3 Things

have not done much meme in these couple of months, so I'd thought I'd entertain myself by doing one now...(though that does not mean that anyone should start tagging me now...that is an inhumane and cruel thing for anyone to go through)...

3 Things Tag

1. 3 Things that scares me: Ronald McDonald; people with unnatural insertions (too much silicon, botoxed lips, etc); Lorry drivers...
2. 3 People who makes me laugh: Russell Peters; Jeffrey Dunham; Bill Cosby...
3. 3 Things I love: my Motorola L7 phone; my Toyota Corona 1.6 (1982); my jammies...
4. 3 Things I hate: being nagged at; ego-headed males who thinks females should remain illiterate; shopping for shoes...
5. 3 Things I don't understand: fast spoken Hokkien/Mandarin; why the price of the Motorola L7 have got to drop so freakin' fast; HTML...
6. 3 Things on my desk: a stained cup of coffee; computer; an autobiography book of Mao Tze Tung...
   
7. 3 Things I'm doing right now; blogging; watching Top Gear car show (it is hillariously funny, highly recommended if you should need a good laugh); trying to convince myself that 4 minutes is all I need to sweep, mop floor and wash my hair..
8. 3 Things I wanna do before I die: travel to every corner of the world; swim with the dolphins; watch Pat Metheny play live...
9. 3 Things I can do: eat-watch TV-answer phone-study-talk to my mum all at the same time (about the only multi-tasking I'm capable of); speed read; dance like a fridge...
10. 3 Things I can't do: Multi-task; read to children (the pace is too slow); dance properly...
11. 3 Things I think you should listen to: Mongolian and Tibetan chants; Arturo Sandoval's trumpet solo lines; any Gospel music...
12. 3 Things you should never listen to: Any Britney/Lindsay/Hillary/Scarlet CDs; Techno music; my singing...
13. 3 Things I'd like to learn: Photography; Rock-climbing; Scuba-diving...
14. 3 Favourite food: Herbal soup; Italian pasta; Cheese cake (any flavour)
15. 3 Beverages I drink regularly: H20; Coffee; 100 Plus...
16. 3 shows I watched as a kid: Fresh Prince of Bel Air; Care Bears, Transformers (Note: I still think I am a kid)
17. 3 people I'm tagging: LINA!! (Once she is done with her performance, that is...); Boodyboy too...and you...(if you are bored...like I am...*grin*)

We are all monkeys...Mahathir too...

It first started by a court order for a Jeff Ooi and Ahiruddin Atten to remove more than 10 postings from their blog, as News Straits Time, a government-controlled newspaper was threatening to sue them for 'libellious' writings...The government then gave a fair warning to all bloggers, that they should watch out what they say online, as it could tarnish Malaysia's good name, and theirs as well...

Before the elections, we rarely hear of any politicians posting or hosting any blogs...the ones which are a household name, would be opposition party Lim Kit Siang, and Anwar Ibrahim. These people were then condemn, and accused of using the cowardly way of dominating the cyber-space because "these bloggers know they cannot influence the society, so they make up stories"...Why, even this Khairy politician guy (UMNO) has also seen us bloggers, an equal to monkeys and no higher than that...

But hey, hey...what do you know??...In a spend of less than two months, more than 2 UMNO politicians have joined the cyber-space in blogging!!...the ex-Selangor MB, Dr. Mohamad Khir; the sitting Melacca Chief Minister, and UMNO Information Chief...why, even our ex Prime Minister Mahathir!!...

Now, if anyone tells you that blogging is a complete waste of time, or bloggers are no less than monkeys...please tell them..."Our famous ex PM does it too!!"

Our government will have a hard time chewing on this...and even now, they have decided not to clam down on us bloggers anymore...and have changed their statement, saying that they have always been liberal towards us...

Is it only me, or are you rolling your eyes too??...

An attempted biography

LESSAJINOMOTO, is a relatively young girl (year 2010: not so young anymore) who grew up singing Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and was seen making a lame and futile attempt to 'moonwalk' occasionally. Since the era of Electronic and Techno music, she has brought untimely joy and mental anguish to two parents who was and still is privileged to call her their daughter. These proud parents was luckily smart enough to know that they should not rob the world of someone of sheer genius, despite the knowledge of excruciating rack they would have to endure in the near future. If they were to do so, it would have been a cruel and inhumane decision, and their lives would have been totally miserable and incomplete otherwise. A win-win situation, as one would say.

