b Sunday, December 31, 2006 a
Well here we are...my last post of 2006. I guess you can say it's had its share of ups and downs...super brief summary:
1.) My completion of my medic course
2.) Not getting shipped off to Taiwan for a year
3.) The formation of the Soka New Century Orchestra
All in all, this year hasn't been too bad, but hopefully next year will be better. Things to keep in view for 2007:
1.) Personal goals (see entry from a few weeks ago)
2.) Success of February Concert
3.) Growth of the string section of SNCO
4.) Finding a permanent conductor for SNCO before I leave (hopefully)
5.) The start of a successful freshman year at University of Rochester
And of course this year is the year of THE phrase that every Singaporean male waits to shout out...
"ORD LOH!!!"
My hope for you all, my dear friends, is that all your wishes and desires may come true in this new year, 2007. Strive to do your best, be honest to yourself and others, and just live your life to its fullest!
See you all next year.
~Guangyi
----------BLOG CLOSED FOR THE YEAR 2006 BY LCP CHUA @ 2337 HRS----------Labels: Random
The angels whisper softly 11:37 PM
b Tuesday, December 26, 2006 a
First off, Merry X'mas to all my American friends, Merry late X'mas to all my Singaporean friends, and happy late Hannukah to all my Jewish friends.
Alright, so in the past few weeks I've seen two movies and I guess I'll just write a bit about them for those of you who are debating if you should spend your 10 bucks on watching them or not.
Eragon
Overview: A boy hunting in the forest stumbles across a mysterious blue egg, which turns out to be an egg. It hatches, and before he knows it, he is caught up in a war between the Empire and the Varden, both of which are fighting over who he will swear allegiance to. He only has his dragon Saphira and a mysterious man named Brom to aid him in his quest.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Comments: This movie is based off of a book named Christopher Paolini. I am an avid fan of his books (Eragon and Eldest), but watching this movie was a huge disappointment for me. So many changes were made to the plot, essential parts were left out (e.g. Murtagh's reluctance to go to the Varden, the werecat's prophecy, and the Twins), and the overall feeling was generally very cheesy. Also, dwarves were of normal height and the Elves didn't...seem very Elf-like at all. In general, it was not as intriguing as the novel Paolini wrought.
SPOILERS END HERE
Overall: If you read the books, don't expect anything much out of this movie. Don't expect it to be as faithful to the stories as LotR (even then, even Peter Jackson made his share of cuts). In general, just try not to waste your time.
A Night at the Museum
Overview: A man struggling to keep a steady job finds himself as the night watchman of a natural museum of art. On his first night, everything comes to life and the fun begins...
Comments: Based on a book that I didn't read, I found that it was a hysterically funny movie. The monkey was cute, witty one-liners from various characters and a historically accurate film make for a very enjoyable two hours. Look out for cameos from big stars like Ben Stiller (starring), Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, and Dick Van Dyke. Characters that come to life in the museum include Teddy Roosevelt, Attila the Hun, Lewis and Clarke, Christopher Columbus, and a T-rex.
Overall: A movie well-worth watching. You'll have a good time and you feel almost sad that the movie ends because it's just so funny. You will not regret going to watch this.
Other than all this, been enjoying my days off (it's that clearing leave time of year) and been rehearsing in preparation for the Februrary concert. Just did a short thing at Singapore Conference Hall with SSA Choir on Christmas Eve.
Christmas itself was a rather subdued affair other than present opening at midnight and a party at Sheng's house (which I'm still at). I realized that I still haven't written about my Italy trip from like 2 months ago, but the photos are up! You can find them at http://photos.yahoo.com/guangyic
Alright time for me to stop being anti-social. Need to get back now.
START THINKING OF YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOLKS!!
~GuangyiLabels: Movie Review, Random
The angels whisper softly 12:52 AM
b Saturday, December 16, 2006 a
Last night, I had a more-than-usually realistic dream...I think I was at home and practicing in a chamber group preparing for some small concert. In the middle of a really tough passage, I dreamt my violin's bridge cracked and collapsed, causing a really bad hairline crack resulting in a split and a hole on the left side of my violin.
For those of you that don't know, when that happens to a violin, even if you repair it, your violin will never sound the same again. And so in my dream, I just started crying...only to wake up a few seconds (or was it minutes) later, also crying in real life.
I've had this for 10 years, even though I've been playing for 12 years now because the first two years, I grew into this sized violin. Does it seem really silly to you all that I have...feelings for an inanimate object? That I hold it so close to my heart after 10 years of owning and playing it?
~Guangyi
The angels whisper softly 11:57 AM
b Tuesday, December 12, 2006 a
Before we get to the main event, I just want to highlight a few random facts.
