Let's talk about LOVE

Some of you have tagged to say you think that girls and guys can be best friends. I think it's quite difficult. Okay, let's define what 'best friend' means first. If someone is your best friend, s/he is probably the person you talk to the most; his/her name appears frequently on your hp's call list; you share common interests and hobbies with him/her; you go out with him/her a lot; the 2 of you understand each other a lot. Well, I think it's rare if you can say that of a girl and guy, unless it's of the 'buddies' sort. Of course a girl and guy can be good friends, but best friends? Nah, I'm sceptical!

Okay, now to the main topic...

We are going to talk about love today. In case you are sticking out your tongue and feeling squeamish, relax. This is going to be very objective and healthy.

Teenagers often confuse love and infatuation. Infatuation is also known as puppy love or 'crush'. Sometimes, teenagers think that they are in love, when in actual fact, they are only experiencing puppy love.

So what's the difference between PUPPY LOVE and TRUE LOVE?

Signs of puppy love
1. You can't stop thinking about the other person
2. You feel inexplicably sad and distracted when s/he is not around
3. You feel that life is meaningless if you don't see him/her
4. You fall in and out of puppy love very quickly

Signs of true love
1. It is unconditional. You don't love to 'feel good'
2. You are willing to sacrifice/undergo some inconveniences and discomforts for love
3. You plan for your future with your loved one
4. You don't fall in and out of true love very quickly

As you can see, the major difference between puppy love and true love is that you can get infatuated with someone very quickly, just by something nice the other person say to you for example, or for some other superficial reason, such as an attraction to some physical characteristic of the other person (He has a nice smile...she is so pretty etc). However, it takes time and cultivation for 2 person to truly fall in love.

Teenagers who think of pairing up too early should consider these.

1. Why have a bf/gf so early? You should get to know more members of the opposite sex, be friends with them, go out with a group of mixed company before considering a serious relationship.

2. Being in a serious relationship costs lots of time and money. Will you neglect your studies? Is it burning a hole in your pocket?

Well, for me, I think the ideal is:

in your secondary school years, you should focus on your studies and make more same-sex friends (I think that of all the friends you make in your various schools, those from sec school tend to stay with you for life),

in junior college, you will have lots of opportunity to know more people of the opposite sex. don't rush into things and weigh consequences wisely. but don't forget the A level exams. it is not an easy exam,

in university, you should be wise enough and it's the best time to think of pairing up. ideally, you should pair up with the eventual aim to get married. that way, you will be responsible and serious, and not merely 'having fun' or 'feeling good'.

Well, for your interest, the Greeks defined for us 5 kinds of love, they are:

Eros, which is passionate love, to do with the senses and the physical
Philia, which is the love and loyalty you feel for your friends
Storge, which is the natural love parents feel for their children
Xenia, which is the love and hospitality a host feel for his guest/visitor
Agape, which is unconditional, self-sacrificing and thoughtful love

There is also a famous passage in the Bible where the Apostle Paul defines love as such:

'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.'

This is from the book of 1st Corinthians Chapter 13 verses 4-7. This is really a great kind of love, if anyone can love like that, s/he would be really noble. So which of the 5 kinds of love as defined by the Greeks does this biblical definition of love fall into?

Plenty of deep stuff today, hope it gives you some food for thought!

The Incident at this certain DVD store and my writing inspiration

Today, this moronic sales assistant at this certain DVD store (I choose not to name this store, for certain reasons) made me very angry.

I was looking for a complete edition of a certain tv series but they've only got the 4 seasons sold separately. So I asked this sales assistant why the store does not carry the complete edition. Then, he gave me this incredulous, goggle-eyed look. Here's the transcript of what transpired between us.

Me: Do you have the complete edition?

Him: No. We only have the separate seasons.

Me: So can I place an order for the complete edition?

Him: No. We only have the separate seasons.

Me: I know. But why can't you order the complete one?

Him: Because we already have the separate seasons.

Me (getting quite exasperated): But isn't the complete edition more worthwhile to get?

Him: But there's already the separate seasons.