For years, they have been having tons of fun, sharing up and down moments even till now. Two more male seeds sprung after harvesting, and were added into the family. Her father lives in another state from the family for work purposes, of course. Though one must admire his commitment to travel back and forth every weekend for 13 years now. Her mum is a freelance tuition teacher and a good counselor, even at times when advices are not needed. One brother attends a college close enough to visit home on weekends, but is rather selective about it (e.g run out of Milo/shampoo/extra dirty laundry). Her other brother is currently sitting through SPM, experimenting the balance of getting through the stupid exam, and keeping sane, all in one breath (as of year 2009, he has officially graduated from high school, and is now joining his older brother in attending University). Her grandmother, well, we can fill three books with her oh-so-gracious activities, but we won't. Besides, this isn't a biography about her. It is about LESSAJINOMOTO.

She loves a marathon of John Grishams and Jeffery Archers. Reading to her, is one of the tools to make time pass by fast, when they don't seem to. She became visually impaired at a young age, due to unnatural light and heavy reading. Being vain as she is (though it does not show), she refuses to wear spectacles. She was as determined not to give in and wanted to prove to the world that she was better than any man with a perfect eye-sight. Thus, she found herself in many awkward situations. She could spot a public washroom, but occasionally walked into the one designated for the opposite sex. There are even times, when people could have perceived that she thinks she can walk through walls. Well, she definitely didn't perceive that thought, yet she walks into one anyway. Wanting her dignity restored, only then she agreed to a geeky spectacles, joining half a billion others who are doing so.

She can be found devouring tens of packets of snacks (e.g Cacho Chips) when found under extreme stress. She is a badminton and car-racing fanatic, who pretends to know all the rules and tries to tell the player what to do. She is capable of surviving on very little sleep, but that is probably due to her hyper-activity and workaholic character. Disregard any objections that she may hurl, about her life being a topsy-turvy drama. Knowing her will prove to you otherwise. She is addicted to her mp3 player, though she already has one integrated into the jelly brain of hers. She is also addicted to her 1996 manufactured Fujitsu lappy, who struggles to cough into life, and is on the brink of death any day now, as all electronic devices are made to do. If little Fujitsu dies, LESSAJINOMOTO goes with him, spiritually at least. Her little pet peeves are endless. Therefore we shall not put them here. She has a (un)founded fear of heights, Ronald McDonalds, clowns, an 'low battery' sign on her handphone/mp3 player, lorry drivers, etc.

A couple of years back, one may have bumped into LESSAJINOMOTO who will greet you by saying, "Hi, welcome to Indulgence. What would you like for breakfast this morning?". To make this clear, she never asked it out of sheer curiosity. And its not like she cared if one would have his/her bouts of nourishment to jump-start the day. She only says this line as it is all part and parcel of the job of being the ONLY waitress who is able to function in English. Which is followed by a treatment of a dirt by the customer-to-be. Now, it is different. One can now find LESSAJINOMOTO smiling at a parent saying, "Ah, you little (devils of a) children performed wonderfully today!! I will see you little (bratty) kiddies next week!!". She is now teaching in a studio and giving private piano lessons to jolly cute children (monkeys), both young and old. A lot of energy is being consumed there.

And she grows old, she does not want to be an old hag. Let's leave it at that.

[Short note : This was my lame attempt to write a biography. I am completely aware that it looks like an autobiography. I may be senile at times, but I am still able to tell the difference. May I then defend myself with the fact that at least, I'm trying. That has to count, doesn't it??]

Travel : Perhentian Island

My group of friends and I met in the airport last Friday to make a trip to Perhentian Island where we planned to do a little snorkeling...Perhentian Island is situated offshore on the coast of north eastern Malaysia, south of Thai border...

