b Thursday, February 22, 2007 a
Home in the Wind Part II
The landing gear touched down gently onto the tarmac. As the plane came to a complete halt, the ground crew cracked the door open and the fresh spring air washed into the cabin. Two marines saluted him as he made his way down the stairs onto the ground. "G'morning sir!"
Feet onto American soil for the first time in years. A feeling of great elation began to wash over him and a wide grin spread over his face. Instead of saluting the corporal back, Ryan grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously. "A very good morning to you, corporal!"
A few weeks later
Life had more or less returned to its normal boring self. It was almost exactly what it was before he had enlisted with the Navy and gone off to the academy. With one very large hole.
Sofia.
He had asked around among his old friends, but none of them seemed to know where she had gone. Some of them guessed she might come back for the High School Reunion coming up this Saturday. He had grown hopeful, but told himself not to expect anything.
Nonetheless, he looked forward to this Saturday.
~To be continued~
~Guangyi
Labels: Short Stories
The angels whisper softly 11:05 PM
b Wednesday, February 21, 2007 a
Three point turns and U-turns tomorrow. *makes groaning noise*
So in a vain attempt to keep my brain's creative juices from dying (studying and playing violin keeps my PRODUCTIVE ones going), I'm going to try to write short stories here every once in a while. Those of you who don't know, I used to do lots and lots of writing, working on a book here and there...until like last year when my schedule filled up. Hence, me sticking to short stories. Mostly, they'll be quite random about no particular subjects (though some will be quite predictable, but do bear with me, I'm trying to work on my writing style as well), but DO let me know what you think! Thanks :)
Home into the Wind
"You'll do fine, Ry!" Brian patted him on the back.
"Do write!" Uncle Chad said with a big grin on his face.
"Be careful out there, son..." His mother, sobbing as he left the house.
"Do us proud, kid-o." His dad.
Most notoriously sticking out in Ryan's mind, Sofia's ashen face as he set foot onto the Navy Transport, having spent a long time saying their final farewells. Adieu to his fiance, his wife-to-be, his soul mate. As the door shut, a ray of sunlight reflected a tear on her face, sparkling like the dew on the morning grass.
Memories of this disintegrated into the nightmare of that last fight in the air. Watching his wingman get shot down, watching his own wing get blown off and the infinite feeling of falling, hearing Death whispering his name in his ear, beckoning him towards the darkness.
After ejecting, he felt himself crash into a canopy of trees. Pain beyond imagination...
Before he woke up with a start, sweating bullets. He took a look around his surroundings. It was the transport plane back to D.C. Back home.
Lieutenant Ryan Talard was a Navy pilot who was enlisted when the War started at age 25. He was shot down in a struggle for control over the Italian border. He endured four years as a prisoner of war before the UN came and rescued him. He had been granted indefinate leave from his commander, and he was now on his way home with a collection of papers and a bound book that served to remind him of the hell he had endured in his time as a POW.
He got out of his seat and washed his face. Returning to his seat, he took out a random stack of paper and began reading random excerpts from there.
December 15th
Just got out of the academy and I'm on the ship. Me and my bud Rocky both got onto this ship so it's pretty cool. Alert Five scrambles at least four times a day keeps us sharp. I miss Sofia very much though. I love you.
December 31st
New Year's Eve on a ship is not as hyped up as people make it out to be. We just finished a mission yesterday and suffered some pretty heavy losses, so the mood is quite sombre onboard the ship. No drills today though. Miss you dear.
Early March
This is the first chance I've gotten to write down what's happened in the past few weeks. I can only write this now in hopes that one day someone might find this if I don't survive. I think I'm somewhere in Spain. I was shot down fighting for Milan's safety. Rocky's dead and I think I'm the only one they managed to capture. They've given me only this paper and this stub of a pencil I'm writing with. The torture has been unbearable...I've wanted to give up so many times...but...
(the paper was torn here)
Autumn, Rainy Day
The torture has lessened. They seem to have resigned to the fact that I won't tell them anything. I think they're going to kill me. I want to do it myself so they won't get the pleasure of doing it themselves. But I must keeping living on. For my country. For Sofia.
Spring
Sofia...
(blood stains)
Shrugging off the shudders that he felt reading these again, he decided to call his mother again to tell her that they were touching down in an hour. When he had first called her, naturally she had started sobbing hysterically on the phone. The Navy had marked him Killed-in-Action the day he was shot down and everyone at home had thought him dead. Ryan's father had been no exception to tears over the phone.
He had tried to reach Sofia several times, but her phone number had changed. His parents said that she had gone into depression for months after the Navy told them he was dead and had since moved out of state. Ryan promised himself he would look for her, the only thing that kept him alive and going these past four years. His focal point. The love of his life.