Me: So there's no way I can order the complete edition?

Him: No, because there's already the separate seasons.

Me: Is the complete edition in your catalogue? (As long as something is in their catalogue, they can try to order it, even if it's currently out of stock. That's how they work)

Him: No.

Me: Okay, it's alright. Thank you.

He was a real automaton - capable of repeating only 1 phrase throughout. And then he just turned away without even saying sorry. Such rudeness!

Later as I reflected, I think he meant that if they ordered the complete edition, then nobody would purchase the separate seasons and they wouldn't know what to do about it. But I guess he was just too dense to be able to express himself properly.

Anyway, I went to enquire from another staff and found out that they did have the complete edition of what I was looking for in their catalogue. So he was lying after all.

I was quite worked up initially after all these, but after reflecting on the circumstances, I was inspired to write a poem based on what happened. So it's in fact a blessing in disguise.

I always get my writing ideas from things that I feel strongly about.

To those of you who love writing creatively, especially those who are trying for CAP, think about things which you feel strongly about. Things that make you most happy, excited, furious, sad etc. Things that provoke strong emotions in you. You tend to write most persuasively if you write about such things.

My first quiz

I've often seen others filling up quizzes, so since I'm free tonight, I'm going to attempt my first one here, for my own amusement (and maybe yours)...

1. name: Jack
2. sex: male
3. birthday: 30th Sep
4. siblings: 1 bro
5. hair color: black
6. eye color: brown I think, sometimes it looks black to me.
7. any tattoos or piercings: no
8. do you do drugs?: yes if caffeine’s considered one
9. what kind of shampoo do you use?: no fixed brand. Switch between sunsilk, ginvera, dove….
10. what are you most scared of?: losing my ideals/losing God’s fellowship
11. who is the last person that called you?: my dad (to say goodnight:)
12. where do you want to get married?: church. Where else?
13. how many buddies are online right now?: I don’t do msn any more :(

f a v o r i t e (s)
1. color: sky blue
2. food: steamed dumplings (shui 2 jiao3)
3. boys names: Jack (haha…I’m egotistical!)
4. girls names: Julianne (I intend to name my first daughter this)
5.subjects in school: English Literature
6. animals: cats and birds
7. sports: I don’t do much sports

h a v e y o u e v e r
1.given anyone a bath?: my terrapins counted?
2. smoked?: no. and never will I
3. bungee jumped?: no
4. made yourself throw up?: force vomit, no. but I’ve thrown up after seeing (and smelling) someone throw up when I was young(er).
5. skinny dipped?: no
6. ever been in love?: what do you think? ;)
7. made yourself cry to get out of trouble?: of course not, that’s weakness of character!
8. eaten a lemon in its entirety?: nope.
9. run away from home?: I’ve stormed out in anger before, but not ‘run away’ as in don’t come back and disappear
10. cried when someone died?: in soap operas? Yes!
11. lied? : who hasn’t lied before?
12. fallen for your best friend?: what a strange question. One’s best friend is usually of the same sex. And I’m not gay!
13. been rejected?: am not saying ;)
14. rejected someone?: am not saying ;)
15. used someone?: no, I’ve never and will never do such a base thing
16. done something you regret?: many times


c u r r e n t
1. clothes: a ‘holey’ shirt and pyjamas (super unglam!)
2. music: nil. Can’t compete with the telly
3. make-up: haha
4. annoyance: I’m barely halfway through this quiz
5. smell: huh? You mean the smell around me or if I smell?
6. favorite group: ?? you mean band? Then don’t have!
7. desktop picture: nothing, just a blue background.
8. book you are reading: heart of darkness by joseph conrad
9. color of toenails: haha…I’m beginning to suspect this quiz is designed for girls.
10. last person you touched: the ‘uncle’ on the bus, tapped him to say ‘excuse me, please move in’
11. hugged: I don’t give away hugs anyhow :0
12. instant messaged: refer to final question. Section 1
13. you yelled at: I rarely yell
14. you kissed: I don’t give away kisses anyhow :0

a r e y o u
1. open-minded: not with morality issues
2. arrogant: not really. It’s bad to be.
3. insecure: not really. One feels more at ease with things as one grows older
4. random: no. I am usually quite focused.
5. hungry: nope. Ate a full course meal at delifrance, a mos burger and orange for dinner.
6. moody: not now.
7. organized: yes. after I’ve tidied up my room tomorrow. haha
8. difficult: if you are difficult to me, I will be difficult to you too.
9. attractive: that’s not for me to say.