The speed boat ride towards the island, was quite bumpy, I must say...yes, the seas were quite rough and choppy...but I'm sure the driver was speeding as well...I literally had to fight the wind, because I could feel the wind trying to push me off my seat!!...my friends too was struggling to stick their arse on the plank...it seems to be on mid-air more than half the time, that I was really fearful they may fall off the boat...my butt felt bruised and raw when we finally reached our destination...the bumpy ride did come with advantages...for one, my friends was so occupied with self-balancing, that they totally forgot to be seasick...not bad...

We didn't waste much time that two days...I went for a round of photography while the boys sorted out their stuff...we were issued our snorkeling gear right after lunch...where we headed straight for the snorkeling sites...the boatman dropped us at the first destination...but we saw NOTHING...the water wasn't very clear as expected...and I gather it was because of the heavy rain the day before...it was only at our third destination that we managed to finally see some spectacular coral reefs...and it turned out to be fantastic!!...The place seems to be teeming with life...and curious fishes...

One of my friends brought an Olympus camera, which was waterproof and weather-proof (I forgot the model name, though)...we took a good lot of pictures on the coral reefs, but many of them turned out to be quite disappointing...*grin*...well, we still keep the pictures...but it was either blurred pictures of coral reefs...or the colours were not strong and striking...

The second day of snorkeling turned out to be the most eventful comparatively...we paid a visit to Redang island...and on our way there...we saw what I thought was a fat, dark man enjoying his swim off the shore...but hey, hey...what do you know...it was THREE turtles mating together!!...one male, another female...talk about being horny...that lucky bastard had 2 partners to keep himself busy!!...

The sea in Redang was much clearer...hence, visibility was much better...there was a larger variety of coral reefs and tiny sharks too...I attended to the coral reefs...but I kept away from the sharks...I'm uncomfortable about nibbling fishes...but sharks...are much worse, I think...

So these are a couple of things I've learn so far...

1. Fish absolutely LOVES dead skin...if you recall in my previous post, I fell down three days prior to this vacation...injured my left leg, bruised my right...scraped my left arm and bruised my right as well...so the wound was in the midst of healing...of course, it didn't heal instantly...so some dead skin was still hanging off my wound...and the fishes happily nibbled at it...and it felt SO ITCHY!!!...

2. Soaking an infected and injured leg on salty sea water may not be the best idea after all...it wasn't the soaking that hurt...it was the after effect!!...Walking on the beach or anywhere else after the hours of snorkeling was painful...not to mention stingy as well...though I am aware that salty water could help kill germs...so the boatman says...

3. The snorkel is created to help you breathe...it is not meant to stand in your way...I had my goggles with me, so I did without the mask...but as I was so used to letting my breathe out through my nose, the snorkel was pretty much useless to me..."You don't trust the snorkel to help you breathe"...was the comment a friend of mine gave...he is right, I suppose...but I'm not going to waste time telling my brain that...I snorkeled without the snorkel...

4. Life-jackets could be a nuisance at times...but you still have to put them on...as a rule, it was compulsory for us to put on the life-jackets while we snorkel...but it was getting so annoying!!...For one, I couldn't dive and touch the coral reefs that I was so itching to...(I finally did, btw...ditched the stupid jacket and just went in)...and it made swimming almost impossible!!...in fact, if anything...when you wear a life-jacket, where you go is dictated by where the waves bring you...but I wanted to go against the wave...and I wanted to go to the coral reefs pronto!!...Not wade and dwaddle like a duck...with so much to see, there just isn't time!!...

5. As long as there is food, be happy...food where we were staying, weren't that great...but at least we were fed...it was Malay food all the way, except for the last night where we had BBQ...but cool...we managed to stuff ourselves quite well...

6. The sea is an awesome being...I've spent more than half my day on the sea...have been through calm seas...and choppy ones...the most choppy of course, was a wave of half a metre high at max...I can't imagine how it feels like to face a 48 metre high wave!!...I have come to understand that it is a different set of rules altogether, when we go to the sea...and we have got to play by theirs in order to survive...I love to observe how the waves go in different directions, as the wind and current brings them...I am fascinated to hear about how boatman tells the storm by the movement of trees and fishes...I love the salty air, and cool wind the sea brings...but I am just not prepared to mess with them...in fact, after this trip, I feel a deeper respect for the sea...and will leave them at peace to do as they will...