"Ladies and gentleman, as we are landing shortly, please ensure that your seatbelts are fastened..."
~To be continued~
~Guangyi
Labels: Random, Short Stories
The angels whisper softly 10:51 PM
b Tuesday, February 20, 2007 a
Kind of hard to believe we're in the Age of Aquarius when it hates me so much right? Hahaha...anyways.
Things I need:
1.) Violin bow (because the current one sucks) : $648
2.) New laptop (current one's degenerating): $2500
3.) A successful last concert with SNCO
Things I want:
1.) Sunglasses $300
2.) New, old violin. Feasible one: $7000. One I'd love to have but can't? $20,000
3.) Freedom
That and one other thing...which I will keep to myself until the time is right.
Good night.
~GuangyiLabels: Random
The angels whisper softly 11:06 PM
b a
It's late so I'll keep this short.
Obviously, I'm back from Malaysia. The usual business went on up there. Saw my uncles and aunts and cousins, went over to the usual houses and saw the usual people. Kampong spirit, you know? Shall elaborate more perhaps later this week.
Went to Sheng's house for New Year's party. Lost a bit of money at blackjack haha...it's okay though it wasn't a huge amount. Just got back.
Jun Wen has completed his Konzertstuck. Will be picking it up from him tomorrow morning (later???). It's a little over ten minutes long, and my part (the solo) is 7 pages long. So that's about...a little more than a page (learned and memorized) per month.
This next concert had better be a success...I want all the headache and frustration to be worth it. My last concert...I'm anticipating it and dreading it simultaenously.
Feb is just not my month for...*cough* (ask and I might discuss)
Meeting with the ICs to discuss theme, pieces, date, and venue of next concert (my last concert).
Driving this Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun, AND Mon. Tiring.
I'm tired and feeling kind of "eh" (see above) but I think I'll pull through. I just need to focus on the task at hand (Jun Wen's piece) and just keep striving on.
Sleep.
~GuangyiLabels: Random
The angels whisper softly 2:51 AM
b Thursday, February 15, 2007 a
Hi everyone!
I'll be going off to Malaysia to visit my grandma (father's), grandpa (mother's), and uncles and aunties tomorrow afternoon. I'll be back either on Sunday night or Monday afternoon. Feel free to message me, but I may not reply back because...well...it's expensive.
Wishing you all a happy, prosperous, Chinese New Year.
Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!
~GuangyiLabels: Random
The angels whisper softly 11:42 PM
b Tuesday, February 13, 2007 a
Yes you're not seeing wrong. This is, indeed, two posts in two days. But once again, it's not really a proper update.
Well I can first complain about the stupidity of some people at my work place. Just because they have some form of rank and they're regulars, they think they can do anything they want. Of course I'm talking about Soldier X (who is my patient ) and S.M. (ask me if you don't know what this means) Y of the AA medical centre.
So how it happened was that Soldier X had defaulted because he hadn't come for an appointment for more than 3 months. We booked an appointment for him today because the medic at AA medical centre said he had visited again and that he had a valid referral letter. Did he really?
Of course not. He showed up with the letter he showed us back in October (!!!) with dates crossed out without countersigning, a memo that was quite obviously forged, and a note from S.M. Y, who said that he had been attended to on some date in January. Problem? The thing is not a valid referral. At all. And the dates? On three seperate letters, there were four different dates. Oh and forged doctor's signatures.
So never mind, I call AA medical and ask them about Soldier X. Turns out officially, he hadn't been there since October. Apparently he knows the S.M. there and that's why, thinking that since she's the S.M., she could just scribble on a piece of paper and everything would be okay. Oh and after I told him we couldn't see him, I explained to him several times what he had to do. Stubborn and dense! Ugh I don't even want to bother writing what I had to tell him several times and the fact that I almost exploded at the stupidity and stubborness of Soldier X and S.M. Y.
Sigh. That and my parents aren't speaking to each other over something extremely stupid.
Valentine's Day tomorrow. I have really bad memories of this day from last year...it doesn't really bother me that much now, but instead, serves as a reminder of how much I've changed in the past year for the better, and how I'm better off without her in my life anyways. Heh...I can count on my hand the number of times she's written to me in this past year, each time asking me for favors and things she wants. I mean...what the hell...I don't even know why I bother helping her. We had a really bad falling out, and I shouldn't even bother. Whatever. Shan't dwell too much on it.
But it's kind of ironic...tomorrow is supposed to be a day celebrating love. Last year, it was a day that led up to the ending of it, and tomorrow is my sister's birthday (which we're not celebrating) and my parents' anniversary (which my parents decided we're not celebrating as well tomorrow), leaving tomorrow as a gloomy day.