d o y o u e v e r
1. sit on the internet all night waiting for that someone special to you?: of course not at the moment. But I think I did do some silly juvenile things of that sort when I was young(er) which I cringe to think about now.
2. wish you were a member of the opposite sex?: nope
3. wish you were younger?: sometimes. Then I could be a student again. Being a student is one of the best things in life. Trust me on that, you will only realize that when you are no longer one.
4. cried because someone said something to you?: who hasn’t? unless you have a heart of stone

N u m b e r of times
1. i have had my heart broken: not telling ;)
2. no. of hearts i have broken: 0. I’m no casanova
3. no. of guys ive kissed: I was coerced to kiss a boy my age when I was 4, at his birthday party. It was disgustingly sloshy.
4. no. of girls I’ve kissed: you think?
5. no.of continents i have lived in: 1

F i n a l Q u e s t i o n s
1. do you like filling these out?: this is my first one. So far so good. But I tend to be coy sometimes haha
2. gold or silver?: silver. Gold seems vulgar sometimes
3. favorite cartoon/anime?: teenage mutant ninja turtles, carebears, transformers and masks, my favourite ones when I was a small boy
4. what did you have for breakfast this morning?: fresh milk with oats and cheese cake
5. who would you love being locked in a room with?: Jeeves (haha, I’ve been reading something by wodehouse)
6. could you live without your computer?: I guess so. Computers only became a household item when I was in my teens. So I’ve experienced life without one.
7. would you color your hair?: never. I don’t like to tamper with things given by God and my parents
8. could you ever get off the computer?: of course.
9. habla espanol?: espanol=spain, habla=?
10. how many people are on your buddy list?: refer to final question. Section 1
11. Drink Alcohol?: sometimes. But I’ll go for fruit juice/water/milk anytime.
12. Your name spelled backwards?: kcaj (looks like some unit of measurement)
13. Where were your parents born?: dad:m’sia; mum:taiwan
14. Have you ever moved?: yes
15. What's your Favorite place to go: where my heart is
16.What's your favorite sport to play?: don’t do much sports
17. How many kids do you want?: Maybe 3?
18. Type of music you dislike most?: Music without melody/music with blasphemous lyrics/classical music with a disco beat (Vanessa mae/maksim haha)
19. Colour of your school bag?: Rats, now I know this quiz is not only meant for girls, but school girls specifically!
20. Do you have cable? Yeah. My mum watches lots of Taiwanese programmes
21. Favorite 80's song?: somewhere out there. Linda ronstadt/james ingram
22. Ever prank call anybody?: no, I’m very guai
23. Ever get a parking ticket?: nope
24. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?: hasn’t this question appeared before?
25. Ever bowl a 300?: nope. Don’t bowl
26. What's your favorite comic strip?: Garfield, dilbert, the born loser, the one with the short king (can’t rem the name)
27. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem?: s’pore or m’sia? But I notice many people mixing up ‘bersatu’ and ‘berseru’ in the s’pore natl anthem. It’s “Marilah kita bersatu” and “Semua kita berseru”
28. Bath or Shower?: shower.
29. Favorite pizza topping?: meat! I’m carnivorous!!
30. Beer or ale?: yucks.
31. Have you ever smoked peanut shells?: nope.
32. Do you eat skin on chicken?: not if it’s too fatty.
33. Apple juice or Orange?: apple juice’s more special and refreshing.
34. Favorite type of chocolate bar?: I currently love toblerone.
35. Your favorite fruit?: orange, pears
36. Your favorite vegetable?: I like most green leafy vegs
37. Are you a good cook?: hahahaha!!!!
38. Bought something from an infomercial?: nope. Rem slim10?
39. throw up in public?: thankfully no
40. Would you prefer being a millionaire or find true love?: true love
41. Do you believe in love at first sight?: no. attraction at first sight is possible, but you’d be belittling love to think that you can love someone at first sight. Love’s too noble and unfathomable for that.
42. Ever call a 1-900 number?: yes.
43. Ever been stood up for a date?: I don’t think so.
44. Biggest turn off of the opposite sex?: either overly loud/brazen or overly shy. Both are not good
45. Ever Been Cheated on?: no
46. What are the names of all your pets dead and/or alive?: my terrapins are called riperoptocus and riperopsaurus. Haha, dinosaurish names cos turtles have been around for as long as dinos, I think.
47. Can ex's be friends?: yes, but a tad awkward.