7. Being away from the modern world is good...the yearning for technology is hefty too...there, in the beach...a 100 PLUS drink is RM3...while Internet access...is 30 cents/minute...that makes a freaking RM9 for just half an hour!!...a normal meal is no less than RM15...ah, the price we pay to stay away from the rat race...

Nevertheless, it was a good holiday...I was lifted from my depression...and I am feeling better about myself...I am photograph crazy once more...taking photos of "nonsensical stuffs" as my friends would call it...but I don't care...

Now, if you will excuse me, I need to tend to my sun-burnt skin...

Vacation

Playing with Aperture...

Will post up more later...

Maxis says

Disclaimer : There is a lot of Mathematics included in this post. To understand the following, you will have to follow closely to the calculation I am doing...

I got an SMS from Hotlink/Maxis (a communication service provider) just the day before...and this was what it wrote :

Get 1500 SMS valid for 7 DAYS! Enjoy great value ! ONLY RM7 with Hotlink Super Savers. Valid from 6am-6pm (Maxis-Maxis)!! Dial *128*4# to purchase by 30/3/08.

From : Hotlink
11.27am 24 Mar-08

(Bold and enlarged letters mine)

Hence, my response;

Dear Maxis,

I'm afraid that there are a few issues that I feel the need to call attention to :-
a) I honestly think that this generous package you are offering, is definitely for corporate businessman/women. Let us do Maths for a while, shall we?...Lets say I were to subscribe to your oh-so-hard-to-resist-offer...and foolishly allowed you to deduct RM7 from my credit, in exchange of 1500 SMSes, that is only valid for 7 days...and do note...so you stated 7 days...but statement number 4 tells me, that it is only valid for 12 hours of the 7 days...so let me see...if my maths do me justice, I would say that 12 hrs x 7 = 84 hrs...that will make it a full 3 and half days...never mind that...

So, theoretically, I am suppose to finish 1500 SMSes in 7 days...that means I have got to sent 214.3 SMSes each day...between 6am-6pm...well, unless one is a teenage kid, with a new handphone and number, I highly doubt that anyone would be able to send that much an SMS as 214...even a corporate businessman/woman would rather pick up the phone and dial a number, than to spend 5 minutes of their precious time to punch in a message. Just think about it for a while, shall we??...let us say that in average, a person with 2 left thumbs, will spend 3 minutes typing an SMS...so if one would to subscribe to your oh-so-wonderful package, he/she will have to spend 642 (214x3) minutes on the phone...that makes a full 4 hours of a day...well, technically, it is 4 hours out of the 12 hours that you would so nicely put aside for us...

In summary, subscribers of your package, would have to squeeze in 4 hours of their waking hours (beside their working hours, of course)...typing their fingers to the limb, in order to put this marketing scam...sorry...ahem, marketing SCHEME, into our advantage...pretty illogical, don't you think??

b)...Don't you think it is rather unfair that you have only allocated this package for Maxis to Maxis phone-line only??...For one, I'm sure that in the 500+ names that people have saved in their phone/SIM card memory ( I only have about 70 names in my phonebook)...less than 100 are personal friends...and of the 100 personal friends that people might have (it can be imaginative friends for all I care)...I'm sure that only 30 names would turn out to be class mates/people that one would come across everyday...and out of the 30, would be 10 names, probably...that we would believe is worth our time SMS-ing...and SMS-ing...and SMS-ing....

And oh, let us not forget...these 10 loved ones, may not even be subscribing to your company!!!...they might be DIGI or Celcom subscriber, for all we know...so that will bring the number down to a probable 6 loved ones, which we can send SMS-es to, at a freakin' cheap rate...

So, at the end of the day, we have got to send 214 SMS-es to 6 people, which we deem is worthy of our time...that means, each lucky loved one, would receive 36 SMS-es from EACH DAY, for SEVEN DAYS...by the end of the week, they will each receive a whooping 250 SMS-es from one sincere but very annoying loved one...

How sweet...but too much love, I'd say...

I don' t know who your marketing team may be, or even if they exist or not...but I'd really suggest that you give them a sack...all these marketing scams are just darn annoying...and I receive this kind of message almost every week...well, not that you really care anyway...as long as the money comes, isn't it??