1.) After many months, Megami has finally released the final episode of Zegapain! The ending...could've been better, but it was definately better than the endings of some other animes *cough cough Flame of Recca cough cough* So now, once Sheng gives me back my HDD, I can transfer the last 3 episodes of Zegapain onto it and mark it "COMPLETE"! Now, I'm just following Bleach, Soukou no Strain, and Death Note.
2.) No rehearsal this Saturday for strings (which is just as well...read the main part of my entry below), so instead, Sheng is throwing a barbecue for all those born in '87 and attended RSS Primary during our time. Should be interesting...I've seen some of the names of the people coming and I vaguely remember them.
3.) Got my haircut on Sunday and the auntie that does my hair told me I have a lot of white hair on top of my head. OHHH NOOO!!!!
4.) Finally, that same day, I got a new black shirt, and a suit that actually fits me from Mark's and Spencer's. It's very comfy :D
Coming back to Saturday...everyone commented I looked very tired/sian that day. I guess it was mostly the fact that I didn't sleep as well as I should have the previous evening, the stress from work and the upcoming audit on Monday (which is finally over), I ran late coming from Esplanade for the choir rehearsal and just...a lot of other things, that resulted in the way I looked on Saturday.
Anyway, rehearsal was horrendous. The kids were up to their usual antics, practicing had not been done at home, they were being disruptive, etc etc. I tried, I really, really tried to keep my temper in check (something that used to be quite difficult to do when I was about 14 or so), but by the end I had had it. People not listening and watching, purposely being rude and disrespectful while Yew Kay or myself was speaking, walking into the middle of the rehearsal ring WHILE I WAS CONDUCTING...so...
At the end I lectured them. I wasn't shouting, but I most certainly wasn't talking at my usual, Guangyi-like voice. I could feel my pulse in my head, I could feel myself flushing, but I fought my instinct to scream and throw things and scream obscenities (the worst thing I said during my lecture was "crap").
Basically I told them something along the lines of I knew they could do better than what they were doing; that it was unacceptable for their playing to still be so uncoordinated and not being able to hit their notes was not an excuse because they've had the music for so many months; that in the end they'd be the ones up there embaressing themselves on stage if they really didn't care about the music. Something like that. Then, afraid that I would start yelling and/or crying spontaneously, I left the room.
Now that I've cooled off, I can sort out my feelings a bit better. I'm extremely disappointed that (no names) certain individuals do not deem this as something that is important to them. Their priorities are not straight. They think that this is a sort of "come-and-mess-around-and-just-fool-around" session every Saturday. Bad sitting posture, not practicing the music...some of them even going as far as using the excuse "we're not learning anything" for their behavior. Honestly, I haven't felt quite so offended in a long while.
I voluntarily give up my Saturdays to come for rehearsal. I do it because I love music, I do it because of the friends I've made and the people (obviously I'm referring to the SWE people), I do it because I want to support the cultural groups of SSA that strive for world peace through music and the arts. I could easily just opt not to come every Saturday that there's string rehearsal. I don't HAVE to put up with your nonsense...I don't HAVE to see your childish antics every Saturday...I could think of a host of other things I'd rather be doing on a Saturday than playing Discipline Master for you lot. You really need to learn to respect and behave yourselves among people that don't treat you as kids, but as professionals. Maybe you'd like it if I just mollycoddled (learned that word from Mrs Rowling heh) you all like the young, angsty teenagers you are.
Now, I just have to see how they behave on the 23rd, the next time I see them. We'll have percussionists that day, and I really hope I won't be wasting their time, and I really hope the kids would have woken up their bloody idea (thank you Sgt Faizal) and start behaving like the adults that I treat them as.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading.
~GuangyiLabels: Random, Rant
The angels whisper softly 8:58 PM
b Sunday, December 10, 2006 a
I have a lot to write about (maybe not a lot...but I guess a bit of a rant), but I'm not particularly in the state of mind nor the mood to write it, so for now here's something to think about/do:
Survey for 2006
1. Did you do something you would never do?
Not that I can think of.
2. Did you keep any New Year's Resolutions?
Haha I don't even remember what new year's resolutions I made...maybe I should write them down this new year
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Mmm not anyone close, but I know someone who did :)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No
5. Did you visit any countries?
I went to Malaysia and Italy this year...go look at the photos! http://photos.yahoo.com/guangyic
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Material: Perhaps a new violin and/or bow, upgraded lappie, sunglasses?