Florestan & Eusebius

Lights

Eusebius is at the piano, playing a sentimental and lyrical Chopin Nocturne. In a while, Florestan barges in.

Florestan: What's this infernal din?

Eusebius: Shh...

Florestan: Stop this monstrosity at once! And at this hour...sheesh!

Eusebius: Quiet. I'm trying to concentrate.

Florestan: Shut up! Shut Up!! SHUT UP!!!! SHUTTTT UPPPP!!!!!!!

Eusebius stops playing and throws his hands up in despair.

Eusebius: What's wrong with you?

Florestan: Bloody son of a b. What in the name of the devil were you playing?

Eusebius: It's a nice piece, so beautiful, so tender.

Florestan: Such soppiness, fake tenderness.

Eusebius: The harmonies touch me so. The warmth of A flat major caresses my whole being...

Florestan: What rot! Incorrigible!

Eusebius: Poetry in music. Pure lyricism.

Florestan: The mad gibbering of a fool.

Eusebius: Chopin put his heart and soul into the music. All his emotions are poured into the lovely melodies and lush harmonies.

Florestan: You are beyond hope.

Eusebius: I wonder which girl he was thinking of when he composed this? Oh how lucky that girl was...

Florestan: You are still dreaming such foolish dreams.

Eusebius: If only things in real life could be so beautiful.

Florestan: Ha!

Eusebius: What?

Florestan: You have just said it yourself. 'If only things in REAL life could be so beautiful'. That means you know that REAL life could never be like that.

Eusebius: Why do you always catch me like that?

Florestan: I'm talking sense. Cold hard sense, my dear boy.

Eusebius: Why don't you ever let me dream?

Florestan: Wake up, silly boy. The REAL world is never like how you dream it to be.

Eusebius: But even so, we all dream. Of a place more beautiful than we could ever have imagined. People all kind and lovely.

Florestan: Hahaha, you bloody moron!

Eusebius: I will keep dreaming.

Florestan: Shame on you!

Eusebius: Let me play it for you again.

Florestan: It's time for work.

Eusebius: Shucks.

Florestan: Back to the petty little arguments, jealousies, back-stabbings, outwittings blah blah with the guys in the office.

Eusebius: Groans.

Florestan: Welcome to the real world!

Eusebius and Florestan do not move. They stare at each other.

Lights out.

Peach shake

I have a (not so secret) craving for the Peach shake from Yami Yoghurt.

Slices of sweet juicy peach (straight from the can no doubt, but do I care?) mixed with chilled yoghurt and milk. Mama mia!

I developed a liking for shakes because I like ice-cream but I'm too chauvinistic (haha) to eat ice-cream openly in public. So having a shake is second best.

Musicians, Make-up and Marriage

Musicians
It's amazing how many Koreans and Japanese make it to become international classical music stars. You have Mitsuko Uchida, Seiji Ozawa, Midori, Akiko Suwanai, Kyung Wha Chung, Myung Wha Chung, Myung Whun Chung, Sarah Chang, Han Na Chang, Sumi Jo and the list goes on. When you think of Chinese representatives in this field, only 3 come to mind, all pianists - Fou Tsong, Lang Lang and Li Yundi. Of course the last 2 are world famous at the moment, making heaps of money with their international tours and albums. (Erratum: I had forgotten about Yo Yo Ma and Cho Liang Lin!)