- lessajinomoto

A few things I've learnt this few days...

• ...resting your head on your arms for 20 minutes results in a 'fever patch' on your forehead...

• ...it is a real pain to drag one's butt to the piano stool to practice...yet, once seated...it could get quite addictive...

• ...I am one of the unfortunate person that is capable of falling down TWICE in a day...injuring the same leg...on the same spot...

• ...doubting myself when performing a piece...is like laying a foundation for a coming disaster...

• ...window shopping after four months of hectic lifestyle can do wonders to one's mind...I find myself thinking on a slower mode now...and I'm more aware of my surroundings...and yes, I never knew that Jaya Jusco Shopping Centre music would be so annoying...Stop the Kenny G music already!!...

• ...Keith Jarrett can dance, sing TUNE-LESSLY at the same time, while playing a tune on a piano...now that is just downright unfair!!

• ...I am a victim of outside food, not by choice...hence, I'm really itching for some home cook...

• 3 minutes is too long a time...especially while waiting for a kiddo to do a 3-1 mathematical equation...

• one can actually get tired of laughing...I must take a fast from Everybody Loves Raymond and Simpsons reruns...the time is due...

• when there is a song running aimlessly in your mind...and has no intention of stopping...blast your computer speakers with songs of Kenny Garrett...his solos will blow you away...

A Dash to the Airport

It is 11:43pm now...and at the strike of 3am, I will have to be up and going, to catch a taxi to the airport, for my long awaited vacation...Me and 7 others will be flying to a local island, where I really hope to take my mind off my stuff for a while...and just enjoy the scenery there...This will be my last chance to blog for a few days...will be back Sunday!!...

There is life after exams after all

I have officially started my long awaited semester break...which I oh-so-deserve...just to make sure that I am not whiling my time away, I have constructed a plan on how to make full use of my 2 weeks break...

So, the following list will last me two whole weeks...yes, I only have two weeks break, unlike those summer breaks in US which is 3 months long!!...

Here it goes...

1. SLEEP
You didn't get me wrong...sleep...with no alarm clocks attached...snuggle in bed till 12:30pm (musician's time)..For all the hours of hard work I have put into my numerous projects, and practicing on the piano...for the infinite times when I had to force my eyes open...battling sleep mode...while sitting in a comfortable air-conditioned room with my piano...

Hibernation is the key...Bears hibernate in the winter to conserve energy...we should too!!...In fact, sleep in the whole day would be great!!...sleeping till the hours turn to two digits...pack a load full of food and place them by my bedside...so I need not have to get up...except for nature calls...

2. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Anything that is out of the routine...bungee jumping (which I promise you, I will definitely get to it before I hit the big 3-0)...take a latin dance class...sky-diving...back-packing...

For me, I will be doing some snorkeling this weekend over a back-packing trip...and after that, it will be ceramic painting for the next couple of months!!...haha...ceramic painting...a new hobby to add to my list...but rest assured, I won't be abandoning my other hobbies...I'm just done with cross-stitching...I've got a couple more patterns to go, but I can only get to that when I drop by the sewing shop to purchase more threads...and my books...it is getting more than enough attention from me alright...the feeling of euphoria when one fills one's mind with imagination...I wonder if its the same with smoking weed...

There are so many more things that I wanna do...but I guess I will have to learn to space it out...I realized that I could plan so much, but once I'm bound by a full time job, studies or other commitments, all these plans are futile...

So my next plan;...back-packing to Australia end of this year!!...(to be updated)...

3. EAT ALL YOU WANT
I don't know about you...but I find freedom and liberty in food...I live to eat...Being in an institutional confinement for so long (3 years to be exact)...has made me feel like a refugee...having a group of people made to sit in a training-chambers and forced to do the same thing is a sin...but having said that, I guess it is a small price to pay, in an exchange for knowledge...

But having been in a concentration camp (with slight liberation), they call college, I am entitled to enjoy my freedom with reckless gluttony!!...Heck with cholesterol levels and blood pressure...we only live once...I might as well live short, and have enjoyed myself...then to have live long, but practicing restrain all the time...Enjoy all the dark belgium chocolates that I have deprived myself of...drown in over-flowing coffee, that I once put a stop to...