Non-material: Being registered for good classes in the fall, not being late for school because of SAF....and a few others which I don't think I'll write here :P
7. Will any date from 2006 stay etched in your memory forever?
Absolutely none...2006 has been a very dull year
8. What was your biggest achievement of 2006?
Getting my medic certificate I guess. Like I said, dull year
9. What was your biggest failure?
My biggest failure was my inability to save money this year and to not improve my short-temperedness with regards to my parents. Must amend next year!
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Flu...stomach virus last last week...nothing serious.
11. What was the best thing you bought in '06?
Bought...my Vertikal slingbag which I bring EVERYWHERE nowadays.
12. Did your behavior change over the year?
That's a bit hard to say...I guess it has. I'm not as young and inexperienced as I was last year...it's hard to explain. I think SAF and being in charge of an orchestral group has definately changed my behavior.
13. Where did you spend most of your money?
Books and gifts to other people...most definately hahaha
14. Are you happier than this time last year?
Oh most definately...was horribly depressed (alright not HORRIBLY...but I wasn't terribly happy either).
15. What song will remind you of 2006?
Pirates of the Caribbean wahahaha
16. What do you wish you would have done more of?
Practiced my violin, studied more academic stuff instead of wasting time after work at home, exercise.
17. What do you wish you would have done less of?
Lazing around, spending money, despairing over stupid things
18. What did/will you do for Christmas '06?
X'mas this year is still empty. Will keep this updated.
19. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Maybe...
20. Did you get your heart broken in 2006?
Yes...at the very beginning. I don't care anymore though I've been over it for months.
21. Favorite TV program of '06?
GREY'S ANATOMY!!!!
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didnt hate this time last year?
Yes...
23. What was the best book you read and/or movie you saw?
Hmm...that's another toughie! Mmmm.....gwar let me watch Eragon and Death Note 2 before I answer this properly hehe
24. What was your greatest discovery?
That my violin teacher was right the whole time about my technical skills being there and that I was able to play much tougher pieces than what I was managing...it's just that I lacked the patience to sit there and slave through each note carefully (as I'm doing with Mendelssohn now). I'm glad I discovered that as I improved a great deal with violin this year (though not as much as I'd hoped I would).
25. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
On my 19th birthday, I went out with my parents for lunch and other than that, I stayed home and...that's it hahaha.
26. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2006?
My usual....jeans and sneakers...the top (t-shirt and collared shirts) would be the only thing changing, as well as the color of the jeans haha....uniform for work was white shirt and track pants so I think I'll never wear that color combo ever again when I leave the service hahaha
Aspirations for 2007...
27. What do you want to do in '07 that you couldn't in '06?
Learn how to drive! And....yeah...*scribbles in journal*
28. Any resolutions?
I'll think of some and post 'em on New Year's Eve (if I remember whahaha)
29. Anything you want to change about yourself for 2007?
My temper, my inability to save, my physique, the way I feel about myself
30. Do you want to make more friends in 2007?
OF COURSE WHO DOESN'T?!?!
That's all for now. Physically and mentally exhausted from today. Good night!
~GuangyiLabels: Survey
The angels whisper softly 12:43 AM
b Sunday, December 03, 2006 a
So you can say that the past week's been very busy...much preparation going on for IQA coming up on the 11th (Internal Quality Audit) for Occupational Health and Safety and ISO (International Standard of Organization)....so it's been hell. There's a checklist of about 26 pages long, and I have to know quite a bit by heart and the rest, I have to know where exactly in our big manual to flip to in order to answer the auditors' questions. Sigh...oh not to mention there's an external audit in January.
Anyways, I'm over my stomach flu and I think I lost a bunch of weight in the process haha...went back to work on Wednesday. Oh yeah...forgot to mention my clerk and my upper-study will have both ORDed officially this Wednesday, making me most senior (omg...) among the 3 medics in the centre, as well as our new clerk. Means I'll be expected to know everything...but also means can become Legolas liao :P
Friday
So work, work, work (and while at work we mug, mug, mug for audit) until Friday. On Friday there was this stupid thing at Nee Soon camp that we had to go to which resulted in us leaving the camp at about 1830...by the time I got back to Tampines to teach Suky, it was quite late.
Looking for Suky's place was...interesting hahaha....I completely misunderstood what she told me. Want to know how?
She said: "Go up any one of the three slopes."
What I did: "All the slopes leading into the stadium are fenced off...." *ventures into the stadium via massive detour* "Ahh...maybe she meant the audience stands...there's three seperate sections." *sits down*
What she actually meant: There were literally, three slopes in the OPPOSITE direction of where I had gone.