I remember this story told of the young Japanese violinist Midori, who as a very young child of 10, played for the famous violinist and pedagogue Pinchas Zukerman. She played for him Bach's Chaccone, and Zukerman was astounded by the incredible maturity shown by little Midori in interpreting this musically and emotionally very difficult piece. After all, she was only 10! When Zukerman asked Midori what she thought the piece was about, she said it's about 'a dear dog, who has died and has gone to heaven'.

Zukerman's eyes were filled with tears after hearing that. There before him, was this precocious girl who played and felt for this piece of music with the emotional maturity of someone thrice or four times her age, and yet, when she described her feelings for it, it was done with the simple innocence of a child.

Well, Midori has grown from a child prodigy to an internationally well known violinist, unlike many child prodigies, who burn out after the initial spark fizzles out due to overexposure and the constant media attention.

Here's her personal website: http://www.gotomidori.com/

Here's Bach's Chaccone, the piece the young Midori thought sounded like a dog having died and gone to heaven. (The version here isn't played by Midori though):


Make-up
The issue of make-up is very interesting. Girls and women look very different after putting on make-up. When young girls put on make-up, they look very much more mature (provided the make-up is done properly of course, haha there's always the risk of looking like ghosts if it's done by an inexperienced hand); when women put on make-up, facial flaws are often very effectively covered.

I think I would not like my future wife to wear lots of make-up, it's good to be natural what.

A colleague once told me that she does not wear make-up because she doesn't want her husband to wake up in the middle of the night and get a shock to see the person beside him looking so different from her daytime version.

This same colleague said she had a room mate who wore very heavy make-up, and whenever she shed the rouge, she looked like a ghost, because her complexion was greenish due to her smoking. In her case, make-up was necessary to cover some flaws.

So you see, make-up can do lots of things for women, but I think if you have good complexion, it's best that you use all the lipstick, foundation and mascara sparingly. Being natural is still the best.

Marriage
I attended a JC friend's wedding on Sunday. Actually, it's 2 JC friends since I know both of them.

It was at Sheraton Towers. It's my first time there, never expected the interior to be so posh and beautiful.

Anyway, I'm very happy for them. 9 years of courtship, and the love between them never wavered. They are quite compatible - both of them so kind and mild-mannered. It's also quite sweet, thinking of how they got together - being in the same CCA, she played the cello while he played the violin, and they both went to the States to study.

I quite miss my JC days. It was the year when all the guys in the rj chamber orchestra came from chinese high - 9 of us! So although I didn't go to hcjc, like most of my classmates, I still felt very much at home. It's quite funny actually, even the orchestra girls from my batch were from st nics, scgs and dunman - not a single rafflesian!

I miss the old school building, though not very impressive but there's always a comfy feeling about it, and all the nooks and crannies where you could chat with friends. Though the toilets were perennially smelly (haha) but I still love that place! And not to forget the back gate which leads to the Ghim Moh market, and how we often boycott canteen food and have our lunch there. There's even this dessert stall with a concoction specially for rj students!

Acting as a guy

Oh, gotta say something, before I forget.

On the last night of choral n drama nite, there was this sec 2 play (205??) where a girl played a guy. After the show, I overheard lots of people gushing about how shuai he(she) was and how convincing she was in playing a guy.

It made me think about this a little. Actually, it's not tough for a girl to play a guy. Here's how:
1) Lower your voice and speak mostly in grunts
2) Speak in monosyllables (Mmm, Uh, kay(ok), fine, orh, no)
3) Wear a perennial blank expression
4) Don't make eye contact with the person who is talking to you/you are talking to (better still if you face away from that other person)
5) Don't flap your arms (something many girls do a lot unwittingly)
6) Drag your feet when you walk

That's how a teenage guy with 'attitude' behaves, I think.

Girls, don't emulate that in real life though. Use it only if you are acting as a teenage guy in a performance.

Girls should be girls, no gender bender stuff puh-lease!