Now, that would be such a psychological release...not to mention therapeutic too...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Realized that there is no mention about music...or even practicing in my list...ah, never mind...for these two weeks only...

No mention about catching up with abandoned friends too!!...my bad...I will catch up with them...that is a vow...but for now, I prefer to be selfish...and dwell in 'sinful luxuries'...

Four step rule

I happen to drop by a couple of sites, that publishes articles on sexism, and women and men's opinion on it in general...reading so many different views, I'm prompted to share my two cents thought here myself...

But before I continue, I will like to state that I am aware whatever I share, will generate mix reactions from readers of different gender...hence, I will like to reiterate the fact that this is just my thoughts, and not influenced by any party...

There is an article that states the men should apply the four step rule, when it comes to opening doors for women...in other words, when a women is four steps behind you, you open the door for her...

But if you ask me, opening doors has nothing to do with gender labeling...I would simply prefer to see it as a form of courtesy and respect...I think it is charming when a guy does that...I appreciate it especially when I'm loaded with a cup of hot coffee and piles of books on my right hand, my handbag and violin on my left...I never saw opening of doors as belittling of gender...in fact, there are some times when a guy does not open a door for a girl, I wonder if the guy is actually aware of her presence behind him...

Why, there was once, when I have so much on my hands...and this ass of a guy in front of me, closed the door at my face...and I was struggling to put my foot in before the door closes...when there was another guy who came out from no where...just to open the door for me...and left for his business...ah, whoever the gal who got this guy...is a lucky one, I must say...

So if anyone wants to promote agenda...I really think opening of doors by guys...doesn't hold much depth...I believe in woman equality...but this is just too much...and not gender related...

Busy Bee...

Graduation Recital was over just two days back...but I'm back on my feet again...with a new repertoire!!!...

The following are a few which I will be attempting for this month and next...

Hungarian Rhapsody #2 (1 piano 4 hands); by Franz Liszt
Sonata in D major; by Ludwig Beethoven
Perlude and Fugue in Eb major; J.S. Bach
Danzas Argentinas Op. 2; by Alberto Ginastera

*I will be performing the Hungarian Rhapsody with a friend of mine next month (May)...so I've got to give that one a good jump-start*...

An original arrangement of...
Tone's for Joan's Bones; by Chick Corea
Jitterbug Waltz; by Fats Waller

*I'm still taking lessons from my jazz piano teacher...so we'll see how it turns out!!*

Attempt...
..to play Imaginary Day; by Pat Metheny...though I highly doubt if I'm going to be able to produce the trance-like mood the same way Metheny did...but heck...I still wanna play it!!

Yeah, I've got my days packed...not to mention that I will also be working full-time...returning to my home-town more often...attending to my unfinished cross-stitching, and jigsaw puzzle...my books too, have been attention-deprived these past months...

Have been indulging in a mag called Off The Edge...politically humourous...yet with some good articles of our current political situation in Malaysia...neat!!

Nursing an aching heart

Nothing hurts more...than knowing that you have worked so hard...more than you've ever done before...only to have the hard work fly out of the window at the very second you need them...

This will officially be my last post about my graduation recital...as it is almost too painful a subject to talk about...I have learn many lessons today...and I still have a long way to go...

Mr. Arif told me to be strong in embracing what is to come...mentally, I was thinking...what worst could go wrong??...apparently, a lot worse...

The African choir, called to tell me that they won't be able to make it to my graduation recital...yes, the very group that was suppose to sing for one of my songs (it was my first song to go)...and they called me 15 minutes prior to the starting of my graduation recital...apparently, for some reason...they decided to go home...and because it rained cats and dogs in the afternoon, they couldn't attend my graduation recital...hence, there were only three people singing on stage today...not like the group that was planned...

15 minutes prior to my graduation recital...they asked me to go drive them from their houses...or to provide transport for them...of course, I couldn't move from spot...but neither could any of my band mates...so we had to leave it at that...and walk on the stage with a brave front...