What is this world coming to?
~GuangyiLabels: Rant
The angels whisper softly 9:38 PM
b Monday, February 12, 2007 a
Well alright I'll start off with the (somewhat positive).
I spent my entire day at the culture centre. The concert itself...ugh...first half could've gone a lot better. Second half wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be though. Lots of people came, including most of my friends.
Ok now we start spiralling downwards.
A few couldn't come through no fault of their own (illness, family reunion dinners, etc), so I completely understand that. My sister, however, once again, didn't fail to disappoint. She came back the day before after making sure I had reserved a ticket for her...but yet...she didn't show up. Why?
I don't know. I haven't seen her since she came home Saturday afternoon until now. Her friends seem to be more important that her own family. And this isn't the first time that she's not been able to attend/forgotten about something of mine because of something else. My Senior recital, my Senior musical, and she almost didn't come for my High School graduation. The last time she actually made it for something of mine was my last concert with MYO in '04 because it was like 10 blocks from where she stayed.
Oh and Jacomo's lack of acknowledgement for my contributions. Now that I've actually sat and thought about it, I don't really care because SSA has showed its appreciation already (as did the SNCO players) but sitting on stage, and to continue sitting there...I felt very publically suanned. To the point where my playing of "Ha-Ha" was all over the place. Jacomo knew it too. He kept making faces with every note and bowing I missed. And believe me, I REALLLY missed them.
And I can't help but feel a bit apprehensive about what's going to happen next rehearsal because I'll actually get to find out who's made good of their word and left the group after this concert. Of course, there's the viola that left BEFORE the concert, so I should be grateful that these people at least waited until the concert was over. Don't get me wrong, I'm not holding any grudges against you all, I respect your reasons for wanting to leave, but I'm just worried that like 75% of the group is going to leave for all the same, valid reasons. Personally, and on behalf of the other ICs (who I haven't informed that you're leaving, because I'd hoped you'd tell them yourselves) Thank you all for your contributions and hard work.
Overall, the preparation for this concert could have been a lot better. People could have taken their instruments home and practiced more. Could have showed up for rehearsals more often. I know there are legitimate reasons for missing sometimes (positions in districts and commitments that come with them, family engagement, etc), but I'm sure there's a lot that don't come because they don't FEEL like it. Their lack of dedication is what has me irritated and worried for the July concert.
I mean...Jacomo has more or less agreed to do the July concert (hooo boy...), but I know that the ICs will be the ones to plan the repetoire for July, but I don't want to have to make easy, boring suggestions just because people are unwilling to put in the extra 2-3 hours a week. Just...ugh...frustration and apprehension.
At least the flowers are nice...
~GuangyiLabels: Random, Rant
The angels whisper softly 10:16 PM
b Monday, February 05, 2007 a
And so it begins...
The week leading up to Soka New Century Orchestra's first full-length, debut concert. "Lights, Camera, Action" is the theme.
6 days...
I've rarely felt so nervous in my life. Perhaps it's because I have charges that I've been responsible for performing under my baton for the first time in front of a full house (about 1000 people!?!? Waldorf only seats 350!). I feel nervous about how the audience will ackowledge the program and the pieces played, as well as the quality. Ohh and do I ever worry about the quality. I always seem to hear something wrong with my own playing, my fellow strings', or somewhere else in the orchestra. I worry that people will hear the same thing I hear. Always at the same places too. In that full audience, at least 15 people I know might hear it.
Yet, I feel excited at this prospect. If this works, we'll gain exposure within the Soka community and maybe even make our way towards being part of the Singapore scene. We might draw out hidden players from our community because of our music and that we move them to come out and join our cause. Who knows?
I certainly won't, so for now....just practice, chanting....and deep breaths.
Those SNCO members that do read this, relax on Saturday. Don't practice TOO much. I know I'm not going to...most likely will go to the SSO Open rehearsal in the morning on Saturday, teach Ying Jing, then go back down for the concert. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3. It doesn't hold such a special place in my heart as No. 2 does, but yet, it still amazes me. Too bad the seat I have isn't that great. I'll be sitting behind the orchestra, facing the conductor, meaning sound quality might not be amazing.
But it's okay, because the fact that I'll still get to see Rach No. 3 live is still quite cool.
Deep breaths.
Deep, deep breaths.
~GuangyiLabels: Random
The angels whisper softly 10:22 PM
b Saturday, February 03, 2007 a
Just a short one...
For those of you that missed tonight's SSO performance of Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto in C Minor, you all missed out on something very, very good.
That is all...super sleepy.
GOOD NIGHT!
~GuangyiLabels: Music Appreciation, Random
The angels whisper softly 1:08 AM