Carmen Fantasy

This kind of fiendishly difficult music is certain to bring the house down. Curiously, it has the same effect as watching acrobats in action or viewing a fireworks display.

Part 1


Part 2

Choral & Drama Nite - The Aftermath

Was so tired yesterday and slept immediately after coming home. And I woke up only at 10am today! (that's very late for me)

Well, it's finally over - 5 days of Choral and Drama Nites.

For the Sec 2s, it's their last time doing this. Next year, they will be doing other EOY programmes - regional CIP to China, India etc. It's also probably their last time together as a class (sob sob), they will all be in different classes next year.

For the Sec 1s, they will be moving into the realm of English drama, and will also be learning the various aspects of theatre - lighting, stage/props design, scriptwriting, directing etc.

I was present 4 out of the 5 nights for C & D Nite this year. Last Thurs and this Mon as stage manager, and this Tues and Wed as an audience member, so got a general sense of how the performances were like this year. Initially, I had said that the Sec 1s did mostly slapstick and the Sec 2s had more serious stuff, but judging from yesterday, I'm gonna change my mind.

These were some of the things in the Sec 2 plays yesterday:
1) Father with a feather duster chasing son round and round the stage.
2) President Duncan drinking poisoned soup served by Prime Minister Macbeth and dies. PM Macbeth was not arrested at once!
3) A minister named Frankenstein (in the same Macbeth play).
4) A mother introduces her Daughters as Daughlly (Dolly) and Terlly.
5) An impressively dressed but goofy Sherlock Holmes.
6) 2 policewomen running onto stage and introduced themselves by spelling out the letters 'P-O-L-I-C-E with big hand gestures.
7) The rich husband is going out with his wife. He tells his wife to wait for him at the bus stop as he gets the car! (Don't they have a garage, a porch and driveway? They are supposed to be HSBC directors)
8) Boy gives a flower to Girl, and he says 'I want to show the flower how pretty you are.' (The best pick-up phrase I've heard this week).

That's why I changed my mind, as you can see, the Sec 2s are perfectly capable of slapstick.

Is there anything wrong with slapstick? Not at all, since it's entertaining, most audiences (esp younger ones) love it, it's very accessible and you don't need to think too hard to get it.

But those who delight in slapstick, do ask yourself, beyond the laughs, is there a message in your play that you let the audience take away? That's what all good drama should have.

Those who want to learn how to write good comedy, go read the farces by Alan Ayckbourn and Georges Feydeau. These are all very silly but expertly crafted comedic plays. Also try The Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo, my favourite piece of slapstick farce, but with a relevant political message. All these plays can be borrowed from library@esplanade. Happy reading!

Choral & Drama Nite Day 4 - The Lowdown

Finally attended C & D Nite as an audience member today. I could watch the plays properly and here's my take on them.

107B - Mai chi bang de xiao nan hai 'The Wing-seller boy'
So glad that my class was the first one to go. I think you must have something solid to be the opener in any performance. The chorus bits (where everyone spoke together) sounded quite musical, I think their voices blended quite nicely. This is a touching story of selfless love - how a boy supplied wings to needy people and animals all his life - blessing those around him. When he eventually died of exhaustion, he received a pair of white wings and became an angel. I think there must have been some wet eyes in the audience after the performance.

202A - She's Watching You
Have you received chain mail? Do you dutifully forward it to others? Will you really suffer some terrible fate if you do not do what the chain mail asks of you? These were some of the question this play asked. This was also a ghost story - with eerie green lights and a spirit which refused to let the protagonist Clara go, until her body was discovered. Some funny moments - a newscaster announcing the discovery of a dead body, then wishing viewers a happy halloween. I thought the opening, when Clara laughed off the 'threats' of the chain mail, could be played up more, to make her subsequent 'possession' more compelling.