'Brave front' so-to-speak...but my mind was broken...there was also a slight misunderstanding... and an important band-mate of mine, was yet to be seen...he too was delayed by the rain...and could not make it on time...

Naturally, I was wrecked...the Bill Evans song that I have prepared and memorized by heart (I assure you, I really did)...became a song of Lessajinomoto's composition...as her mind went blank...too many things happened, and I didn't know how to handle them...

Bad things aside...there were good moments as well...through incidents like these, I have found friends who really cared...who was really encouraging...and these are the moments, I will hold dear at heart...

Band songs was ok...apparently, many enjoyed my version of Rhapsody in Blue...so that was cool...Third Wind...a band-mate of mind forgot some parts, and we got thrown off a bit...but we started and ended together...so that has got to say for something...Wildlife was fine...but it could have been better...it felt slightly empty...lack of voice from the choir...but my three African friends that were there...they really gave their best...and for that, I'm thankful...

Some people said that I was crazy to attempt so many difficult band songs all at one go...I guess in a way they are right...I'm not musically strong yet, to be handling to many tricky songs at a time...and this time it got the better of me...

But it won't be for long...I may not have done so well this time...but I would need to move forward...and I will be back...stronger, emotionally...and musically, for sure...

Tell-tale signs of stress...

I'm sorry if there are people expecting me to blog about something else, other than the process of my graduation recital...I have so much to share about, as far as other stuffs are concern...but it seems that this week seems to be orchestrated with so much of 'graduation recital' activities, that my brain can hardly keep up...and here is the proof...

1)...I sat for my Introduction to Music Theatre yesterday...with 4 years of acting and stage directing experience behind me...one would have expected me to sail through the class...I would...but no...it is confirmed...I will be sitting for supplementary papers for this subject next semester...why??...you may ask...well, let me tell you...ahem...

LESSAJINOMOTO forgot to look at the back of her exam papers...hence, she wasn't aware of the FIVE compulsory essay questions...and didn't answer them...how many marks were they??...10 marks each question...therefore, she automatically loses 50% for her final paper...

How on earth did that happen??...I don't know...my mind seems to be on hibernating mode at the moment...but that doesn't surprise me...I've been so tensed up about my graduation recital...that by this week, I've already used up all my energy...including the reserves...

So if one were to ask me, if I'm feeling scared about my recital that is a little more than 12 hours away...I'd tell you...NO...if anything, I just want to get on and be done with it...I'm done waiting...I need and want my semester break...no more thoughts of 'things to remember and to do'...in fact, I've already lost RM100 on my bet alone...and I don't intend to lose more...

2)...I took my HOUSE-keys and attempted to open my car door with them...for a good old 5 minutes under the unmerciful sun, I struggled...wondering why the damn keys would not fit in...the college guard asked me if I was alright...it still didn't strike me...until I was aware of how the keys felt in my palms...cold and clammy...and it was a BUNCH of keys...my car-key is single and a loner...with a plastic as shield on the top...

3)...I bought ham and cheese sandwich for lunch...separated the sandwich from the plastic bag which held it...approached a garbage bin nearby...threw the sandwich and kept the plastic bag...I didn't even notice, until I caught myself staring at my reflection in the glass...wondering how the stupid plastic bag got into my hands...and where is my damn sandwich??!!!...

4)...I was in college all nicely dressed up when my boyfriend called saying he needed the jumper cables I was having...so I drove back home as fast as I could...upon handing him the wanted item, I drove off...only to realize, I was wearing someone else's sandals...so I drove back...drove out again...forgot my handbag...drove back...drove out...forgot house-keys...drove back...

I promise you...I've never missed my house so much before...

I am about to go to bed soon...but the next time I touch my bed...I won't be Lessajinomoto the Absent-Minded anymore...hehe...I will be Lessajinomoto, who is done with her graduation recital!!!....

I shouldn't have...

...watched my friend's graduation recital...

Heck, I just lost RM80 on my bet, for thinking failure thoughts again!!...(I am now more broke than I expected to be...)

And just so you know, yes...my friends' (there were two tonight) recital was that good...

Lina, you really missed it this time!!...all great songs...and well prepared too...trust Tan and Nel to come up with something amazing...

I'm really happy for them...

Now, its my turn...