ANYWAYS....I eventually found her and we went to her place. Upon inspection of her violin, turns out her bridge is warped, sound post is out of alignment, bow hairs are missing and dead. So I call a few people. The lesson itself was quite okay...lot of explaining and a lot of corrections given, but eventually she got the hang of holding it. Just need to practice it now...
Afterwards, I met up with the usual gang of guys at Simpang for supper. It was a bit different than usual because Jia Cun and Shun Qian didn't come, but instead, Tong Pui's girlfriend Ying Chun and Wen Sheng's sister Amanda came. We sat there eating and just talking nonsense for quite a while...some memorable quotes:
TP: I trying to imiate my encik now..."nevamind nevamind nevamind!" (he proceeded to say this many times the rest of the night)
Amanda: Ko...she lives down there la...turn right down there.
Zi: How come your sister knows better than you where your friends stay?
Sheng: I dunno...
Me: She hang out with you too much already lor...you see all the bad habits she pickup from you and us.
Sheng: Aiya it's okay one la...she would've learned them anyways, might as well learned from me right?
(everyone -_-")
There was more funny stuff la, but I can't remember everything because I was quite tired that day. Went home and plunked straight into bed.
Saturday
Woke up early to go and teach Jing Jing in Tampines. After I went down, her father called to postpone to Sunday. Fine. So I bum around until about 1430 and me and Suky went down to Jurong for rehearsal. I had rehearsal with Soka choir at 1700 so I basically had to just bum around for an hour. Wei Fen's right eye looked pretty bad...she said something about her contact lens might have possibly cut her cornea so she had to go home, leaving Louis to run the show.
The choir rehearsal was quite short, but I do wish the conductor wasn't so impersonal (we were referred to as "the violin" and "the cello" the whole rehearsal). She seemed like a very pushy kind of person, but I guess that's to be expected since she's a reporter by profession.
Rehearsal with my kids was...taxing. As usual. Still trying to decide what our third piece is because they don't like the Mama Mia! medley, but then again they can't play Chicago, so they're offering me a third alternative next week. I guess they've made a large improvement from when I first started conducting them, but they're still crazy because they're all from the same family and they've all practically grown up together. But they're a lot more manageable now (thankfully). Next two weeks should be interesting though...Yew Kay will be at reservice so I'm going to running solo hahaha...hoo boy.
After rehearsal, I went down to Paya Lebar to meet the guys again (ran into Gerald the paramedic on the train...but nothing really worth mentioning) and we went to play WC3 at Katong Shopping Centre then went for supper...got home at about 3. Wahh.
Sunday
Woke up at about 11 to get ready to go down to Tampines (again) to teach Jing Jing...but once again, cancelled. This time, before I left the house though, so I left the house a bit later. Me and Suky were going down to Esplanade to Frank Brothers to get her violin repaired (just dump it there first before she goes on holidays). So we picked out a bridge, and then left it at the shop to be prepared. I left my bow to be rehaired and I borrowed a bow from them that feels the same as mine. However...WHY ARE THERE TWO NEW PEOPLE WORKING THERE?! They don't know ANYTHING about the instruments I think. They're sales people. That's all they are...I really don't think they care about the instruments, I think they don't know anything about them, and they can only just recite prices at us. I knew when the sales girl asked me "You want to borrow what price range bow?" instead of when I asked Matthew a few months ago about bows, he asked me "Why TYPE of bow are you looking for?" (top heavy? bottom heavy? carbon fibre? wood?) Sigh. Incompetence.
Afterwards, we had some time to kill because Suky was meeting her friend at about 6 (she thought it would take longer than half an hour to dump off her violin and do the paperwork hehe), so we basically just walked around...U-turned at least a dozen times (wahahaha) and took random photos of wire things.
After I got home, went out with the parents to Parkway for dinner at Sakae Sushi. That's about it. Came home and here I am now. Hahaha..longest entry you've seen in like a long time right? :P
Here's the schedule for the next month or so:
December 7th: ORD Party for my upperstudies at AMK
December 9th: Rehearsal with SSA Choir and my kiddies at Jurong...be there by 1700
December 11th: IQA Audit at work
December 16th: RSS BBQ at East Coast Park
December 19th: Follow Up Appointment at TTSH with orthopedist
December 23rd: Rehearsal with SSA Choir and my kiddies at Jurong...same time same place
December 24th: Concert with SSA Choir at Victoria Concert Hall at 1900.
Other than that...I have a podiatry appointment tomorrow that I need to postpone...I'm on leave on the 15th, the 18th, the 26th, and the 27th. MARK YOUR CALENDERS KIDDIES! :D
That's it for now.
~GuangyiLabels: Outings, Schedule, Violin, Work
The angels whisper softly 9:58 PM