107A - Zui chu de meng, zui zhen de meng "Our earliest dreams are the truest"
The second group from my class. This one is more idea-based than 107B's, and thus more abstract, but it touched me a lot. I think the idea of losing one's innocent dreams and youthful friendships as one grows up is very touching. As we grow up, we are often too caught up with the realistic requirements of society - chasing after money and career, trying to outdo others in school (especially so in competitive Singapore) etc, that we forget the true and childlike dreams and friendships we once had. The image of the childhood friends stacking up their chairs after playing their childish games, and waving goodbye to them, and in the next instant, they have grown up, and could hardly recognize one another on the street, was quite moving.

106A - Tai zi xuan fei ji "The Prince chooses his bride"
This was a very effective play, with fantasy and realistic elements, song, narration, dance and even martial arts (Cinderella hacking a 'brick' with her head!) thrown in. And very well put together too. The most memorable moment was when the three contenders for the prince's hand - Snow White, Cinderella and this impish girl in black and white (whom I couldn't recognize who) doing a talent show. They even asked the audience to vote the winner. (Whether or not the audience vote really counted, audience participation is one winning strategy for any live performance. Kudos!)

204B - I oso wanna learn Engerrish
A crowd-pleaser. This one is about a group of foreigners learning Engerrish (English) in a language school. And this group is as colourful and diverse as you can get - you have the overly frank Punjabi (who speaks of the language school principal's 'large bosom' without a blush and as casually as if he's referring to the ripe watermelons in the market); the serious Japanese student (done with perfect accent); the Ah Lian manicurist (who is aptly named Chow Ah Lian); the seductive French (or Spanish??) student who keeps making advances at the teacher; an overly preachy Ah Ma who perennially thinks others are not showing enough respect for her etc. Throw in a potential romance between the two new teachers, this was a rather good play. And one which I hope would be developed into a full length one. Lots of room for expansion. To keep to the allocated 15 minutes, a lot of things had to be hastened (eg. the burgeoning romance between the two teachers). Some things could be cut too - the national pledge bit didn't really work. Some roles could be expanded too. (I really wanted to see more of the comical Malay food seller!) But this certainly ended the first half with a bang.

106B - Qing xu guai shou - EMO
I wasn't able to catch this. Went in late. Was bombarded by the fund-raisers outside the audi and I consumed a lipton tea, 2 muffins and nacho with cheese (which I shared with Ms Lydia Teo and Ms Sarah Birchwood) :@

204A - A Happy Ending?
The ultimate screwball comedy of the evening! Judging by the enthusiastic cheers from the audience, they probably had the most fans present tonight. But what a riduculous plot and eccentric characters! You have this loud and over-the-top character who ejects his wife from the plane. She survives, but becomes a savage in a tribe. He remarries and his 2 kids have to put up with a horribly naggy stepmother. By some fantastic twist and turns in the plot, the original family of 4 are reunited and they all join the savage tribe! And who should they bump into but the horrible stepmother! And they cannibalize her!! All these drew mad laughter from the audience. I think our audiences enjoy slapstick a lot.

113 - Lao ren jia de da xiao gao di (sorry, i can't translate this, my chinese skills have sadly regressed :()
I like how this one's staged. They have this 4 groups of elderly people at 4 points in a circle, and they are all frozen until they are rotated to the spot at downstage centre (the spot closest to audience), where each group is in turn tricked of their possessions by this gang of swindlers. Natural acting throughout with a relevant (though familiar) message.

202B - Amore Cache
I checked up the title of this play. I think it means a place where you keep your love. After watching it, I guess it referred to the father's diary where the children discovered his unspoken love for them after he died. This one's about how a father has to cope with a mentally challenged daughter, a spoilt daughter, an unfaithful wife and his worsening health. He tries his best to protect his disabled daughter and to prevent his wife from leading the spoilt daughter further astray. His mercenary wife then runs off with another man. In order to hide his wife's unfaithfulness from his children, he lies that she is dead. The highlight of the show is the wonderful acting of the actress playing the spoilt daughter. She gets the 'Best Actress Award' tonight, if there was one. In the closing scene, she reads out her dead father's diary, and discovers how much he actually loved them. This was done with real emotional depth, with her voice gradually cracking and her person visibly breaking down. I couldn't see her face from where I was, but I heard that her eyes were puffy and teary while doing this scene earlier during the rehearsals.